But first I had to get over another couple of hills. The mountains opposite are higher but the climb up from Aulla was really hard work. I'd come over one crest and down and was going up an old path used by donkey drovers when I met a French lady. She'd done the Via Francigena the year before but as a warm up she'd hopped the islands of north east Scotland, walked to Stonehenge, taken a train to Canterbury and walked to Rome. After this I felt like a bit of a wimp and just got on with it. Sweating still but swearing less.
It always says in guide books that the climbs are worth it for the views. Sometimes this is rubbish but this time coming over the top of the last hill was breath-taking with the Med in the far distance behind the hill town of Ponzano Superiore.
This one is out of order but as I'd shared a hostel in Aulla with two Italian hikers (Marrinelle and Guiseppe) with whom I'd walked down from the Passo Cena a few days earlier I wanted to put it in so that it would remind me of their warmth and for forgiving my awful Italian. They had walked to Compostella before and were now doing the Rome walk. Best wishes to you both if you read this blog.
After passing Ponzano Superiore I came across a dig. A group of archeologists from Pisa were continuing a dig on a castle which had been destroyed during a slight misunderstanding between the local bishop (who owned it) and some local lords who felt he shouldn't. The lady in charge of the dig spoke really good english having studied at Oxford.
The Archbishop of Canterbury who documented his trip (in the year 990) did not record whether he brought his cossie. With a name like "Sygeric the Serious" I doubt it but it wasn't going to stop me getting into the Med. After a couple of hours walk out of Sarzana (on the flat) I took my morning tea and brioche at a beach bar and went on to book a deckchair and enjoy the sun. I had the white feet and body look which Iwanted to get rid of so a few hours in the sun were perfect.
After a night in a hostel (bit communist block but own room, 50 metres from beach and 21 eu a night so pretty good) I set out to walk to Camiore which is the start of the inland bit of Tuscany. I missed the left turn on the coast to Pietransa and ended up doing an extra 7km in the afternoon sun but in the end got there. Pietransa is a really nice (and expensive) place with lots of art and craft type shops set arond a big square and all surrounded by medieval city walls.
There was an art exhibition going on. It explored themes of contemporary bestiary (I hope I got that right and haven't offended anyone). The little girl is not real and is part of the piece. The photo below is of the rest of ther square.
My night stop was in Camiore and I picked a great hotel. It was run by a family and showed the best of what this can mean in Italy. I had the house ravioli and a carafe of wine and it was brill. I said it was great and got invited into the kitchens to meet the chef (the lady on the far left who is part of the family). They were so friendly and I even got a 10 per cent pilgrim discount on the food and room. As I was leaving at 6.30 the next day they made me up a breakfast to eat before I went. Fantastic.
But first I had to get over another couple of hills. The mountains opposite are higher but the climb up from Aulla was really hard work. I'd come over one crest and down and was going up an old path used by donkey drovers when I met a French lady. She'd done the Via Francigena the year before but as a warm up she'd hopped the islands of north east Scotland, walked to Stonehenge, taken a train to Canterbury and walked to Rome. After this I felt like a bit of a wimp and just got on with it. Sweating still but swearing less.
It always says in guide books that the climbs are worth it for the views. Sometimes this is rubbish but this time coming over the top of the last hill was breath-taking with the Med in the far distance behind the hill town of Ponzano Superiore.
This one is out of order but as I'd shared a hostel in Aulla with two Italian hikers (Marrinelle and Guiseppe) with whom I'd walked down from the Passo Cena a few days earlier I wanted to put it in so that it would remind me of their warmth and for forgiving my awful Italian. They had walked to Compostella before and were now doing the Rome walk. Best wishes to you both if you read this blog.
After passing Ponzano Superiore I came across a dig. A group of archeologists from Pisa were continuing a dig on a castle which had been destroyed during a slight misunderstanding between the local bishop (who owned it) and some local lords who felt he shouldn't. The lady in charge of the dig spoke really good english having studied at Oxford.
The Archbishop of Canterbury who documented his trip (in the year 990) did not record whether he brought his cossie. With a name like "Sygeric the Serious" I doubt it but it wasn't going to stop me getting into the Med. After a couple of hours walk out of Sarzana (on the flat) I took my morning tea and brioche at a beach bar and went on to book a deckchair and enjoy the sun. I had the white feet and body look which Iwanted to get rid of so a few hours in the sun were perfect.
After a night in a hostel (bit communist block but own room, 50 metres from beach and 21 eu a night so pretty good) I set out to walk to Camiore which is the start of the inland bit of Tuscany. I missed the left turn on the coast to Pietransa and ended up doing an extra 7km in the afternoon sun but in the end got there. Pietransa is a really nice (and expensive) place with lots of art and craft type shops set arond a big square and all surrounded by medieval city walls.
There was an art exhibition going on. It explored themes of contemporary bestiary (I hope I got that right and haven't offended anyone). The little girl is not real and is part of the piece. The photo below is of the rest of ther square.
My night stop was in Camiore and I picked a great hotel. It was run by a family and showed the best of what this can mean in Italy. I had the house ravioli and a carafe of wine and it was brill. I said it was great and got invited into the kitchens to meet the chef (the lady on the far left who is part of the family). They were so friendly and I even got a 10 per cent pilgrim discount on the food and room. As I was leaving at 6.30 the next day they made me up a breakfast to eat before I went. Fantastic.
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