|
While writing this text, I just realised this is my last evening alone on the Via Francigena. Tomorrow evening, I will see my sweetheart Caat again after two months of hiking. I'm excited! What an incredible time it has been. This morning, I woke up in albergo Sutrium in the beautiful hilltop village of Sutri. It won't surprise you that I slept again very well. I don't think I ever slept bad after a whole day of hiking. No breakfast was provided, so I quickly headed to the little Conad supermarket at the edge of town. It was just after 10h when I closed the door of the albergo behind me. Lots of cars were driving around the narrow streets of Sutri. The cathedral sits at the highest point and there was nobody. While people were enjoying their morning coffee on the terraces, I walked downhill and left town through the Porta Vecchia. At the edge of town sits an important archeological park. I didn't have time for a long visit, but I saw the Etruscan necropolis and the Roman amfitheater completely cut out of the tufa hill. Pretty impressive, but I still had to walk more than 25km. The first part went again dangerously along busy roads. You see the weirdest agricultural vehicules here. I suppose they serve in the many hazelnut orchards. On my phone, I had seen a path through the fields. A bit of a detour, but safely away from the road. I walked the whole distance to then come to a closed fence in the end. What to do? I decided to take the risk to climb over it. It went surprisingly well and not having to turn back gave me an energy boost. And I could use one, because it was again very hot. The next 5km, I followed a gravel road through more orchards with little or no shade. So many hazelnuts, you must be able to make so much nutella with these. Suddenly, I passed a sign with 50 on it. Was this the sign saying I was only 50km from Rome? No, it was a sign to Marina's 50th birthday party. Around 14h, I reached the village of Monterosi. There was a steep climb in the end because this village sits at the top of a hill as well. The main street was deserted. I had lunch in the shade of the church and I scored myself a cold drink in a vending machine. At home, you don't realise and you just take a drink. Here, finding a cold drink is pure happiness. Refreshed, I continued my way. Confusing signs almost made me enter the highway, but it was the path just next to it I had to follow. From here, it would take a car on the highway only half an hour to reach Rome. The next 8km went up and down through the fields. Sometimes on gravel, sometimes on asphalt. I passed some huges houses with even bigger gardens. There is also a big golf school in Monterosi. It was possible to reach my destination Campagnano quicker, but the official Via Francigena passes through the Monte Gelato waterfall park. What a name! It could be a circuit in Mario kart. My expectations were high, but I ended up being a bit disappointed. There are indeed different waterfalls, but most of them are not even 1 meter high. On top of that, swimming is strictly forbidden. It would also be impossible with the current waterlevel. I had the park for myself and enjoyed a nice break next to one of the falls. Apparently, the park can be very busy and normally the walking track works with a one way system. It was already 18h30 and I still had 6km to walk. A climb was followed by a descent and another climb. The asphalt turned to gravel. Not an easy road, but an old man in an even older fiat 500 drove like he was on a highway. The sun sets around 19h30. Cooler air announced the night. The last part was through a forest and it got pretty dark. I held a rock in my hand in case wild boar would come out of nowhere. Nothing happened. Around 20h, I climbed the hill into the village of Campagnano di Roma. A narrow long street is divided in two completely different parts by the red town hall. One side has the old houses, the other side is more modern with bars, shops and restaurants. It was quiet in the main street. I met more cats than people. At a roundabout on the far side of town sits albergo Benigni. It is actually a big restaurant with some rooms above. They gave me a room with 3 beds, so I have lots of space. But my room sits next to the ventilation of the kitchen which made lots of noise until 23h30. There was also a strong smell of air freshener when I entered and several mosquitos were waiting for me. It was ok, I just wanted a shower and a bed to rest. Around 21h, there was a big powercut in the hotel, but it was fixed pretty quickly. Tomorrow, I will walk 24km to La Storta where I will meet Caat. During my walk, I should see Rome in the distance for the first time. The weather looks cloudy which would be nice after some hot days. My tibia doesn't bother me anymore. It looks like it healed while I kept walking. I'm happy for this miracle, but I stay careful. There are still 45km left.
0 Comments
Monday morning! This blog is almost coming to a beautiful end. I woke up in Albergo Da Benedetta at less than 100km from Rome. Last night, the couple in the room next to me only arrived around 23h30 with a lot of noise. I put my earplugs in and slept very well. When I woke up, I thought I was getting washed away but it was just somebody flushing the toilet upstairs. Breakfast was again included. I'm getting spoiled. It's always a bit of a disappointment to me when there is no fruit. Italians love a sweet breakfast. After a good meal and packing my bag, I left the key of room 103 on the reception desk. There was nobody around. I crossed the Via Cassia and climbed the hill to get into the center of Vetralla. This sleepy town is small but well preserved. The church faces the city hall on a small square. I had a quick look around before continuing my way. The Via Roma leaded me out of the center. Today was hotter than the previous days. There was not one cloud in the sky and the temperature was way above 30 degrees. Tough for a 24 kilometer stage. To add to the challenge, the first 7 kilometer were all uphill. After a steep climb, I walked through the village of Giardino. A collection of houses with one shop and one church where a mass takes place once a month. Walking along a road through a residential area is not a highlight, but after having crossed the railway tracks, I entered the Montefogliano Park. It's an oak forest and I followed a lovely trail for a couple of kilometers. There were again countless little flies circling me. My insect spray doesn't seem to scare them away. Halfway the forest, there are some houses around a little playground where I had lunch. A man just took off on his royal enfield. At the highest point, there was a sign saying I had left Vetralla. Now the landscape changed and I entered huge hazelnut orchards. This was my first time. Hazelnuts grow on little trees. I wonder of some of these nuts make it to Nutella jars. Somewhere in the middle of the fields, I bumped into the Orlando towers. Historians suggest they are funeral monuments from the Roman period. Now they are abandoned and nature is slowly claiming them back. After briefly coming to the Via Cassia, the path continued on a wide gravel track. Sometimes through more orchards, sometimes through the forest. As from here, it was mostly downhill so I picked up speed. I crossed the railway tracks three times and after the last time I found myself suddenly surrounded by houses. I had reached the outskirts of Capranica. The village has been built on a hilltop. Before walking through the city gate, I stopped at a little shop for a snack and a cool drink. Old men were enjoying the shade while having long conversations. Stepping inside the old town is like stepping back into time. There is one long narrow main street with even narrower streets around it. Somebody was just putting a large wood delivery inside. He wanted to be prepared for winter. A 107 square meter apartment was sold here for 55.000 euro. At the end of the main street, a staircase took me to the valley floor. Just afterwards, I had to climb up the following steep hill. It was getting pretty late, but it wasn't far anymore. The path entered the little hidden valley of the Fosso Mazzano stream. A little river had cut a valley into the landscape. It was still largely untouched by civilization. I didn't even have phone coverage. It was just me with the sound of the water and the songs of the birds. This went on for kilometers. It was getting pretty dark in a meanwhile. Then it is important to be loud, something I'm really good at. Suddenly, a wild boar jumped up and took off. If these don't hear you coming and you scare them, they can attack. After a couple of kilometers, the small path turned into a wider gravel road. The sides of the valley got lower and suddenly, the city of Sutri appeared in front of me. This one has also been built on a hilltop. There is a big archeological park here, but that's for tomorrow. Now, I walked through the Porta Franceta and climbed to hotel Sutrium. When I arrived around 20h, the front door was locked. Just when I wanted to phone the number mentionned on the door, a man showed up. No idea how he spotted me. The friendly guy only spoke Italian. He checked me in quickly so I could crash on the bed. After a good shower, I had an amazing pizza in town and did a little nightwalk with an icecream. What a great life! But now, it is coming to an end very soon. I'm sad and happy at the same time. But it is ok, I'm really looking forward to my arrival and to see all my family and friends again. I enjoyed every minute of this adventure, but it is time to finish it. Tomorrow, I have a big 27 kilometer hike to Campagnano di Roma. As you can hear, I will start to enter the first most northern suburbs of the eternal city. Three more days to Rome! Last night, I was really tired. I fell asleep while writing my blog. That's why I only posted it this morning. Albergo Centrale in Viterbo is quite big and has 32 rooms. I slept like a rock until 7h30 in room 321. When somebody was coughing in another room, you could easily hear it. But that clearly didn't keep me awake. Breakfast was again included, so I went downstairs to enjoy my favourite meal of the day. I loved the big box of croissants. Somebody else had opened a yoghurt without eating it and I would quickly find out why. They were definitely out of date. Around 10h30, I gave my key to the cleaning lady and stepped outside in the streets of Viterbo. There was something going on around the church of Santa Rosa. In front stood a huge 30m high decorated white tower. Apparently, today was the last day of a yearly festival to honour Santa Rosa. Just one week ago on Sept 3rd was the highlight of the festival. Then the tower which weighs 4 ton is carried around the city by 100 facchini or strongmen. It happens at night. The tower is then swathed in light. Too bad I was one week late for the spectacle, but just seeing the tower was already impressive. The monastry had opened its doors. Even more incredible, there you can see the remains of Santa Rosa through the glass of her gilt coffin. This girl did at the age of 18 in the 13th century. Her skin looks leathery. There is also an exposition on the tower and how it got bigger and bigger through the years. In a cinema room, there was a video playing which showed the tower being carried through the streets. An adult man started crying while watching it. This event means a lot here. Check it out online, it is simply amazing. In the rest of the city, it was quiet on this Sunday morning. Viterbo has a nice medieval center with lots of little squares and fountains. Around one of these fountains, the stones were wet and I slipped. Luckily I didn't hurt myself. Imagine walking more than 1000km and then being knocked out by a fountain. After a walk around the city, I arrived at the piazza Duomo with its romanesque cathedral and its palazzo dei papi. Lots of popes stayed in this city throughout the centuries. A guide was showing a group of minimum 30 people around. I visited the cathedral, but didn't want to pay for the palazzo. Via a staircase under the palazzo, I headed for the Porta di Faul to exit the city. Just outside, there is a McDonalds. I admit, I made a quick stop. Then it was really time to go. But straight away, there was a choice to be made. The original route or a longer variant along some Etruscan graves. I wanted to stay on the original route, but because the signs were confusing, I ended up doing the variant. The first part goes through mysterious Etruscan cave roads. The roads have been cut into the stone over 2500 years ago. It is unclear why. Some run to a dept of 24m. It is pretty amazing to walk these roads with high walls of stone to your left and right. Extra advantage was the shade, because it was hot. The detour for the Etruscan graves was not worth it. There are metal constructions above the graves and they were locked so you couldn't see anything. Later I continued walking on a gravel road with trees on both sides. After a while, I passed under the highway to then walk along it for a couple of kilometers. Cars passing on my left, endless fields to my right with at the horizon some low mountains. After I went under the highway for a second time, it was time to climb. Just like yesterday, there was a hill to be scaled. The path went uphill smoothly through slopes with lots of olive trees. Looking over my shoulder far in the distance, I could see Montefiascone again where I was 2 days ago. At the top, there was a picnic table with a view. It was in full sunshine, but I took a break there. When I continued, I walked over the Via Cassia on a bridge. I could spot a sign saying 72. Only 72km to Rome via the road, I was getting so close. Today was a short stage of 16km, but it is still an effort. The last 7km were spent on an undulating path through olive trees. Some people have built big houses here. There are worse places to live. The sunset was around 19h30. My last kilometer was walked when it was almost dark. I arrived at Albergo Da Benedetta in Vetrella just after 20h. The owner Federico had asked to call when I arrived, so I did. Five minutes later, the friendly man showed up. The albergo is very cosy and does everything to make pilgrims feel at home. They even sell Via Francigena souvenirs. My room looks like it is part of a five star hotel. How is that possible for 40 euro breakfast included. To understand, you have to take a closer look. The power plug falls out of the wall, there is almost no warm water and the bed feels like sleeping on the ground. But for me it is just perfect. The advantage of being closer to Rome is that you have more shops with longer opening times. Vetralla has a Conad supermarket open until midnight. Another beautiful day comes to an end. My tibia did again great today. It looks like I managed to heal it while I continued walking. But I take it day by day. There are now only 4 days left. Tomorrow, I will have a look around Vetralla before walking 24km to Sutri. Tonight, I sleep at 95km from Rome. It was around 5 o'clock when I suddenly woke up. It was so warm in my room in guesthouse La Bertina in Montefiascone. But there is an easy solution to that: opening the window. It was still dark outside and cool air blew inside. I fell asleep again and only woke up around 8h. Time to start my last 6 walking days to Rome. My tibia felt better after some rest and I was full of energy. But first, time for breakfast, the most important meal of the day. And this morning, it was again prepared for me by the lady of the house. It was busy in the breakfast room, because the guesthouse was fully booked last night. The home made jams and cakes were popular. I had bread, croissant, yoghurt and cereals. That would keep me going for a while. I checked out around 10h. The cleaning lady from Romania waved me goodbye. The neighbour was blowing dust from his driveway with a leaf blower. Passing cars just blew it back, so he would be busy for a while. I walked back to the center of Montefiascone. It was busy, cars kept coming from all directions in the narrow streets. The tourist office was open on the piazza Vittore Emanuele. The lady was happy to stamp my passport with the 100km to Rome stamp. When you leave the square, you also walk underneath the words '100km alla tomba di Pietro'. Very nice, but it is fake news. From here, pilgrims still have to walk 130km. I climbed up to the highest point and was as impressed as yesterday by the stunning views. The Bolsena lake with its 2 islands can be seen almost completely from here. A couple of old men had a chat on a bench, two Asian tourists couldn't stop taking pictures. A nice statue of two walking pilgrims showed me the way down. The first 6km of the day were all downhill, all the way to the valley floor behind Montefiascone. First by following a hollow gravel road under some trees, then back on an asphalt road. It was incredible how steeply the path descended and how fast the cathedral sat high above me again when I looked back. Around me, fields with olive trees and something I didn't expect: kiwis. Kiwi fruit grows on vines a bit like grapes. Later, the Via Francigena followed a dirt path that kept working its way downhill. There were lots of round flat stones left on the path. That's because I was walking on the old Via Cassia. Incredible to realise that Roman soldiers once walked here. The grooves in the stones are actually from centuries of passing wagon wheels. When I came along the railway tracks, I suddenly saw smoke. And often when there is smoke, there is fire. Before I knew, I stood next to a wild fire which was burning everything on its path. The speed with which it was spreading, was just incredible. The path ran just next to it, but the heat made it almost impossible to pass. Just when I was ready to call the fire department, some locals arrived. It was a scary experience I will not quickly forget. Imagine being surrounded by such a fire. Italy desperately needs some rain. I continued and quickly came to a picturesque railroad bridge. There I sat down in the shade for a while. Another pilgrim passed so I wasn't the only one walking today. When I wanted to take my backpack again, a little lizard had jumped into it. He ran off quickly. Then it was time to climb. There was one hill in the middle of the valley between Montefiascone and Viterbo. It only took me 20 min on a wide gravel road to reach the summit. They have installed a picnic table at the top where I could catch my breath. From here, I could still see Montefiascone behind me. In front of me, Viterbo appeared sitting at the foot of the Cimini Mountains. After a short descent, a long walk on a wide gravel road through farmland started. There was no shade and it got really hot. Locals clearly use this path for running and cycling. One farmer was ploughing his land. A couple of kilometers before Viterbo, my guidebook mentionned something really cool: the Bagnaccio hot springs. A couple of thermal pools in the middle of the fields where pilgrims could relax for free. I had been looking forward to it, but when I arrived, it was closed and it hadn't been open for a while. The site looked completely abandoned. No healing waters for my dusty body. I found some shade behind a tree and had a late lunch. When I continued, I passed the Viterbo airport and quickly reached the first buildings. The entry into the city is not very nice. You have to walk through a big commercial and industrial zone. Sad to see that there is so much littering. Somebody had even dumped lots of furniture in the ditch. In a tunnel, some graffiti said: Benvenuti a Viterbo. This is a big city. How do I know? There is a decathlon and a McDonalds. Traffic was at a standstill to leave the city. I walked around a big roundabout and then I could see the Porta Fiorentina in front of me. Another 18km done. I walked through the entrance gate and found my albergo Centrale 300m further. This hotel exists almost 100 years and I think some furniture is still from the beginning. It had all had its best time, but there was still everything I needed. A walk around the city will be for tomorrow. This place had the last self service laundry before Rome, so I took the chance to wash all my clothes. After a stop in the supermarket, I enjoyed a quiet evening. My tibia did great today, but I could feel it a bit this evening. For the rest, I'm perfectly fine. What a time to be alive. Only 5 more walking days to Rome! Today was my 8th and last rest day in Montefiascone. Pretty incredible that my next day of not walking will be in Rome surrounded by friends and family. I'm excited. But there are 6 more days to walk, so today I had to take it easy. I slept until 9h30 which was amazing. Before I fell asleep yesterday, I could hear somebody snoring through the walls. I don't know if he was loud or the walls thin. My reservation included breakfast, so I could just go down and food was waiting for me. The lady of the house really did a great job. She offered home made jams and cakes together with all you can want for breakfast. I think I stayed at the table for an hour. The room was packed with decorations such as christmas cribs.The cleaning lady was from Romania and came for a little chat. What she liked most about Italy? The food. Afterwards, I went back to my room. Today, I didn't even have to do laundry. I had already done it in Acquapendente, because there is no self service laundry here. So I had all the time to enjoy my room. The bathroom looked brand new and had a rain shower. At home, I can use this daily. On a pilgrimage, you appreciate these luxuries 100 times more. The double bed was not so comfortable, but I had discovered that one side was better than the other. The room had a tv which I don't use, but no other decoration. And sadly, no view through the window either. In the beginning of the afternoon, I slept for 2 more hours. Now my aventure is coming close to its end, my fundraising will almost be closed as well. I feel so honoured and happy that I could raise more money than I expected. I said it before and I will keep saying it: thank you to everybody who did a donation. It feels amazing that I will not only be able to realise my own dream, but also the dream of a child with a life threatening illness. Waw waw waw! Thanks to all of you out there, one big dream team! Make a Wish Belgium will keep in touch with more news after the fundraising has been closed. But today, it is still possible to help, even if it is only with 1 euro. Even a small amount can make a big difference. For all information, check the link https://www.inactievoormakeawish.be/fund.../dimitri-lanssens I can do a lot of things, but some things, I really can't do. For example, laying in bed for a whole day. I just love to discover places where I have never been before. So around 16h, I closed the door of La Bertina and I headed for the center. Even in the middle of town, the Via Cassia has no sidewalks and is dangerous to walk along. A sign pointed towards the 'coast' of Montefiascone. The lake is here already 5km away. Just too far to walk for me today. My first stop: the San Flaviano church. In 1896, a series of frescoes was discovered here under some paint. It also houses the grave of Defuk. The famous Est! Est! Est! wine exists thanks to this man. This servant of a bishop was asked to look for good white wine. He wrote Est (there is) above the door when he found some. In one establishment in Montefiascone, he excitedly wrote Est! Est! Est! It became the name of the local wine. But when I arrived, I couldn't visit the church. There was a funeral taking place. Rest in peace Enrico. I headed for the main street. Montefiascone is built on a hill, so no flat walking here. The cathedral has one of the largest domes in Italy and is worth a visit. The central square Piazza Vittore Emanuele is actually not much more than a roundabout for cars with a fountain in the middle. The big attraction is Rocca dei Papi. The fortified papal summer residence sits at the highest point of the village and has epic views over the lake and its surroundings. The access to the park is free. Be careful: no bikes and no picnic. Only walk and watch. If you would like to visit the ruins of the old fortifications, you have to pay. I was confused. The opening times said that it was closed. But it was open. And then there was a sign saying: the museum is not open outside the opening times. Euh? But for 5 euro, I received an audiophone and I could walk in. One tower of the four is still standing. It is called torre del pellegrino. Climb it and you are higher than the whole city of Montefiascone. On one side, you can see the lake with its two islands. On the other side, the cathedral and at the horizon even the city of Viterbo, my destination for tomorrow. There was almost nobody around. Everybody probably thought it was closed. The museum on a famous Italian architect didn't fascinate me that much. On my way back, I found that the tourist office is only open in the morning. So my pilgrim stamp will be for tomorrow. For the first time on my whole walk, I entered a pharmacy to buy some more ibuprofen. My tibia was pretty ok today, but it might become painful again during the last stages. I want to be prepared. After buying food in the supermarket, I went to watch the sunset over the lake. I had never heard of the Bolsena lake before, but it's stunning. Around 19h30, the sun disappeared and I went back to my room for a quiet evening. Tomorrow, I have 18 kilometers to walk to Viterbo. No big difficulties, the sun will be out, another beautiful day ahead on the Via Francigena. Pensione Italia exists since 1940 in Bolsena and it is still up and running. I slept very well. My mattress in room 4 was one of the best I had on this trip. When I opened the window, I could see the tower of the castle above the city. The interior of my room was somehow bizarre. The paintings of boats on a lake above the bed didn't really match with the statues of half naked women on the cupboard. I had breakfast on the rooftop terrace. It was all soaking wet because someone had just watered the plants. But what a view! On my way down, I bumped into caretaker Nick. He had to go, but I could give the key to his wife in room 1. It looked like they used more rooms for themselves than they rented rooms out. Around 10h, I closed the front door and walked the corso cavour to the main square. In the tourist office, I scored a new stamp in my passport. The Via Francigena didn't go to the shore of the lake, but I didn't want to miss it. A nice boulevard lined with trees takes you to the crystal clear water of the lake. It was quiet on the little beach next to the harbour. Some ducks passed in front of me while I enjoyed the peace and quiet. Just some low hills can be seen around the lake, no ugly big buildings. I decided to stay a bit longer and ordered coffee with a croissant on a terrace overlooking the water. Two Dutch couples were debating if it was too early to start drinking wine. They decided it was and went for coca cola. My tibia felt a bit better today. I'm still hopefull that I will be able to walk and enjoy my last days. Thank you Ibuprofen! Around noon, I walked back to town and quickly visited the church of Santa Cristina. In 1263, a miracle took place here when during a mass the bread of the eucharist started dripping blood on a priest who had doubts about his faith. True or not, the linen cloth with blood stains can still be found in the cathedral of Orvieto. Time to start my mission of the day: 16km to the southend of the lake where the hilltop village of Montefiascone and a last rest day were waiting for me. I walked through a last gate and some old men showed me the way uphill. Quickly I left most houses behind and I followed a gravel road high above the lake. Here some people built big villas with stunning views. Others kept it more basic and lived in a little caravan with a hammock next to it. They didn't have as much money, but they had the same priceless view. Olive trees and big cactusses filled the slopes. Later the path disappeared into the forest. Countless little flies started circling my head and body. They went in my mounth, my nose and even in my eyes behind my sunglasses. What a pain! I waved with my hands regularly punching myself in the face by accident. These bugs can easily drive you crazy. The trick is to ignore them, but that's easier said than done. Taking a break in the forest was still too complicated with the flies, so I sat down on a little concrete wall for a while after I had reached the road again. Then I entered the Turano park. Traces of life have been found here that go back as early as 9th century BC. Not much can be seen of it now, as everything was moved to musea. There is a huge picnic area and the cute Madonna di Turano chapel. From here the path continued to undulate, more up than down. I passed a little waterfall hidden behind the trees. A bit further, I crossed a bridge over a creek. That is where I entered Montefiascone. The town is at an altitude of 602m so there was more uphill to do. First through the forest, then on a wide white gravel road through the vineyards. Montefiascone is home to the famous Est! Est! Est! wine. When I reached the summit, I found a nice bench under a tree overlooking the lake. Perfect for a nice break. After 30min, I continued on the gravel road. On my left, I could already spot the dome of the basilica of Montefiascone, one of the largest in Italy. In a meanwhile, more and more houses appeared. I was getting closer. For 1km, the path ran along the busy Via Cassia. But this time, pilgrims could walk safely behind a guardrail. And when a crossing of the road was necessary, there were so many signs that even a blind driver would see them. After a last steep climb, I came to a stunning panorama over the lake. To my right the lake with a little island and the sun already setting. To my left, the hilltop village of Montefiascone overlooking the lake. Walking into town is not spectacular. You walk along busy roads lined with houses, shops and factories. The church of Corpus Domini is special. Not because of the church, but because of the marker in front: 100km to Rome. There is even a stamp for your passport. But actually, it is true and not true. If you would follow the Via Cassia, it is 100km to Rome. If you walk the Via Francigena, it is still 130km. A bit further, there was a eurospin supermarket where I bought food. Then I continued along the Via Cassia to my hostel for the next 2 nights. It was not even 20h, but already dark. La Bertina was easy to find and the friendly owner lives in the building. She only speaks Italian and talks a lot. When you tell her that you didn't understand something, she repeats it in Italian but slower. The room was nice. I even had a rainshower. For more than an hour and a half, I spoke to my sweetheart Caat. We will see each other again in less than a week. Exciting! My bed was not the most comfortable, but it will do. My tibia did great today which makes me happy. The inflammation stays, but I really hope my legs will carry me to Rome. The pilgrim path wants to teach me a final lesson. That's how life goes sometimes. All goes well and suddenly it gets harder. It makes you tougher and it learns you to appreciate the good times even more. Take nothing for granted. Health is the most important thing in life. Things can be replaced, but you only have one body. Tomorrow is my last rest day. I will prepare my arrival in Rome where I will see so many of my family and friends again. I can't wait! As from Saterday, I will start my 6 last walking days to Rome. Fingers crossed for a beautiful ending to this unforgettable adventure. The window of my room in B&B Il Teatro didn't close properly. In the evening, I could hear children playing on the square in front of the building. This morning, I was woken up by street sweepers. But in between, I had slept really well. The bed was very comfortable. The name of the B&B didn't come out of nowhere. It was actually situated above a theatre hall. The rooms had names. Mine was called medea. There was no staff in the building. In the kitchen was lots of food for breakfast and I could take whatever I wanted. A nice extra was the rooftop terrace with views over the city. There I enjoyed a coffee before leaving around 9h30. There were lots of cars driving around in Acquapendente this morning. I headed to the central square Piazza Fabrizio. Disappointingly, it is actually no more than a car park. Bar Roma was already busy. The city has some nice murals which I passed while walking the Via Roma out of town. At the edge of town is the Basilica Cathedral. First I scored a new stamp in my pilgrims passport in the tourist office just in front. Then I wanted to visit the cathedral and its crypt. But the underground crypt was pitch black. Where was the light? It took me some time to find out you had to pay 1 euro for 10min of light. I paid and it was worth it, a really mysterious place to experience. Time to move on. I briefly followed the busy Via Cassia before taking a left on a quieter road. But there were road works going on and I had to find myself a way between trucks, workmen and new asphalt. Only after 2km, the path took a gravel road and I was on my own again. The 10km to San Lorenzo Nuovo would be spent in the fields. The big hills of tuscany were behind me. Here it was flat with some low ridges. Luckily, the path stayed away from a big industrial zone along the main road. I walked through fields and more fields. Some had grain, others had potatoes or sunflowers. I also passed fields packed with solar panels. This stretch had almost no shade. Surprisingly, it was not too hot today and the main reason was again that wind which kept blowing. No complaints from my side, it was perfect hiking weather. Half way, I passed an abandoned house where there was a big rock under an even bigger tree. The perfect spot for a snack break. In the province of Lazio, the Via Francigena is very well signposted with regular indications of the kilometers and time to the next village. After two hours, I reached the end of this agrarian plateau. The path returned to the Via Cassia and on a sidewalk, I climbed to the center of San Lorenzo Nuovo. I realised that the milestones along the Via Cassia are actually a countdown to Rome. Still 125 kilometers left. A bit more for me, because I don't follow the road. San Lorenzo Nuovo has an octagonal central square named Piazza Europa. The impressive church dominates the square. All bars were closed except for Bar Centrale. I sat down on their terrace and enjoyed a panini. There was still a stage on the square from the annual Sagra degli Gnocchi. That is a big festival in august that celebrates the most important local crop: potatoes. The biggest attraction of town is only discovered when you walk out of the center to the south. Suddenly, a wide view over Lago di Bolsena opened. Then I realised the village actually sits on a hill overlooking the lake. Waw! This is not a tiny lake. With 114 square kilometers, it is Europe's largest volcanic lake. Now I had to get down towards the lake where I would find the city of Bolsena. My destination was still at 12km. First, I walked through a forest, but pretty quickly, I ended up on a wide gravel road. It was not all downhill. There were lots of little steep climbs followed by steep descents. Very often, I had an amazing view over the lake. Half way, I came across a gravel quarry which is slowly consuming the hillside. Some people on bicycles also struggled with the ups and downs. Between some olive trees, I could suddenly see a tower with a flag on top. The castle of Bolsena, I was almost there. Before I knew, I ended up on the road and 10min later, I stood next to the castle. During the steep downhill into the center, my tibia started hurting again. Since yesterday, I take ibuprofen to control the inflammation. My body is telling me that it is getting tired, but Rome is really close now. I walked through the entrance gate of town into the street Corso Cavour. I made a quick stop at Carrefour before continuing to my pensione for tonight. The owner must have had trouble finding a good name for it. In the end, he named it Pensione Italia. I was greeted by Nick when I arrived. A very friendly man, but he had procedures that needed to be followed. He ran me through the check in procedure: check of ID, tour of the house, stamp in my passport and payment. When finished, he said like a robot: check in completed. Surprisingly, Nick lives in a room of the pensione. He must be the caretaker. What makes this place unique, is the stunning rooftop terrace with views over the lake and the city. I took a drink and enjoyed the sunset. When it got too dark to see the lake, the lights went on in the mighty fortress towering above it. Another stage completed. This continues to be an amazing adventure, every day brings new surprises. Tomorrow, I'm going to have a closer look at the lake before walking the 16km to Montefiascone. There I will have my last rest day on Friday. Fingers crossed that everything keeps going well until my arrival in Rome next Thursday. I'm really excited. Only 146km left to walk! My room 16 in albergo la torre was on the second floor and had a balcony. As soon as I woke up, I went outside. The sun was already shining. What a view! The town of Radicofani was really built on the top of the highest hill in the area. Breakfast was included today. When I came down, I thought I arrived for afternoon tea. The only thing I saw was cake and cookies. The friendly owner with big glasses smiled. Dulce, dulce he said. Luckily, I found a yoghurt and some toast as well. Except for one woman, I was alone in the big dining room. The curtains were closed to keep the sun out. I went back upstairs to pack my bag and left around 9h30. It was quiet in the main street Via Roma. The summer holidays are clearly over. I paid a quick visit to the romanesque church of San Pietro. A lady tried to sell me a souvenir, but I was not going to carry extra weight. Time to move on. Today, the only way was down. The first 10km were all downhill on a wide gravel road. It was sunny with some big white clouds in the sky. Nothing special, except for the wind. It was blowing with an incredible force. I had problems to walk in a straight line. At moments, it felt like I could be blown of the ridge. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the mighty tower of the fortress standing tall. The first kilometers still offered stunning views over Monte Amiata and the rolling farmlands. Sheep dogs kept big groups of sheep together and barked loud to keep people like me at a distance. Half way the descent was an agriturismo which had installed a resting area for pilgrims. Really nice, but it was hard to do anything in the heavy wind. I sat down for 5min before continuing. The lower I got, the less views, the less wind and the more horseflies. These ferocious bugs fought a war with me. I could win most of the battles, but still got bitten a couple of times. Slowly, I reached civilization again. First a big farm, then a little hamlet. When I came back at the main road Via Cassia, I was in the village of Ponte a Rigo. Not more than a couple of houses, but there is a little church that serves as a pilgrim hostel. Around noon, it was completely locked so I had lunch at the picnic area just next to it. The next part of the hike was not something I was really looking forward to. Six harrowing kilometers along the busy and dangerous Via Cassia. I had looked into alternatives but they could not convince me. One option was to just take a taxi or bus. I had not walked so far to now take public transport and become a PTP, a public transport pilgrim. Then there was the alternative route through Proceno, but that added 8km and extra climbing to the day. No thank you! So the official route via the road it was. The first part was not too bad. There was a grassy path just next to the road which I could follow. Fields of hay and grain dominated the landscape. At one point, I passed a big farm which had made a rest area for pilgrims in one of their sheds next to a combine harvester. They sold coffee, water or a homemade spelt snack for 1 euro. The money could be left in an honesty box. Brilliant way of welcoming pilgrims. Later I switched sides on the Via Cassia and followed a little concrete road still in safety. Here I passed the hamlet Torricella. Not more than a farm and an agriturismo which only publicity was that they had wifi. When I came back to the road, I crossed the Torrente Elvella on a bridge. There was almost no water left, but still this was a special place. Here I left Tuscany and entered the province of Lazio. And what is the capital of Lazio? Indeed, Roma! Behind the bridge lays the hamlet of Centeno. They call themselves La Porta de Lazio. The village has no services and was so quiet that a dog slept on the road. The most remarkable thing happened here in 1633. Then Galileo Galilei was quarantined here for 3 weeks due to a plague in Tuscany. A commemorative plate reminds of this special time. I found a bench under a tree and gave my legs some rest for a while. Then it was time to face the trucks and cars. The next 4 kilometers were on the Via Cassia. I walked against traffic but it was still extremely dangerous. Speeding cars passed centimeters from me. At places there was a guardrail. Have you ever been trapped between a guardrail and a concrete mixer truck of which the driver is on the phone? It is just crazy that this is the official Via Francigena. I found it fascinating that every kilometer is still marked with an old milestone and a new sign. When old and new come together. Four kilometer later, I was happy to be alive. To allow pilgrims to recover from their nervous breakdown, there is a pilgrim bar when you get off the road. It is a funny place with all kinds of chairs. The distance to the north and the south pole is marked. I decided that I had deserved an icecream. The bar even stamped my passport. Then it was time for the last 3km and surprise, they were uphill. With the last energy of the day, I reached the entrance gate of Acquapendente. Next to the San Francesco church, there is a stunning mural of a man with big glasses. The Via Roma goes straight through town. For one reason or another, the old center couldn't charm me that much. Buildings were not as well maintained. I went straight to my B&B. It was a self check in and that went very smooth. My room was really modern and the walk in shower was heavenly. After 5 days of walking, I decided to pass by the self service laundry. While my clothes were having a good wash, I went for pizza. The Egyptian owner had a friend in Antwerp and knew the football team of Gent. Then it was time to sleep, because tomorrow another 23km to Bolsena and its lake awaits. Only 8 more walking days to Rome. I'm so excited. Over the last days, my shin started hurting. It is something I will have to monitor closely. But I keep going. Rome is so close I can almost see it. Monday morning, the start of my last full week on the Via Francigena. I woke up having a whole house to myself. The two other beds in my room I cipressi had stayed empty just like the two other rooms. I slept very well, went downstairs and made myself a coffee. The friendly owner Michela had left me a little breakfast: toast with jam and a croissant. The hostel stands next to the busy Via Cassia. There is just a little sidewalk, cars and trucks pass half a meter from the living room. A poster showed the nationalities of the people who already slept here. There were even pilgrims from Mexico and Uzbekistan. I took my time to pack and left around 9h30. The village of Gallina feels a bit like a far west town. A hamlet with only a couple of houses that exists because of the Via Cassia running through it. Around the church are a football pitch, a playground and a basketball court. There was nobody to be seen. Exiting the town, I passed a sandwich bar. Perfect to buy a sandwich for lunch. A man came in after me, but he had no patience to wait. He ordered while I still had to pay. He really wanted his campari with beer. The old man paid, drank the glass empty in 30sec and left as he came. Just passed the bar, a gravel road runs up the hill and back to the Via Francigena. I was back on the path when I reached the agriturismo Passalacqua, a 100% organic farm. The views from here over the surrounding rolling farmland were once again stunning. I never get bored with these. The weather was a bit strange. It was sunny and warm, but extremely windy. The path went down again to reach the church of San Pellegrino. Once part of a flourishing abbaye, now left abandoned. Pigeons made it their home. Today was going to be a tough day. Only 16km, but mostly uphill climbing towards the Radicofani fortress at more than 800m. The beginning was not too bad. The undulating path crossed some fields with sheep before hitting the old Via Cassia. This road is almost not used anymore and in a very bad condition. What cars drive on this road then? Well, mostly jeeps and a fluo green fiat 500. Here came the first steep climb of the day. A girl on a bike struggled and almost didn't go faster than me. At the horizon, I could see the tower of Radicofani. Still a long way to go. The landscape changed. The wide valley got narrower. After the climb came a new descent and I ended up walking on a grassy path between the Via Cassia and the Formone river. The water was extremely low. I found the perfect lunch spot and ate my sandwich with the sound of flowing water. When I took off again, I passed a sign saying there were 8km left. I was making good progress. But the toughest part was yet to come. After having crossed the river on large white stones, the path went steeply uphill. I saw a lot of lizzards before, but here I met the biggest one so far. It ran straight towards me to then just disappear in the bushes. After a couple of kilometers, I reached the road. A little grassy path next to it allowed me to follow the road safely further uphill. It was nice to catch my breath from time to time and look behind me. The rolling hills of Tuscany lay deep behind me. In front of me, the tower of Radicofani kept getting closer and bigger. The last 2km, the path leaves the road and goes straight for the village. By now, I was getting pretty tired. Suddenly, a dog came towards me but no person was with him. He was barking. Hard to say if he could bite me. With a lot of gesture, I picked up a rock and without showing any fear, I walked passed him. It was fine. Ten minutes later, an even angrier black dog stormed towards me out of nowhere. The trick with picking up a rock did it again. A bit further, a third dog. Not again! But this little fella looked like he was afraid of me. What a cutie! I reached the first houses of Radicofani. This is the place where fathers wear army shirts and children drive quads. The town sits high above its surroundings on the border between Tuscany and Lazio. It has been a strategic place for centuries. Pretty touristy as well. At the entrance of the village, 7 different car parks are signposted. Tonight, it was quiet. I first walked to my hostel for the night: albergo la torre. It was perfectly situated just at the entrance of the medieval town and with a stunning view over the valley. The owner was very friendly and talkative. Because he only spoke Italian, I didn't understand everything. My room was amazing with a big comfy bed and a small sitting area. I dropped my bag and went straight to the only supermarket in town. Here they charge twice the price, but I was happy they were there. It had been a long day, but I still had some energy spare. I wanted to see the sunset from the highest point. By now, it got pretty chilly so I put my fleece on. The main street Via Roma is constructed at the bottem of the tower and turns while it works its way up. There was not much going on, but it was pretty special to just walk this narrow street lit by lanterns. At the end of the street, it is still 1km uphill to the tower. The sunset over the Tuscan countryside is something I won't forget soon. Sadly, the whole area around the tower was blocked off. You can only visit it during the day if you pay. It was a bit of a disappointment. For a whole day, I had been walking towards this tower. Now, I came as close as 50m. While walking down, it got pretty dark. Time to relax in my comfy room. The wind was still blowing hard. Tomorrow, I work my way down again. After 23km, I should reach the town of Acquapendente. There, I will be in Lazio at only 170km from its capital: the eternal city of Rome! Nothing tops a comfortable room after a long day of hiking. That is what hotel Il Garibaldi in San Quirico d'Orcia offered me. I slept like a rock. Although there were some strange things. I found a full bottle of red wine hidden in the wardrobe. The towel looked like a white tablecloth. There was no lightbulb in my bedside table lamp. But nothing that kept me awake. Today was a short day of 16km. When I came down at reception around 9h30, everything the girl last night said appeared to be not true. The hotel could stamp my passport. I didn't have to pay a tourist tax. And on top of that, the bar was closed on Sunday. I looked really disappointed and it worked. The lady opened the bar just for me and offered me a coffee with a croissant. Happy as a child, I headed into the center of San Quirico d'Orcia. Walking through the entrance gate of this walled village is like stepping back into time. I scored a second stamp in the tourist office. I think they got bit annoyed that pilgrims kept asking, so there was a big sign: stamp on the left, put stamp yourself. The village consists of a main street with a church at each end and one in the middle. The middle one was too small for the Sunday mass which had just began. Impressive how many people showed up. Just behind main street, there is a public parc named Horti Leonini gardens. It is full of pruned hedges and fascinating statues. In a meanwhile, more and more people came to the village. Some already started wine tasting. Even here in the bars, they sell some glasses of wine for 30-40 euro. For me, it was time to go. I crossed the residential area around the town and quickly came to gravel. The first 5km were pretty straight forward. Climb a hill for 2,5km and walk 2,5km back down. The gravel road was pretty busy with cars which made a lot of dust. It was hot today, the forecast said 33 degrees. When I reached the summit, I was already sweating hard. But the views over the rolling Tuscan hills never get boring. In the descent, a sign warned for a 15% gradient. That is tough on the legs. Just after the top, I passed the picturesque hamlet of Vignoni alto. There was nice music playing in the church and a lady tried to sell all kinds of handmade things. To leave the village, you have to walk through an archway where you get an iconic view. Before I knew, I arrived in Bagno Vignoni. There are hot springs in this little town and on a Sunday, this attracts a lot of people. Around the center, there were big car parks and they were pretty full. Very special here is the central square. It consists of a pool of hot water. This is the only aquatic piazza in Italy. I was already looking for my swimming gear, but sadly, this is strictly forbidden here. So I went for lunch on a cosy terrace next to the pool. I tried a lot: waving my hand, blinking my eye, almost screaming, but after 20min, nobody had even taken my order. It was so busy. I left and had a take away sandwich on a bench. The water from the central piazza flows into the Orcia river passing the Mulini Natural park. There you can dip your feet in the hot water for free. Perfect for a pilgrim who didn't have time and budget for the big thermal pools. Time to move on, I still had 10km left. But where to go? Signs were nowhere to be seen and my guidebook was unclear. Luckily, my gps helped me out. When I arrived at the wooden bridge over the river, it was blocked off for maintenance. Don't tell anyone, but I went over it anyway saving me a 30min detour. Quickly, the path started climbing again. A young couple was enjoying the pool next to their holiday villa. They looked at me like I was crazy, walking in this heat. Don't worry, I like this. A farmer was plowing his field. When I reached a farm, I thought it couldn't go any higher, but yes it could. The Via Francigena climbed to the highest point. It felt like I could see the whole of Tuscany. Deep below searching its way through the valley was the busy road Via Casia. Afterwards, it went downhill again on a wide gravel road. Here I picked up speed. But not too fast, I wanted to enjoy and look around. Some people live here completely off grid along a gravel road far away from the next house and with stunning views. Some of these houses are clearly converted into holiday homes. They call them agriturismo, but they are in fact luxury villas with swimming pool. People come from everywhere in Europe. I saw cars with Norwegian plates. I took a last break at the bridge over the Torrente Onzola. The river had dried up. Now I had to climb another hill for stunning views to then get back down again. Tuscany is always up and down. I passed a man who let his dog run while he followed in his car. The Via Francigena continues here to Radicofani, but I had cut this long stage in two. I had contacted agriturismo Passalacqua for a bed, but they were full due to a wedding. So I had to descend further to the main road and the hamlet of Gallina. There I found Ostello La Vecchia Posta. The friendly owner Michela attended a concert and was not there. She gave me a code to get in. In this village, there was nothing open on Sunday. One restaurant did take away if you order before 5pm which I did. So at 19h, I went to pick up my zuppa di legumi and bocconcini di pollo. The food was brilliant. The hostel even better. It feels like grandmothers house with a wood stove and old furniture. Upstairs are three rooms, but I'm the only guest tonight. I only paid 21 euro to stay here. The son Matteo passed quickly to pick up the money. Before sleep, I made myself tea and crashed with a book on the comfy couch. Heaven! I will sleep well here. Tomorrow, I climb to Radicofani which sits at 793m. Only 16km, but all uphill. This will be my last full day in Tuscany. Tomorrow evening, I will be at less than 200km from Rome! |
AuthorMy name is Dimitri and I'm turning 40 in 2023. Through the years, I have tried to live my dreams. Everything is possible, the sky is the limit as long as you believe in your dreams and work hard to make them happen. Do what you never did before. Go where you have never been before. It will be scary, but it will also be worth it! 
Archives
July 2024
Categories |
RSS Feed