Nocera to Costa di Trex

Well today was a toughie, but another great one. Every day of this walk so far has been different in character. Today was more of a rugged underfoot kind of day that made me so glad I had packed two walking poles! It retraced the route over which horsemen carried St Francis back to Assisi when he became ill with his final illness.

I left from my Nocera Umbra hotel, and the start of the day involved a steepish climb on the road up to the village of Africa. But then all that altitude gain was lost on a big descent down to valley level, where a viaduct let me pass under the railway line. A small river also ran through here, and it was the site of numerous factories, quite well hidden from the casual gaze.

It wasn't too long before the flat walking gave way to more altitude gaining, on the quiet road up to the village of Villa di Postignano. One very helpful thing about today's walk was that it largely coincided with route #51, the Sentiero Franciscano, so it was quite well signed with red and white blazes. These plus my notes and maps gave me extra certainty about my route. I enjoyed seeing the route signed for Assisi.

But then things got a bit tougher on the climb up to Rocca di Postignano, the remnants of an old tower. I was expecting this, as I knew there was quite a lot of altitude to be gained but it made me work hard in places!

Silly me, I am not so good at map reading, and I was under the illusion that by the time I reached the Rocca, the majority of the climbing was behind me. Not so! The next bit of path was definitely in the mountain goat category, and I was really glad it wasn't raining, and that I had two walking poles!

But all climbs come to an end, and next there was quite a decent descent, some of it on easy paths, and some of it quite rugged and stony. I had lunch near a turn-off for Satriano, where the party bringing St Francis back to Assisi had a break.

A feature of walking at present is that there are many wildflowers in bloom, and I imagine in another two weeks it will be a simply wondrous show.

All the descending was aiming for one point- the restored medieval bridge, Ponte Marchetto. It was a long way down to the river! First I passed an old stone bridge that is closed.

Then it was on to the wooden topped restored bridge. The water rushing below was quite spectacular, as it has worn the banks down steeply, but it was so narrow and deep it was hard to get a shot.

Now I could quite happily have stayed beside this bridge camping for the night! But what goes down must come back up, and I had to get going and make my muscles do the last 150m or so of altitude gaining. It was only an hour or so to Costa Di Trex, and my agriturismo stop for the night! (And after a few more kilometres in the morning, I will pass back through Assisi again...)

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Quick note...

There are more posts coming... I have been in very rural areas with limited internet, and photos simply can't load. But I am still loving Umbria, and have just one more day to walk...to Gubbio tomorrow.

Vescia to Nocera Umbra Pt2

This day was a walk of two halves really- the first climb and descent, then the second much bigger dose of both, with a little ascent at the end just to remind you what hill towns are about...

This second climb was relatively easy as it was mostly on a dirt road, but the distance was 3.5km of mainly up. The village of Sasso sat tantalisingly above me as I walked up...

But intriguingly, as I seemed to get closer, the road seemed to be bending higher but not going there. Turned out this was a bit of a pattern with each mountain hamlet- the road passed by at the top end without going through the village proper.
Sasso was worth taking time to reach: it had a seating area where I gladly had a first lunch break, and there was a lovely 11th century church that you could visit inside.

The next hamlet along, Poggio, wasn't much higher, then there was a short grunt to a restored castle. I found a shady spot hidden around the top corner there, and had my 'proper' lunch. I always like to get major climbs behind me if I can before I eat- otherwise I don't enjoy the food quite the same!

As you'd expect, the castle was at the high point, and I mainly descended from here. Once I'd passed through the hamlet of Mascioche, I could see Nocera Umbra below. (I could also hear a lot of motorway noise floating up.)

It seemed to be a long descent... And I could see the old town of Nocera Umbra looming above the valley I was heading down to, and was hoping I didn't need to go that high.... Well as it turned out I did... -almost! 

My Camino friends will know all about the hilltop towns, especially in the south of France where you had end-of-the-day climbs! However, as soon as I walked into my hotel, the kind owner gave me a cold drink! It had been a warm day, and I am pleased to find I seem to have put Sunscreen on early enough in the day.

So that was 'Gorge' like climbs today- but tomorrow it's more like Rangiwahia, so I guess I will just have to dig in... Catch you tomorrow!

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Vescia to Nocera Umbra

Today was another spectacular walk, over hills surrounding the River Topina Valley, passing through varied villages and towns and hamlets.

First there was a climb away from Vescia, about 340m worth, sort of like the Gorge track. Again, I passed lots of olive groves, and got some great views to villages below as well as to distant mountains.

I passed through the very small hamlet of Ravignano, another place where olives seem important. Pruned branches of various trees are being stacked all over the place for next winter's firewood.

From there it was a descent to Capodacqua, inhabited in the Iron Age by the Umbri. It was severely damaged by the earthquake in 1997. As I passed some road cuttings on the descent, you could see how tilted and fractured the rocks were.

Down in the village there was a place I could get a welcome lemonade, just as the day was warming up. (I drank all 1.5l of water I was carrying on today's walk.) The church was open so I went in. I presume it has been rebuilt since the earthquake, in a modern version of an old style. I thought it had been done very tastefully.

As I left this village you could see the bungalows the people lived in after the earthquake. I was left wondering what part the government played in providing these, and how much the local people had had to pay. I keep thinking of the people of Christchurch and the lack of government support they have had, and how the rebuilding/repair process drags on for so many.

I left Capodacqua along a flat path.... But that was about to be the end of all flat walking for the day!

Part 2 will deal with the next lot of hills...

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Vescia

A few photos from around Vescia itself. There are casual bits of "Old stuff" eg arches, in odd little places...

The beautiful church is part of a pastoral area with other villages so still sees some use.

Church door

Olive tree field right next to church.

This historic looking arch just seems to be standing in someone's private garden.

Sign for the lovely B&B I am staying in. Maybe I've been upgraded as the season is not yet busy, but I feel like a queen in my suite!
Something more modern in the middle of the village.

I'm walking up in hills by the valley of the Topina River tomorrow. I guess flooding can be an issue here..

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Near Vescia

Well, today I've had quite a short walking time, not quite as planned, but still interesting.
I had breakfast at the B&B- Italian style with some traditional Umbrian cake, and some tart that looked freshly made. I couldn't quite eat so much cake for breakfast, but the five Italian men present were all eating up large on it! Then I bought some panini, made up to request with care and a smile at the deli part of the small local supermarket.

Then I headed off uphill, on a grassy, quite overgrown path that left the village. There were a few good muddy stretches, but it wasn't hard walking- steep enough for me to haul out my walking poles though.

At the top there was a dirt/ stone kind of road that passed by lots more olive groves. There were the most superb views all along the way, sometimes down to villages, or across to villages on other hillsides, and sometimes to the mountains.

All was going to plan until I got to where there was some tunnel construction, where I was supposed to cross over the top of two tunnels, and up to the village of Colle San Lorenzo. This all felt a bit weird, but I started off ok, crossing an olive grove, then hauling my way up a bank onto the top of the first tunnel.

I was supposed to cross the grassy area, then head into another olive grove before reaching the village. Trouble was, a big digger was doing its thing up on the terraced area below the village, and it didn't seem at all wise to get in its way! So I retreated, and found another spot where reaching the village by road looked like it might be possible- but it was all barriered off. There were cars traveling along it, but I was too much of a goody twoshoes to climb across the barrier.
So, it was an early trip downhill. Never mind, I am sure my body will be glad of a rest, as there are some big climbs in the coming days! And you can now enjoy some of the views.

So now I have a bit of time to head outside and see a bit more of this small village of Vescia in the sunshine. (And I gather it has been quite wet and non-sunny at home just lately!)

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Assisi to Vescia, via Spello

Well today was a real treat of a walk.

I left Assisi on a route that hugged the sides of Mt Subasio pretty much all the way as far as Spello. At one stage I had the trees of the Subiaso National Park on one side, and olive trees on the other, often with a view to the plains below. My heart did a little jump for joy as soon as we left the minor road for a dirt road. I had this feeling throughout that this route has probably been used for centuries, quite possibly back to Roman times.

Later in the morning's walk I was often walking with olive groves on both sides of me, though some stretches were through forest. I managed to follow the route directions pretty closely until later in the morning, when I wasn't sure if I'd taken the right forks in the right places. But I could see below that we hadn't passed above Spello, so I knew a solution would arrive. It did- I was on the correct path, and suddenly Spello appeared below, in all its medieval glory.

The path I was on delivered me conveniently to the top gate in Spello, so my whole walk was downhill. My jaw was dropping at the beautiful medieval nature of it all. And unlike in Assisi, there was hardly anyone around, especially higher up.

As is often the case though, it's the little human kindnesses that stand out. I got a panini for lunch in one shop, and it was made with kindness and care. All the way downhill I'd been hunting for a shop with an Italian adaptor- as my supposedly NZ/EU one didn't fit here in Italy, and it seemed like taking photos and blogging might be at an end with flat batteries. But there was an electronics shop just before I left town, and the man took pleasure in getting exactly what I needed from downstairs.

The afternoon's walk even started off flat, which seemed amazing, but it wasn't too long before it was heading uphill again, past lots more olive groves. There were great views at the top though, some back to Spello. Finally I was on a cart track heading downhill. There was a busy highway to cross, then more dirt tracks and quiet roads before I reached the village of Vescia. My B&B seems to have paraphernalia for olives, and my 'suite' is just amazing. The bed alone would be fit for a queen.

The only thing that worries me is that I think this might be the easiest day of walking, and the ones coming up will be harder! I found this strenuous enough in parts!


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