Day 3 Zarautz to Deba via the GR

A later start this morning because breakfast wasn’t available until 8am. I enjoyed the extra 30 minutes in bed not having slept particularly well, I need to stop drinking coffee at lunchtime. I exchanged views on yesterday’s deluge with a chap who had taken a train to avoid the threat of thunderstorms, I was glad that phenomenon had not occurred to me.

Feeling a little tired I opted for the straightforward coastal route into Getaria passing a wonderful natural swimming pool along the way complete with diving board and a sort of obstacle course. From there it was a pleasant up and down walk to Elorriaga where I had my breakfast roll for lunch, having previously had an amazing cream bun and café con leche in Zummaia.

My tiredness having 100% lifted I decided to take the alternative GR route into Deba, the same distance as the Camino route but which took me almost 3 times as long. Probably one of the more challenging hikes I’ve done lately and completely spectacular, it took me to the Basque Coastal Geopark and the Flysch deposits preserving 60 million years of history. The tough ascents were worth it, as was the 500m navigation error which took me, and a young couple from Sydney, off the path towards a precipitous dead end. My Wise Pilgrim app got us back on track.

I arrived in Deba later than anticipated and found my Pension for the night. There’s a railway line outside the window, I think it must be the Eusko Trenideak which runs 400 miles along Spain’s north coast. Free beer in the fridge and a small bath, heaven.

Two pilgrims, not including the Belgian at breakfast, just 23k but almost 1000m of ascent, most of it on the GR. Such a different experience to Camino Francés in 2022 where you were hardly ever alone. Wonderfully meditative and restorative.