10/24/15 Ventas de Naron to Mato-Casanova

Rainy Day on The Trail

We were 10 minutes down the trail this morning when we put on our rain gear despite the news report that said no showers till afternoon. It was a gentle rain that fell off and on all day, so the rain gear came off and on all day. 

We passed through many varieties of forests, eucalyptus was a new addition to the group  

Great open views on the horizon seen from our trail,  loved our surroundings... nature's best!

The beginning of our trail today was an asphalt trail that became quite an upward  

climb

We loved this little village we walked through in the early morning.... It exemplified a simple way of life!

Met a woman in the village that had just fed and milked her beautiful & well cared for cows

 

Out of the barn she came with fresh milk in a bucket which she said was for her morning tea

These are her guard geese .... No one goes by without them squawking about invading their territory!

Soft dirt path, easy on the walking legs

We love these short rock walls with a variety of plant life growing on, in and through the spaces in the stone. They have literally been there for ages!

Into the forest we go! 

A good sized "edible" variety of mushroom that I spotted on the path .... A translucent fallen leaf sitting on top of the mushroom for photographic interest

We keep guessing what the various thatched roof little buildings are used for...it seems they are storage huts of some sort but so whimsical & fun!

Leaving the City of Palas de Rei where we enjoyed lunch today

Loved this forest and the incredible light of day as it began to shine through just following the rain

Check out the leaves.... It made for "soft" walking

The experience of a walk in the forest after a rain offers one a fresh perspective, feeling & aroma that is hard to describe 

The last mileage marker of our walk today.  Wow...61.5 km to our destination of Santiago!

Moss hanging on these trees makes you feel you have entered The Enchanted Forest!

We arrive at our Alburgue : Lodging for the night called Albergue A Bolboreta in the village of Mato- Cassanova. It is run by a nice family and only Mariah and I  are here for the night.

Views at day's end of the fields and surrounding forest

A restored property with history that I hope to discover at dinner tonight.

It has been amazing walking this past month through the various regions of Northern Spain... one thing they all have in common is incredible and rich history!

We have mixed feelings as our amazing journey draws near its completion! Traveling on foot we have experienced a closer & more personal interaction with the countryside, landscapes, bridges, cathedrals, cities, villages, castles , homes , fields, harvests , livestock, pets and the individual people & families that bring all these elements of daily living to life! 

It made Mariah and I ponder our own good lives with our family & friends and all that we all do individually and together to create the cherished lives we live. 

Good night all!

Mary and Mariah

Grannies on Camino