We should always have a plan - so you can change it! M1 was going to ride from ourovernight spot to a RV with M2 and the van at Toloso before pressing on. Off the biker went at about 08.30 full of beans and enthusiasm. Just 3 miles down the road the main chain ring cable slipped and left him in the low gear. Despite roadside attempts to repair, and without the requisite set of pliers to tension the cable, it was best to cycle back up hill to the van and devise plan 'B'. At least breakfast would now be on the cards - but no, M2 had eaten all the bread! No worries - tostada to the rescue.
With both firing on all cylinders again, we set off back towards Pamplona and the battle field site at Sorauren, just 5 miles north. This was a delightful village with stone buildings prettily decked out with bright red geraniums - the white of the buildings and the red of the paintwork and flowers reflecting the Basque traditional colours. The bridge at Sorauren was still there and we could identify Clausel's Ridge and that of Cole but we were amazed at the steepness of the terrain, the limitations that the features imposed on troop movements and concluded that this was no place to try to manouevre 40,000 troops. Nevertheless, history tells us that this is what happened and we marvel at it. Some sharp control of his troops gave Wellington a victory to deny Sault the road to Pamplona. We retraced our steps slightly to get on the best road to Roncesvalles - a windy road through beautiful, green hills with neat, appealing white and red villages on the way. There were many cyclists in evidence up and down the road which made us believe that there was some sort of organised time event taking place but we didn't see start or end point. Roncesvalles was of interest for two reasons: firstly, it was where Roland led Charlemagne's army against the Basques (even though he was defeated his resistance was enough to dissuade the Basques from further attempts to invade France) and secondly, it was where Sault launched his attack against Wellington's overstretched defensive lines on the Spanish side of the border with a massive numerical advantage. Cole, the British Commander and his men fought bravely but retreated to Sorauran in front of this assault. Mainly, our impression was of a desperately limited geographic area of steep sided hills and no room to manouevre. Quite how Sault managed to get 40,000 men up the very steep and narrow Valcarlos valley and the old Roman road is a mystery - but do so he did. His campaign to break through the British defences in order to take Pamplona had a good start.
Roncesvalles itself was a disappointment as it had been overwhelmed by the pilgrim trail. Restaurant's advertised a 'Pilgrim's Menu', there were accommodation hostels and better for 'Pelegrinos only' and we felt out of place so didn't stay long. Over the pass and down a spectacular valley back into France to St Jean Pied de Port where we had a welcome omelette aux cepes and pomme frites even though as a border town it disappointed somewhat. What didn't disappoint was the very nice mechanic who fixed the chain ring cable in 10 seconds and didn't charge a bean! On to a well arranged camp site with reasonable privacy and good facilities just outside Cambo les Bain (which marked the southern end of Soult's line of defence along the Nive when defending against Wellington's army in 1813.
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