Seabird Drawing with the SWLA

I now have a week and a bit to catch up on things before heading off to the mainland on the 16th June for the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) Seabird Drawing. I’ll be based at Aberlady Bay and am looking forward to working with some of my very favourite artists: Kittie Jones, Greg Poole, Darren Woodhead and Kim Atkinson. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am about going on this course (excited and terrified at the same time haha!). It will be a very intensive week as there will probably be 8 hours a day in the field and then evening sessions back at base but I know that I will learn a massive amount.

So, watch this space for how I get along, I hope to upload some of my field sketches and photos from the trip – hopefully the sea will be calm for the trip out to the Bass Rock!

Journey Book

I’m having a joint exhibition with a friend next May, our theme is “Walk this Way” about our experiences walking the Camino de Santiago. I’m writing up my diary from when I walked the Camino de Santiago in 2013. Each of the 44 pages represents one day of the 500 mile walk and includes a variety of writing, photographs, sketches that I did at the time, things I collected along “the way.” Central to each day is my “colours of the Camino” gelli print, done with my 8 inch circular gelli plate.

My “Journey Book” will be available at the exhibition for people to look through. I will also be incorporating “gelli elements” into the art for the exhibition too. It’s no good, there’s no hope, I’ve been a hopeless gelli addict for 12 months now.

Separate pages of my book so far…

Cirueña to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Walk: Cirueña -> Santo Domingo de la Calzada 4 miles (a “rest” day)

A gorgeous sunrise over the distant mountains and a hugs and kisses goodbye from the owner of the albergue made for a good start to what was going to be an easy rest day.

The morning air was slightly chill and I was glad of my fleece. The fields were, once again, full of singing Corn Buntings – how lovely to hear them, they are getting so scarce at home. The colours and textures of the landscape were just beautiful.

Arrived not long after 10am in Santo Domingo and had coffee and tapas for breakfast. It was still too early to check in anywhere so P and J went for a mooch around.

I had booked a room at the hotel – El Corregidor and once I was checked in had a lovely bath and a rest then headed out again for more tapas. P and J were staying in the albergue opposite which is run by Cistercian nuns – I stayed there last time and didn’t much fancy it again.

Wandered around the lovely shops in the town – I have to say I love this town and plan on staying here for a night next year on my long drive down from the UK to southern Spain.

Had a meal together then back to my hotel for an early night.

Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
Walking to Santo Domingo, the “way” stretching out in front of us.
Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
Enjoying coffee in the street, Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Viana to Navarette

Walk: Viana -> Navarette 7.8 miles

Actually not a bad night’s sleep on the two inch mattress – it helped that we had the room just to the three of us. Early morning coffee in the square opposite the albergue and watched the sun coming up as we waited for the bus to Logroño. Chatted with some American ladies, one of which had a badly infected toe and had already been laid up for two days and was under instruction for no more walking for four days.

A brief explore of Logroño – the wine festival is on – would have been fun to stay (I stayed here in 2013 during the wine festival and it was great!). Pretty warm walking and we’d had enough by the time we reached Navarette so checked into the municipal albergue which was very nice. A picnic tea in the albergue and Jane had an early night so P and I retired to the bar next door with glasses of 70 cents wine 🙂

Chatted with a young German guy who had a very wise head on his shoulders and was taking the walk very slowly. Today we have gone over the 100 miles of walking mark, woo hoo!

Lots of snoring people in the dormitory tonight but i’m too tired to care!

Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
One of the lovely brass waymarkers in Navarette

San Sol to Viana

Walk: San Sol -> Viana (8.2 miles)

I woke feeling quite dehydrated so P and J walked on and I visited the wee shop in San Sol for a can of soft drink then stopped a mile up the road at Torres del Rio for coffee, fresh juice and water. During the 7.5 miles walk to Viana my stomach felt uncomfortable and I feel quite tired. I think it’s the heat and lack of a decent meal – my diet is so restricted because of my ulcerative colitis.

The hotel in Viana was fully booked so i’ve plumped for a 2 inch thick mattress on the floor at the parochial albergue Santa Maria. No pillows either. It was J’s choice to stay here so P and I ribbed and teased her terribly but we all had a great laugh 😀

The back adjustment on my rucksack has broken so i’ve tied it up with string. Enjoyed my first pilgrim meal of the trip at the 3 forks restaurant Casa Armendáriz and very nice it was too!

Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
Trying out our mattresses for size…
Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
Wonderful stonework on the floor around the church in Viana

Monjardín to San Sol

Walk: Monjardín -> San Sol (12 miles)

A good walk into Los Arcos where we rested for a while, rehydrating and then onwards in the heat of the day as far as San Sol.

Nice private albergue and we joined the queue for the washing machine. A little limited on the food and drink options here but I had some supplies with me so no problem.

Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
The long road in to Los Arcos

Lorca to Villamajor de Monjardín

Walk: Lorca -> Villamajor de Monjardín (11.2 miles)

A long hot day with at least half of the walking being uphill! The free wine fountain at Irache actually had wine in it (it was empty when I arrived at it in 2013).

Not many beds left when arrived in Monjardín but the albergue offered us a private room with three beds in it, we were more than happy to share and the room was lovely, with a view out across the village and the surrounding countryside.

Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
The church tower in Monjardín. From my sketchbook. Watercolour.

Muruzábal to Lorca

Walk: Muruzábal -> Lorca (13.7 miles)

The sun was just coming up as we headed out from the albergue and did the detour to Eunate. So glad we did, I missed this last time I walked this route. Took many, many photos of this ancient church. After Eunate headed into Obanos for the first coffee of the day – there were hundreds and hundreds of House Martins around the village which made for a spectacular sight.

At Puente la Reina P and J looked around the church and I had more coffee in the warm sunshine. Later when we arrived at Mañeru we were all very hot so sat in the shade by the fountain for a while and took our boots and socks off. Bliss!

Plodded our way to Cirauqui, a very “zen” time of the day – all the irritating noise of thoughts gone, just in the moment, no past or future, just the sound of my boots scrunching on the gravel path, birds, butterflies and the sound of an aeroplane passing far overhead. Added Short-toed and Booted Eagles to my list. At one point, like magic, I was surrounded by butterflies 🙂

Made a fundamental mistake of not picking up food to eat in Puente la Reina. Lorca only has a tiny shop but happily I managed to explain to the bar owner that i’m not able to eat bread and he knocked me up the most wonderful plate of fried ham and eggs, all washed down with a lovely glass of wine.

Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
The church at Eunate in the early morning sunshine
Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
Peppers hanging up to dry, seen while sitting in the street, enjoying my coffee in Puente la Reina
Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
Walking through the vineyards with Cirauqui in the distance

Pamplona to Muruzábal

Walk: Pamplona -> Muruzábal (9.3 miles)

We left the comfort of our apartment by 8am and quickly found ourselves re-connected to the camino and a steady stream of pilgrims heading out of the city. The day was warm and calm and we took a welcome rest for coffee at Zariquiegui. After that we climbed up to Alto del Perdón and the wonderful wrought iron sculpture of medieval pilgrims, where we took the obligatory photographs 🙂 The view from up there was spectacular.

Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
J and P at the Alto del Perdón
Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
Fabulous view from up here!

And so downwards, almost losing my footing a couple of times on the steep, stony downhill track. J had planned to stay at Uterga but after a coffee break decided that she felt good so we continued to Muruzábal. Very glad too. The private albergue here is fab and has only been open for five months and it was Carlos’s family home. Very comfortable and welcoming.

Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
I have my crochet with me – a perfect evening – wine, coffee and crochet!
Hebridean Imaging Yvonne Benting art photography western isles outer hebrides uist camino de santiago
The fabulous stickers on the door at the albergue in Muruzábal