gite between SJPP and Roncesvalle

[Joe English]

On Sun, 1 Sep 2002 13:22:27 -0700, Joe and Lydia Banales
<lydiaaBANALES.NET> wrote:

>Could someone please clarify if the gite is on the Val Carlos route or
>the Napoleon route. Thanks. Lydia
>
>
As you now know the Gite is at Hunnto.
Regarding staying there, if that is your intention, here is my tuppence
worth ......
I do not feel that one has put sufficient distance from SJPP for this to be
an adequate 'midway' point for those who are concerned about the walk to
Roncesvalles. The distance is something like 6 km, and is by no means the
most 'vertical' part of that particular section. Also if you get to the
gite early in the day there is NOTHING to do there. It is literally a farm
building on its own.
When we left SJPP (at 10:45 AM on day one) full of trepidation, the lady in
the office in SJPP strongly suggested that we stay in Hunnto that night,
and then move on in the morning. Our original plan was to walk to
Roncesvalles, but she talked us out of it. Anyway when we got to the Gite
it began raining, and poured for about an hour. The lady in the gite
allowed us to shelter outside, and closed her doors and curtains. We felt
very unwelcome. We had intended staying there, but her unfriendliness
helped us decide to walk on to Roncesvalles. When the rain cleared we
continued and got to Roncesvalles at about eight PM (I think).
Now to the main point of my note (sorry about the negativity above)....If
one were planning to use the stop at Hunnto, a good plan would be to arive
at SJPP in the afternoon, spend some time looking around the town and then
walk to Hunnto in time for dinner. I often regret that I did not spend any
time in SJPP, as it is a beautiful town in it's own right. Like most
Perigrinos I got in on the train and got on the Camino as fast as
possible.  Next time ....
Best regards
Joe