Day 5, Jun 18, 2024
From St Jean Pied de Port to Estérençuby
13.3 km hiked, 11.9% complete

Often on  long hikes, plans can change depending on the weather as well as other factors. The prediction is for rain and thunderstorms for the next few days, so we are thinking we will hike through light rain tomorrow, reaching a suitable stop where we can wait out the day of heaviest rain and storms.

Today, after a sandwich and coffee for breakfast, we were all feeling fit and ready to move on.  St Jean Pied de Port is a beautiful town where ancient city fortifications continue to stand – now as the backdrop to shops in the main street. As you walk the cobbled streets, it feels as though you have stepped back in time. We said goodbye to this as we plodded up the country roads, through pastures, and along tracks winding up the hillsides.

The sky was overcast, and the air was much cooler than yesterday but very humid. We arrived at our stopping point – a hotel in Estérençuby that can give us dinner and comfortable accommodation.

We are hoping tomorrow to put in a long day in what we hope will be only light rain. If it goes to plan, Thursday, the day predicted to be stormy, will be a day off from hiking.