Tony, Tim, Betsy & Ray's (not forgetting Geoff) 2014 Camino

11.06.14 Wednesday. Bera to Irun. Well no fiurther excitments after we got fed in Bera. Up in the morning at 6.45 and breakfast from our hostess. Florita and her husband are trying to sell the Casa Romana to retire to his village in the Navarre lowlands. In the breakfast room there is a pelota racket on the wall Ray and Tim are allowed to try it on, it is surprisingly light.As we leave the town over the recently refurbished bridge we see an echo of a British past hero. The Spanish treat the Napoleonic occupation of their country as the War of Indepenence and many references to the British Campaign of Wellington are minimised, here is a wonderful joint commemoration of a minor part in the final days of the Peninsular campaign. After that the day follows it's familiar course with a steepish ascent though not as bad as yesterday and a long ridge wslk as we rise above the lower layer of clouds. The day remains reasonably cool and we race across the first few km. The descent to the coast at Irun has several false starts with ascents short and steep afterward but finally a view of Irun and the sea comes in view. We wander through the outskirts relieved to be in a town with an open bar at 2pm. The Irun alburgue opens at 1600 and its hospitalero is as helpful as he can be Betsy and he have a long conversation gaining information about the future course of our Way. Hopefully we will not have to contend with the same difficulties of the last few days even if coastal routes are notorious for up and down. Todays gradual climb up out of the Embalese (reservoir) was a great walk very well graded and we were surprised by a cyclist pedalling quietly up the rough track behind us. Today. 24km 1400m up 1450m down