Friday 30th August

Camping Ezcabar is the nearest campsite to Pamplona and, although it is a good way outside the city, there is a lovely cycle path that follows the river and takes us right into the centre.

Bryn has not been in his chariot for over a year. Will he remember it as the provider of enjoyable jaunts around Normandy last Spring, or will it give him flashbacks to his torrid time, howling, in Italy in 2022? Dear reader, I am pleased to report that despite my failure to give him any time to get used to the bike trailer again, he was happy to jump in right from the start.

The cycle path was a dream; a wide swathe of recently laid concrete through the meadows that flanked the banks of the river, occasionally crossing from side to side on old stone bridges. On the outskirts of Pamplona, we came to a restored medieval fulling mill by a packhorse bridge that was part of the Camino de Santiago – the pilgrims’ route down from France to Santiago de Compostela on Spain’s northwestern coast.

Soon the Cathedral came into view, and we locked the bikes up at the foot of the city walls by the Magdalen Bridge, once the main entrance into the town. Andy led us on a walk he found on Komoot (other walking apps are available) that took us through gardens around the outside of the old walls until we reached a funicular railway that took us up to the heart of the old city. Friday is obviously Funday in Pamplona the central square was heaving. There was a children’s basketball tournament taking place. Giant inflatable tubes marked out eight courts all with games taking place and loads of spectators crammed around the sides. Down a slightly quieter side street we found what we were looking for, a tapas bar.

Oh boy! What a place! The counter was heaving with culinary delights. Six plates of tapas and four beers for only 24€. If we are being gastronomically correct the dishes were pintxo rather than tapas, but who cares they were delicious!

 Back to the Komoot tour and off to the Plaza de Toros de Pamplona. Yes, your actual Spanish bull ring. Built in 1922, it is the second largest bull ring in Spain (Madrid has the biggest) and seats 19,720 spectators. I’m not a fan of bull fights and pleased that it is used more for performances and concerts than torturing animals. Another macabre fact is that during the Spanish Civil war it was used as a Francoist concentration camp, housing 30,000 republican prisoners.

Opposite the Plaza de Toros was a little Decathlon shop. It was a tiny little city version, like we had found in Chamonix. As well as being able to tick off another in my I-Spy book of Decathlon stores I bought a couple of inner tubes for Bryn’s trailer as I had to replace one this morning.

Then it was off to find the Cathedral, a couple of churches and the baroque Town Hall. On the way, Lesley and Wendy were able to replicate Ruth’s famous photograph taken when she was a couple of wines to the good in Pamplona a couple of years ago.

Fighting our way through hordes of pilgrims all looking for an over night stop in Pamplona we made our way along the city walls back to the Magdalene Bridge. Thankfully, the bikes and dog trailers were still as we had left them, and it was time to head back to the campsite. It is well known that ‘what goes up, must come down’ but it is less commonly known that ‘what goes down, must come up!’ The easy 10km cycle ride down the riverside was now an arduous 10km slog back up hill, and your hero (me!) is the only one who is keeping the true spirit of cycling alive by not having an e-bike. Twenty kilograms of chariot and the same again of dog made it quite a workout. It was a relief when we left the city, and the track got quieter to let Bryn out to run alongside me. He did so well that when we got back to the road tot the campsite, I put his lead on him and let him pull me up the hill, which worked wonderfully until he went one side of a pine tree and I the other!

As well as a swimming pool and new padel courts, the campsite also has a lovely bar which was a fine place to rehydrate and celebrate another memorable day.