After crossing into Spain on Tuesday, 31 January, we stopped for lunch at Otsondo, a quiet picnic area on the Camino de Santiago. If we had more time, there’s hikes to explore archaeological remains nearby. We move on though, aiming to reach Pamplona mid-afternoon. It’s a good road, with several long tunnels and a few well-marked diversions for roadworks. Pamplona City Council provides an excellent campervan parking area, fully serviced for just €10 a night. It’s walking distance to the city walls and we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon and evening exploring the city and treating ourselves to supper at the Cafe Iruna. Founded in 1888 the Cafe still has its original decoration, well-known to Ernest Hemingway. He visited the San Fermin festivals in Pamplona on many occasions and was a regular visitor to Cafe Iruna. ‘Hemingway’s Corner’ has a life-size statue of him propping up the bar in an elegant side room to the main restaurant.
Encountering problems with the automatic exit on Wednesday, Steve managed to sneak the van between the hedge and barrier to leave at 1030 – just as well we’re not a large coachbuilt van! It’s a sunny cloudless sky with a chilly breeze as we leave the motorway to find a scenic route south.