In April 2011 Maurice led leg 5 of the journey to Compostella, this one taking them from Orthez to Burgos, and here are some happy memories of the trek. Scroll down to view individual photographs and if you happen to have been on the walk with Maurice or have some prior knowledge of the places pictured please let me have any more details that might make our gallery more interesting and/or better informed.

The first three shots were actually taken on a previous leg but I did not not put them up at the time as I do not normally put up photographs of individuals. But I thought these ones were so good that they should be seen. Just to demonstrate the fact that we do not all share the same taste one viewer felt I should not have put them up as at least one of them "seem[s] to be [not] quite right somehow-too full on"!!

A most important thing for a pilgrim is to begin the journey refreshed and our pilgrims took their rest on the train from Toulouse to Orthez!!

Another important piece of pilgrim preparation is to seek the intercession of Our Blessed Lady so on arrival at Orthez they gathered round Her statue.

And of course as ardent St Francis ramblers their leader for the pilgrimage had a word with our great patron.

At stages along the way it is necessary to check where we are on the map!!

Supper was served at Navareux

                                                    And they had a look at the town.

Our pilgrims en route to Arove accompanied by a French couple and their dog

Olhaiby Church en route to Ostabat

Chapelle de Soyarza en route to Ostabat

Inside Chapelle de Soyarza

Inside Morambelz Church also en route to Ostabat

Inside Gite 1 Km up steep hill on from Ostabat. Not as clear as I would like - a bit of handshake (or perhaps the camera being held by only one hand which is quite common with digital cameras unfortunately). I'm afraid Photoshop could not quite correct the blur in this one.

Four of our pilgrims (Anna, Carol, Catherine and Marie outside Gite with, second and fourth from left, their hosts.

And a shot in the same location but this one including Pilgrim Leader Maurice

A threatening scene but fortunately our pilgrims are protected by sturdy bars!!!

A view of the Pyrenees

Outside the entrance to St Jean Pied de Port

And inside St Jean Pied de Port

The next three shots show St Jean Pied de Port on the rest day

A photo call before saying St Jean Pied de Port

And at last, having said goodbye to St Jean Pied de Port, setting out on the Camino again.

Gite at Orrison in the Pyrenees

Supper time at the Gite

One of our ladies with the statue of "Our Lady"

Close up of the statue of Our Lady

Pilgrim Leader with the statue

The sign for the Roncevaux reservoir

Only 765 kms to Compostella!! Note the seashell on the milestone - there is a legend that after St James' death, his disciples shipped his body to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. Off the coast of Spain a heavy storm hit the ship, and the body was lost to the ocean. After some time, however, the body washed ashore undamaged, covered in scallops.

Mass at Roncevaux

A pilgrim encounter with sheep en route to Zubiri (scenes like this appear

on postcards from Ireland with caption "traffic jam in Ireland"!)

Statue of bulls and men at Pamplona

Church at Pamplona

By the statue at Pamplona

At the favourite haunt of all pilgrims - the bar (Cafe Iruna) at Pamplona

Cloister in Pamplona Cathedral (two shots with different exposures)

Plaza in Pamplona

Plaza Puenta La Reina

Rio Arga - Puenta La Reina

Walking over Rio Arga Bridge, Puenta La Reina

Estella

And now a real pilgrim dream - a wine fountain

And our pilgrim leader patiently waits his turn!!

St Andre's Church, Villamajior de Monjordin

Santa Maria Church, Los Argos

Walking along Logrono Street

Evening meal inside Logrono Cafe

Cemetery outside Navarette

Cafe and Church - Ventosa

It is clear that our pilgrims spent some time at Santo Domingo and the next

several photographs show their memories of it .

This is the Cathedral cloister garden Cloister.

And this is the Nave

And the dramatic looking reredos

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A bit more detail of the alltar seen in the photograph of the nave above.

A Tomb (we know not whose)in Santo Domingo de la Calzada Cathedral

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The Cathedral's statue of the ever present St James with his staff.

Cathedral Garden

Doorway in Santo Domingo de la Calzada Cathedral

Birds on the bell tower of the Cathedral

Exterior view of the Cathedral

Inside the Church

Main Square Santo Domingo

Inside Church

Walking the muddy track

Street scenes in late evening Santo Domingo

Frontier of Rioja with Castilla y Leon

Evening meal at the Albergue "Cuatro Cantones" Belorado

Breakfast at the Albergue "Cuatro Cantones" Belorado

Church at Villafria (snork's nest on top)

Wall of Arches

Three shots of Church at St Juan de Ortega, two close up and one distant

Burgos Cathedral

Plaza in Burgos

Riverside walk in Burgos

Arborial promenade in Burgos

View of St Maria Arch and Cathedral from River

St Maria Arch Burgos

Inside Cathedral Burgos

Views of Cathedral from River

Spiral Staircase, Burgos Cathedral

Dome inside Burgos Cathedral

Cathedral Choir

Cathedral Side Chapel

St James, Matamoros, in the Cathedral

View of Cathedral from River

The Cathedral seen from two different angles

Evening meal at Casa Parroquial (sorry it's so blurred, the best efforts of Photoshop Enhance facility could not correct for the handshake!!

Two views of the Cathedral and St Maria Arch

Close up of figures above the arch

Cricifix inside the Cathedral

On Santander sea front

Santander Cathedral Circo de Refugio