Day 18 Ourence to Irun

Day 18 Ourence to Irun

We are up at 5:45. Ricky thinks it’s a straight road back to the station, I think we have to turn somewhere. On that basis we go back up to the main road and then I start to walk back in the direction of the station, the click clack of Malcolm’s cleats following not far behind. The click clack stops and Malcolm rides past me just as I spot a junction ahead where we turn left. Malcolm goes straight on. It takes a while for Malcolm to come back but we had allowed plenty of time. It was just coming light as we got to the station.

The next journey to Leon was the part where we had needed to reserve bike spaces. There were only three spaces available in total and we had all three. Despite that there was already a bike hanging there when we boarded but the train conductor was not causing us any problems. It was a long journey to Leon and we recognised quite a few places. We went past the McDonalds in Ponferrada and we recognised immediately the green bridge that we had cycled over in Astorga. At Leon we had a two hour wait so we went off the station in search of food. By coincidence, we were not far from where we had slept by the river several days before and we went off in search of the same McDonalds that Chris had failed to find. It took us a while as it was well hidden in the trees.

We were back on the station in plenty of time to get the next train to Palencia where we had 40 minutes between trains and had to get new tickets for the final leg to Irun. We disembarked at Palencia on a middle platform so decided to leave the bikes while we went to buy tickets to Irun. This we did, fortuitously just asking for tickets for us (and getting our Spanish Senior citizens discount too) and not mentioning bikes. On our schedule this train had no restrictions on bike numbers. According to the information screens our train was leaving from Platform 4, the same platform we had arrived on. This looked like an easy transfer.

There is much announcing done over the loudspeakers so I go and check the information screens. Our train is now leaving on Platform 2. Not a problem as platforms 2 and 4 are together. Then a train pulls in to Platform 4 just as ours is due. I check the information screens again. This train is also going to Irun but it’s an express so no bikes. Our train is three minutes behind this on platform 2. The express has stopped with the locomotive just where Malcolm is stood. Being Spain, the driver opens the cab door and comes out for a smoke. Malcolm asks if the train is going to Irun. “Si” is the answer, at which point there is immediate confusion with Malcolm saying this is our train etc and me saying no it isn’t. No lives were lost during the discussion.

McDonalds - Leon

Our train does arrive (platform 2) and we get on. Bikes are in coach 3 and we immediately find that there are only three spaces. These are already taken, but we are on the train. It’s a busy one too as today is the bull run day in Pamplona. Happily the conductor is a nice chap and we stay on the train. It’s a long journey to Irun and I spend two hours talking to Francesco from Vigo with much help from the Spanish phrasebook. We arrive in Irun just turned 9:00 after travelling all day. We are tired and now need to get from Irun, in Spain, to Hendaye, in France. This is a short hop and effectively it is the same place straddling the border. The signs in Irun station point us rather portentously to the International Train Station. This turns out to be a metro type of station hidden amongst a row of shops. We buy tickets and then manoeuvre fully loaded bikes through underground type ticket barriers, breaking one in the process. We then have to carry fully loaded bikes down two sets of stairs to the platform. The train arrives quickly, we spot the bike spaces in the first carriage and off we go again.

Letting the train take the strain

The International Train Station in Hendaye stops very close to the SNCF station and Ricky goes in to check train times. The station is just closing for the night and there are no further trains. We are told that the first train to Bayonne is 7.45 next morning. This is marked Paris on the boards but the first stop is Bayonne, we are told. I ask about accommodation and see a blue light across the street flashing “Hostal”. At this point we realise Malcolm is missing and it transpires that he went into town to look for an aubergue where he has stayed before. We go into town but cannot find the aubergue so go back to the hotel by the station finally booking in at 11:00, dog tired.

We are just 20 miles from the pick up point tomorrow morning. Everything has worked out according to plan so far. I sleep for a while but then I wake full of anxiety about travelling the final leg.