From Dawn’s First Light to Detours: Pamplona to Zariquiegui
The fourth day of my Camino journey led me from Pamplona to Puente la Reina, a day marked by detours, reflections, and an unexpected encounter with grace upon the Mountain of Forgiveness.
Sleep continues to elude me in the crowded albergues. Despite my exhaustion, sharing sleeping quarters with over 100 pilgrims makes rest difficult for my sensitive soul. Yesterday, my clothes remained damp, my shoes wet, forcing me to chase the sun around Pamplona streets seeking warmth and dryness. Nevertheless, I rose at 5:15 AM and was on the path by 6:00, determined to continue my journey.
I passed through Cizur Menor, which seemed somehow transformed since my 2019 pilgrimage. Beyond this village, an unexpected detour awaited – recent rains had washed away the path, forcing us onto roads running parallel to the motorway. The shopkeepers in Zariquiegui were concerned, as they hadn’t seen many pilgrims that morning.
What relief I felt when returning to the mountain paths leading to Zariquiegui, where I stopped briefly for water and nourishment before continuing to the Alto del Perdón (Hill of Forgiveness).
Alto del Perdón: Where Winds Meet Stars on the Hill of Forgiveness
There, atop the windswept ridge stands the iron sculpture of medieval pilgrims that always catches me by surprise – just as forgiveness itself often does. Forgiveness is never something we can schedule or countdown toward with certainty. It arrives unexpectedly, changing everything in an instant.
This is where “el camino del viento cruza con el camino de las estrellas” – where the path of winds crosses the path of stars. I stood where countless pilgrims before me have battled fierce gusts while following celestial navigation through darkened nights. How they must have struggled, these ancient travelers, their cloaks whipping violently around them, eyes squinting against the sting of dust, yet faces turned upward to find their way by heaven’s light. Centuries of journeys converging on this single windswept point – bodies bent against nature’s force, souls reaching toward divine guidance.
There is a peculiar danger in being forgiven. We climb the mountain of guilt, struggling against the winds of shame, following stars of hope – convinced that reaching the summit is our greatest challenge. Yet it’s the lightness afterward, the sudden unburdening, that proves more disorienting. The descent, the life after forgiveness – this is the greater journey.
The Descent: Stones Underfoot and Reflections on Christ’s Burden
The way down toward Uterga proved treacherous, with loose stones slipping beneath my feet. Each sharp press against my soles felt symbolic – these are the hurts I must now forgive in others, having been forgiven myself. I couldn’t help comparing this chosen difficulty with the Way of the Cross – though my pain is one I’ve welcomed, unlike Christ’s unchosen suffering on Golgotha.
As Jesus bore our sins, I wonder about the weight he carried down that final path. Was it heavier to bear our guilt, or to extend the forgiveness that would forever change us? The sudden lightness of being forgiven is sometimes more difficult to bear than living with the familiar weight of guilt. This constant clash – what should be released and what should be fought for – walked beside me with each downward step, stones shifting treacherously underfoot.
Rest and Arrival: From Uterga to Puente la Reina
My first real rest came in Uterga, having already covered over 20 kilometers including the detour. After banana and peppermint tea, I continued the final 7 kilometers to Puente la Reina. Today I chose comfort, staying at Albergue Jakue, a more upscale option where I also paid for dinner, too tired to venture out after completing 28 kilometers.
As I rest and do laundry, I’m still carrying those thoughts of forgiveness and letting go. The Cruz de Ferro (Iron Cross) still lies ahead on my journey, where I’ll deposit the stones I carry – both literal and metaphorical. I have time yet to make peace with my soul, if not my mind, about what needs to be forgiven, what released, and what fought for.
With each step, I pray for my marriage to Ken, my Texan husband. Though already legally married, we prepare for our sacramental ceremony in September. At every stop, I feel how deeply I miss him and continue praying for us both.
Note to Self
The body and soul are inseparable companions on this journey. Just as my spirit requires morning prayers to sustain it, my physical form demands proper nourishment. Remember that caring for one means caring for both – each blister treated is a form of devotion, each meal a sacred act of continuation. The path requires strength drawn from both heaven and earth.
Day 4 Summary: Camino Frances from Pamplona to Puente la Reina
- Distance: 28 kilometers
- Hours walked: 7 (6:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
- Path: Pamplona → Cizur Menor → Zariquiegui → Alto del Perdón → Uterga → Puente la Reina
- Accommodation: Albergue Jakue
- Total expenses: €74.80
- Albergue: €25.00
- Washing and drying: €8.00
- Breakfast: €5.90
- Sandwich and beer: €9.00
- Dinner: €19.50
- Peppermint tea, banana, apple: €3.80
- Snack bars: €3.60
An unusually expensive day, but after nights of restless sleep and damp clothes, this small luxury is both penance and reward – a pilgrim’s paradox on this path of contradictions.
