21 km — 31oC and hazy/sunny — We met 16 pilgrims on their way to Rome.
(By Laurel)
According to the guidebook, an easy hike. According to me, a tough one! I collapsed in relief when we finally reached our accommodation at “Il Castelletto del Salamara” at the edge of Viterbo. Perhaps it was the heat and sun, our hottest day yet? Perhaps it was our unplanned side jog going the wrong way for a bit when we missed our turn and then had to backtrack? Perhaps it was not drinking quite enough water (where are those Italian fountains when you need one)? Or maybe it was a combination of factors?
Today, again we walked through several olive groves and hazelnut groves. Sometimes we passed fig trees which had dropped lots of soft fruits onto the path. Once, a cherry tree laden with ripe red cherries tempted us to have a taste (we did!). Just before Viterbo, our route was on an Etruscan “Via Cava” — this is a unique narrow roadway cut deeply into the tufa stone over 2,500 years ago. It felt like walking through a narrow man-made canyon. Room for only one car and one walker to go through at a time!
We will spend two nights here, as our legs need a rest and our laundry needs to get done. Il Castelletto promises to be very relaxing — a small apartment attached to a farm house with a lovely shady green yard right outside our door. Our hostess, Rossana, has attended to every detail — olive oil and fresh eggs (products of their own farm), a scrumptious homemade “welcome” pie, pastries, fresh fruit, and all the comforts of home.
A foot specialist at Vetralla — thankfully, we don’t need their services.
Groves of hazelnut trees
Looks like a beautiful spot to take a rest day! It all looks SO amazing.
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