So made it through a couple of electric fences. And fended off two dogs who looked like wolf hounds. I’m told that they are some innocuous sounding breed .But I like a dramatic story.

A while ago, a century ago it seems , we were floating in La Magia de las Nubes, one of the most, yes magic, places to stay on this Camino Olvidado..

In this beautifully creative and loved house live Ana and Laura. As kind and creative as their home. Yes, houses can be kind too. I guess they become part of the people who live in them.

We arrived at the edge of Riello, after 5 hours walk, a bit wet and very weary. We waited as prearranged at a restaurant until Laura and Ana finished work, then they drove us a short way to the place in the clouds. Literally.

The following morning we looked out the windows to the early mist hanging over the mountains.

We’ve completed the Olvidado.This pretty and comfortable enough town is on the peregrino trail towards Santiago. We’re here because this is where the Olvidado ends. Pleasant, easy, people, with lots of peregrinos passing through. More in five minutes here than we have seen on all of the Olvidado. How one part of me still longs for the Olvidado’s solitariness and silence. And La Magia de las Nubes is a memorable part of our journey in North Western Spain.

Look, it’s so far from those dogs , and even further from where I am now about a week later.

There we had a comfortable bed, great food (the best ensalada I have had on the path) and interesting conversations: About our families, about the area (7 houses occupied at the moment, 32 churches in the area, and a number of major historical buildings in need of restoration). We spoke also, of course, of our separate countries.

In the morning after breakfast Laura dropped us off on the road out of Riello. We were back on the road. A still lovely road but definitely down from the clouds. Electric fences are one thing, I could just crawl under them, but Spanish dogs are another. These ones just wanted to walk with us, but so big.

They shadowed us all the way to the next village. They waited for us at each bend, and leapt out as we reached them! But they were friendly, just big and playful.

We arrived at the albergue minus our escorts, the old Benedictine Monastery. Very different from the night before. But I guess that’s what makes this Olvidado so special. It is so changing, so unexpected, and challenging. From warm bed and good food, simpatica hosts, to welcome beds in what used to be part of an historical monastery, Cooked some pasta and beans bought from the bar/ tienda down the road. It’s all in a days walk. It’s all part of choosing to walk this way.

Es la vida

BUT do stay at La Magia de las Nubes

You’ll love it .