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

18.06.14 Wednesda Guernika to Bilbao. On the way back from seeing Guenika we stop at the Bar Norte just down the street from the hostel. There is nothing naughty about this bar but we each manage a huge salad and then to bed. We are out at first light and go out of town but very soon head upwards and not for the last time today. The views over the hills are good with snatches of sunlight illuminating fields and mist in the valleys. A lot of up and down later we get a coffee in a little bar in a small village just opening at 1045 to catch the first pilgrims from Guernica. There is an unusual cross in the village, having crucified Christ on one side and Mary with baby on the other. We press on and get to our main destination by 1215, an excellent lunch and we agree to press on. The next day would be a long 30km through Bilbao, we have all been to the Guggenhiem gallery and do not need a repeat so a day with a shorter slog through a city would be great. The snag is another significant hill but there is not much to do in Aretxalde or Artega the two small towns on this side of the ridge separating us from Bibao. There is no alternative a slog up the hill in the afternoon sun must be good for our souls if not our bodies. We arrive on Mont Avril hot and sweaty and surge down hill into Bilbao. The alburgue we know is halfway up the other bank of the Nervion Abaia ( this seems to be the name of the river), so we look for a pension and eventally find one though Betsy and the owner had mutual difficulty in understanding each other. Mich relief after 33.5km and 1200m ascent and descent