Day 12, Irurtzun to Bayonne (nearly).

Didn't leave until 8am this morning as after yesterday's interesting route I wasn't that keen to carry on in the dark. In the event it wasn't too bad and I'd have probably been OK, but at least I had some breakfast before leaving.

I passed through loads of Basqe villages, all with pretty facades and geranium window boxes. The countryside is almost like being in the south West of England, except the roads are better. After about 20km the main hill kicked off and I slogged up to the top of the Alto de Goristieta slowly. From there, everything went downhill, literally. The first 10km was quite challenging, with lots of hairpin bends and quite tricky to slow down a heavily laden bike. I passed a few people heading in the opposite direction and stopped briefly to chat to a couple from Hannover, who were on holiday. 

I stopped in Doneztebe for a bite to eat, then rode off to the north to follow the Via Verde, only to discover I'd left my bag on the table. I back-tracked and fortunately it was still there.

The Via Verde was great - a disused railway - and it went on for miles. Sometimes it was paved, but mostly it wasn't, so was a bit rough at times. Nevertheless, it took me all the way down to Irun, where I stopped briefly for a petrol station sandwich and an ice cream, before crossing the border in to France.

From Hendaye I followed the coast north, although I got a bit lost in St Jean de Luz because of a road closure (an earlier closure also sent me on a bit of a hunt for a diversion), but eventually headed out towards Biarritz. By this time it was getting quite late, I was starting to struggle, not having eaten anything much, but I wanted to make sure I'd done my minimum 75 miles. There was no way I was going to stop in Biarritz as it would have been far too costly and besides, beaches and resorts are most definitely not my thing. I struggled on in the heat (28°C, sorry 😞) past golf resorts and 5* hotels towards Bayonne, looking for a hotel or a campsite along the road. My phone had a bit of a paddy again, as it couldn't cope with being in France, so I couldn't even Google somewhere to stay.

Eventually I spotted this bijou residence opposite the port of Bayonne and here I am, in a room with the smallest shower in the world, listening to the loose plastic roofing sheet flapping in the wind.

#abitofabikeride 

Amicii Dog Rescue and Rehabilitation UK 

Amicii Dog Rescue Romania 

https://justgiving.com/campaign/a-bit-of-a-bike-ride