Biarritz, The Arnaud Massy flight

The celebrated story of Arnaud Massy is about the all conquering hero from Biarritz who won the 1907 Open and is buried in Newington cemetery between Dalkeith road and the Pow Burn.

Biarritz was a holiday home to many of those abusive, rich and famous folk at the turn of the century and as the birthplace of our hero Arnaud in 1887, it starts me on this golfing masters Camino.

Arnaud was a legend winning the first french and Spanish opens as well as coming home with the claret jug and also being popped in 1911 by Harry Vardon. There's many legacies but one of Arnaud's was Angel de la Torre, the legendary Spanish golfer from Cordoba who jumped shop during the early sparks of the Spanish civil war and had an illustrious and inspirational involvement in the golfing game in the USA.

When you slip down these rabbit holes you realise how interesting the history can be. The untold stories of the game and eras influencers.

Arnaud Massy opened doors and had doors opened for him. Just check forth street in North Berwick. He did that same for others and Angel de la Torre is just one of many.

Next stop is the Correos where the famous letters were sent that ensured Angel de la Torre  could ensure his family safe passage to the USA.

Next stop for me on the bus tour is hendaye and the Spanish border. On entering Spain we can look to the right and see hondoarriba the home of Jose Maria Olazabal, the Masters champion and winner of two of those coveted green jackets.

Just along the coast past San Sebastian is the city of Bilbao, a stones throw from another member of the Basque trio, Jon Rahm. His legend is building, like his temper, with every game. The raw passion, precision and power of Rahm in full throw will keep me enthralled for the rest of my life.

Our final stop will be Santander the nearest city to where Severiano Ballesteros was born. Seve is among the greatest of golfing gods, a total natural who also never forgot the value of the few shillings he received as a boy.

We flew into Biarritz for buttons from Edinburgh and will fly out of Santander after a week of watching golf on the TV and surfers on the sea. I'll update this as I go.

Camino planning 2024 - the Fatal Schedule

Seeing in the new year with a trip to do the mozarabe way was a great plan. As ever St Jacques provided lots of lessons and perhaps the greatest was check the weather over the week/month of your camino and adjust accordingly. We did. I saw Almeria and wandered around enjoying the sunshine and heat. I looked how cold it was in the mountains as we would arrive at Granada and decided the coast was unashamedly the place to be. On the way back I stopped at Almenucar, a town we would visit again. I found a great beach front that stretched perfectly for a 12k-24k stroll and swim. 

When Stu Simon and I went back it was a rerun of the last night in Santander with Simon playing the roll of Mark as he took a tumble at 2am. No wonder he had more steps than me the next day. I'd got home to bed by 12 from our night out in the rock'n'roll bar. 

I'd taken them earlier in the day to the place that I deemed, serves the best tapa in town. 

An unassuming place next to the very old phoenician factory for fish preservation. Trying saying that after a few glasses of Mencia. 

Its a lovely old building/ruin that dates back long long ago and is interwoven with a new gallery and garden layout full of sculptures. From there we sallied forth and found ourselves crossing the high point of the town before sliding down through the myriad of alleyways before arriving at the previously mentioned rock'n'roll bar. Now, I am aware in writing this that I was reeking and delighted to have navigated across town from Bar La Cabana, past the magnifico botanico-arqueologico El Majuelo all the way up and down to Rock Shox in the Calle Aduana vieja. As I say I made it home but for those who stayed out after the video camera went home, check out the posting on google maps, I think there might be a video or two left for posterity. As Simon was to recount the next day, "I felt sober when you put your coat on Al, it was just after you waved buenos noches and the door shut I felt pissed." I staggered home at 11.45 according to my AI tracker a fate made possible by ability to stop drinking at critical times. My alcoholism clearly seems to be about exercising control and the ability to drink the next day. Simon's on the other hand was not quite paying attention to how slow Stu was drinking ( 1 for 2) and the consequential effects it had on our sobriety. The image of him sleeping under the tree in Almenucar will live long in the memory. So to the next challenge, when are the dates good? As ever these are the crafty camino cid's own plans which once firmed up you're welcome to ignore or join in the madness. Edinburgh flights from Ryanair now include Biarritz which makes the norte and St Jean pied du porte an easy trip. 

Flying into Biarritz and out of Santander is a joy. Even having a wee trip to London from Bilbao or Irun (San Seb to City) demonstrates just what a dawdle all this stuff is becoming. As ever flight prices at the weekend seem to be £100+ while midweek are £20. One other foible is returning from a different airport is often cheaper. 

Sunday 7th April until Kelso on the 15th or the Scottish National at Ayr on the 20th is my first walking window. If I can ditch the Kelso shift there's a flight back to Edinburgh on the 15th at 5pm or the 18th at 16:25 for buttons. Both work really well for some high ridges and sea views. The morning flights on Wednesday 17th/friday 19th from Santander are even cheaper at 21.99/27.99euro. As I say thats a shift that appeals and I might even put Jackie and Caitlin into a nice place in Bilbao and walk around them. Wednesday the 10th April to Santander is buttons as is Thursday to Biarritz. I'm quite inclined to do a 3-5 day trip to fill in the gaps like Markina to Gernika or Laredo to Santander. I suppose I've just got to ditch that kelso shift and see what the weather is doing. The Norte as Rich, Stu and I found is 1-2km per hour if wet and muddy, or 5kmph on the asphalt pavements. My next window in May is a short one. May 9th - 14th. There is one flight that jumps right out at me and its a return to Biarritz. At £58.03 its a bit over my budget but it leaves at 12.35 on Thursday 9th May and returns Monday 13th May at 17:00. Really good lazy flight times and would allow checking into the albergue donativo in Irun around 6pm and a stroll down to the front before a good full days walk to San Seb on the Friday, another 30k to Zarautz on Saturday and then choosing an end on Sunday to coincide with a Monday flight plan, or keep going until Santander. The bad weather fall back would be to climb Monte del perdon outside Pamplona and then jump bus to Logrono for tapa lunch and walk out to Navarette. Naverette to Azofra Albergue on the Saturday, Azofra to Villafranca (part of 50k by bus) and Villafranca montes des oca to cardenuela on the Monday, Burgos on the tuesday and I'd get that early flight back from Santander on Wednesday. On my own the accomodation would be dorms but there are a few decent flats if there were more than me. The Santander flight gets into Edinburgh at 11.25 on the wednesday, just enough time for me to get up to Perth for my evening shift from 3pm-8.30pm. At less than 30 euros it makes it do'able. Next up is after Cartmel/Kelso May 25/26th, musselburgh june 1st and June 9th in Perth for Simon's 62nd birthday, then musselburgh again on 13th. So although it would be roasting hot the norte flying out lunchtime monday 17th (£46) or Thursday (£25) 20th works, the flights back are not too expensive at £55 but waiting until July 1st its £38 or flying back for £21 on the thursday you fly out! Monday 24th flying to Edinburgh at 17:40 from Santander is another option, but as previously mentioned its getting to be the Euros and also Caitlins show/graduation time so possibly best to not study it too much. Moving swiftly along then to September October November, my plan would be to have 5 weeks some with Jackie and the bulk loaded onto the back end. Flying out Monday 16th September to Biarritz is my starter for 10. This is a similar time to the big 500 mile caminos Simon (2007) Harry (2011) and Paul and Stu (2015). Whether its Monday or thursday or Monday 23rd will pretty much depend on whether JAckie comes for 4-5 days first. Ideally I'd start from St Gien Pied du Porte but if it was Pamplona I'd start on Monday 26th. Walking in and out of the various communities is a huge part of any camino and by flying out and back in I'm sure not to over stay the welcome! The weather is superb, the wine festivals in full fling and my ambition would be to fly home and back out. The flight times as previously mentioned are superb and so my only question is fly back after 7 days or 10. I normally abandon my allotment at the wrong time so thats why I'm going for chunks. I like to walk with the community so I'd probably fly back out to Santander on October 4th returning on friday 11th. Its currently £80. If I get my days right I'd head down to Burgos and walk out to Cardenuela Rio Pico (Friday night) and walk to Burgos (Saturday), Hornillos (SUNDAY) Castrojeriz (Monday) Fromista (Tuesday) Carrion (Wednesday) and back to Fromista (thursday) train up and stay Santander thursday night.

St Jacques provides Málaga style

An inauspicious start to this Camino as I kept juggling my thoughts.

Frantic is usually how I find myself As I get off a plane and through customs in search of the train or bus to town.

The clock was ticking As it usually does and I was happy in the knowledge I had 10 minutes As I chased the train.

I found the station in the pouring rain and juggled with the ticket machine. Then I was completely baffled by the lack of a slot for my ticket. After trying more barriers I used the ticket like a card.

Surely non, surely Si. 

On arrival at my stop I thought follow the air crew, they'll probably be in a pod and then I forgot and started walking hurriedly as if I knew where to go.

As usual there's two door to the train station and I took the wrong one, crossed the boulevard turned right crossed another boulevard, then right again and crossed the one I just crossed, but at least I was now on the right side.

I carried down this road, turned left, went through three junctions and there it was. M pods, my home for 10 hours.

The pods are interesting. Slightly more refined than an ordinary bunk bed but with the sounds of silence broken by the roller blind, I sensed a fundamental flaw.

Having considered my options I decided I would definitely use my boots and not bare feet to climb the longest ladder ever for a bunk bed. The lower bunks do benefit from a good height.

I showered and wandered out having a wine at my local. It would become my local as I was back there an hour later.

First I wandered the streets up to the bus station and got my ticket for tomorrow. Ironically I ended up using my phone as the over 60's €5 off deal must only work if you've registered.

I had a glass of vino in the bus station cafe with ensaladilla rusa. The wine was a big glass and it tasted like big glasses usually do. I considered getting up for the toilet through the night and left it.

Back down to my local. Small wine but very nice it was and the little tapa for €3 blew the bus station's €6 off the road.

Another visit to the toilet ensued and I hoped that the fruitless strolling round the roundabouts and up the narrow streets were not in vain and indeed my bladder would not feel the need to rain.

When I got in all the pods were busy and shutters down. I tried another visit before climbing to the bed and trying to work the shutter with my toes.

I wouldn't turn the TV on but I did get to sleep and only really woke when I was shouting in a dream. When I saw my surroundings I appreciated it was indeed a dream, gave a glakit stare and went back to sleep.

Camino mozarabe 2024

Over the years Stu and I have migrated to different times of the year for the Camino and last year we were shocked and delighted about the Camino to Finisterre in January.

Granted, there was not a lot open but the weather and the lighting from the winter sun was transformational. We kept asking ourselves that question why had we not done this before.

January was often a golfing holiday with Simon and Iain to Stu's place near Alicante. There was always a day when we walked the 20km into the city and got the tram home but we never put 2+2 together until the flights to Santiago appeared.

Readers of the blog will know we enjoyed it so much we went back with Simon for a week at the end of April and I went out again on the ill fated trip in June.

I don't know if I wrote up the June trip but St Jacques was providing answers before we left but I didn't listen. Jimmy paid attention and he pulled out when Ryanair cancelled our flight out. I pushed on and flew to Santander then got the bus to all the places we'd booked before the other saint, Jackie reported in with a broken ankle and both our summers were cancelled.

So enough of the back story we had a month doing the Norte and the Frances so now we are heading to Almeria for a week doing the mozarabe. It should be fun.

This year we've got a few live from the Camino videos planned for you tube. The shorts were quite successful on the Norte especially one that we took in Guernica so that's the plan for the Camino Mozarabe.

First up it's all about walking but getting to walk involves transport so it's Ryanair and flying to Málaga. As you know I fly on Tuesday, quite simply it's quieter. I'm flying back on the Saturday which is rare but when your paying £20 each way from Edinburgh it just makes sense. Next up is the bus to Almeria. There's an early bus at 9 and it takes 2 hours. That works for me so I'll stay on Tuesday in Málaga probably at M-pods as £20 is ok. When Simon arrives Friday we'll book a flat as apartments are available for £50 and if it's any good we'll ask the owner about booking it direct for the following week when we are flying back.

When we did the Norte and the Finisterre Camino's I built a wee network of flats and phone numbers where the owners were happy to deal direct. Sometimes we book one night and ask if we can stay on for another 2. It lets us see the accommodation and the owner see us. Moat of the time it works out well for both.

I'll work out the local buses in Almeria and my plan is to do the first 2 days of the Camino before returning to base and meeting Simon on the Friday. Hopefully there will be a bus I can get back down from the mountains but if not I might just walk out and walk back. I'll have an hour in Almeria before setting off so will get my passport etc and then head off about 1pm so it won't be a full shift.

 Accommodation will probably drive it and therefore I will defer to St Jacques who always provides something.

Laying stones in memory of the milestones of the millennium

I lay stones for the deaths of friends and family, but also for the death of societies or simple things like integrity.

I remember being told at 46 that I would never get a job in the financial industry again because I was too honest.

I'd known this for a while as during my handover I explained to a colleague that this was a list of the money we'd stolen from clients by accident because an interest marker had been missed on their account. He asked if the clients had noticed. I explained no, I'd found it and had started paying it back, some of it backdated 4-5 years.

He was a relatively new manager so when he asked me if the board were happy I laughed and said of course not. The Finance director was used to me highlighting bad news and a £500,000 hole which should've been spotted years earlier, had turned a mild case of diverticulitis into a perilous case of pereronitis.

Well that's ok for you but if we don't pay it then who will be upset, he asked. Only the clients I laughed and you'll be a star in the boardroom. They'd steal from their grannies and many of them have and I don't just mean a couple of measly Brussels sprouts out of granddad's flask down the allotment.

A week later I asked how he was getting on and he proudly told me he'd binned all my hard work. I jokingly said I had another copy and would forward it to whoever he wanted to do the job. One old granny was actually on the list and due £42,000. He declined, I shrugged and made a couple of the payments myself.

 What this sychophantic fool failed to realise was that our finance director had worked for Maxwell in the past and had paid out redundancy to someone he was supposed to fire on a trumped up charge. He resigned on returning to the UK having done what he thought the right, proper and just thing. 

What I failed to realise is there are many paths. We don't all want to hold back the gargantuan growth we could get if we just ignored mistakes. By spending so much time on reconciliation, correction and compliance we are quite simply employing people in loss making activities. Integrity is a dangerous path to follow. Looking back over your shoulder makes it difficult to move forward. 

I was reminded of a wee reconciliation I'd performed at one of the Scottish banks in the 80's a year after the £600m debacle I helped solve at NatWest. My investigation led me to reconcile an amount of £2000+ that had been written off. It wasn't too difficult and after 4 hours it demonstrated we had overpaid some clients £30k and under invested for £32+ clients. One of them a woman in her 70's. Perhaps a granny perhaps not, but she was due £1800. I resigned shortly afterwards as the local supervisor was very embarrassed to see a temp credit people with the shares that they thought they'd bought. Apparently they needed to pass it up the line despite the deals having already docked.

I don't know what in my psyche said I should break rules because the truth as I saw it was that people had given money to a bank to invest so they should invest it. I guess I felt this ship had not sailed and I've seen it so I can correct it.

I don't know why I thought that I should be an Otto van justice pilot, but it's just how I am. I'm wrong to work in certain environments and certainly any where short changing is a key essential skill.

When I worked in the sweetie shop I always made a quarter pound of wine gums or toffee bon bons, a quarter pound. I tried to get it as close to but always above. That's how I'd been trained. Take a big bon bon out and put a smaller one but never go under. I think I'm just wired that way. Numbers can be correct. It might take time but you can always reconcile. 

It's like the race nights at the pub or the golf club. 3000 tickets bought £1500 paid in prizes £1500 left. Not £1430 because 'I don't know why'. You do know why as you check after each race. It takes seconds. It always balances because humans can make mistakes and checking them ensures they are corrected.

At the end of the day we usually, eat drink and sleep on the Camino and it's good to know the next day will be more honest toil walking followed by the same. 

The gravitational pull of the Camino is something I've accepted. In life it's ok to accept things. You don't need to question all the time you can listen to the teenage fan club no longer upright, and sing the refrain "it's alright" like a lullaby, over and over again.

Fromista to carrion des Los condes

We got a good walk into Burgos from Cardenuela Rio Pico with a coffee at Orbaneja a bonus.

Simon strolls towards Burgos on the river route.

It always looks closed, the albergue and when we reached el Decanso on the edge of Burgos, Mark was a great help with returning the coffee cups until simon nabbed them from him leaving him empty handed. His shaking was giving the cups a scare.

His interminable shakes had Simon a tad worried as he tripped over the numerous kerb stones. By the time we were sat in Leon he was fine!

First up we got to Burgos then got the bus to Fromista. I was gutted to miss the Castrojeriz to Fromista stage but Mark would've toiled and there was no bus bail out. There was a boat along the canal but sadly we had to miss it. We got a taxi after getting off the bus.

A great wee bar on the corner.

This is another bar but you get the idea.

The walk today was from the poblacion to Carrion des Los condes and we would take the river route. First stop would be 5km to the place in the woods. It was hard work for mark but it was all flat. The next stage was to the ermita or wee church place 1km from villalcazar de sirga. Again it's about 5-6km.

St Jacques always provides and so we had good fun on the first stretch as I timed myself doing a word game in a race between Mark catching us. Mark won as I finished just after he passed us. It helped educate our walking as Simon and I took 25 mins for the first stage and Mark 35 mins. All in it was about 1 hour for us and 1 20 for him so when we did the next stage in 1.10 we knew we had 25 mins to get the change of clothes and look inside the wee church.

Over the last 1500m we met a New Zealander who was going to get a taxi too for the last 6km. Mark and her were introduced and bingo Simon and I set off like a starters pistol had fired.

Unlike earlier where we felt we were going to have to wait it was now a race against Mark in a taxi. He passed us at the 2km post so he won the race to the bar but we felt pretty chipper he had only drink half his glass. It was a belting speed trial for us and we loved it. I wandered around to the albergue and checked in. A superb 4 bed room with a huge bathroom. Hats off to hostel Santiago as I've stayed here a few times and in 2011 I vowed not to return. I'm so glad I did as the room was superb. It was 80€ whether there were 3 or 4 people so excellent value.

Cardenuela Rio Pico to Burgos

This is the first moment I've had to update the blog as it's been full on for a while with making sure Mark's not left high and dry in the heat.

We got the bus #4 from Avenida la Paz having walked past the stop at plaza Espana as it said 28mins. 

We chuckled as it meant we had missed the bus by 2mins. I've thrown in the www.autosotoyalonso.com bus because we missed that by 20seconds. No idea where it was going but I look forward to hearing.

Yes you've guess we are going back the way from Burgos.

It's a time travel thing and as Simon and I walked in 3 times from Castanares we now know it's 1 hour to the best tortilla on the Camino. 

Bar Tropical is about 20 minutes from the cathedral and is just after you cross the footbridge.

The tortilla was so good Simon and I had another. €6 was brilliant too.

And the next day we walked back in and stopped at our usual cafe then got a bus at 5.30pm to Fromista