25 kms — 30o C and sunny — We saw 1 new pilgrim today, on their way to Rome. We also saw 18 school children with 3 chaperones, on their way to Pontremoli.
(By Laurel)
It was another day of ups and downs. It was a day of surprise. …a day of bridges. …a day of drama with a happy ending.
🔹Ups and downs: This section is the last going over mountains, though there will still be some big hills in up-coming stages. At Passo della Cisa (Cisa Pass at 1,041 m), we were awed by a gorgeous sunrise as we climbed the stairs up, up, up to the church and continued on our trail into the green shady woods. Here, we re-entered Tuscany, which we had exited on June 14th! That felt like a milestone! From the meadow at the top of Il Cucchero Mountain (994 m), the vistas on this clear day were expansive and beautiful in all directions. Many medieval villages, each with a tall church bell-tower standing proudly above red tiled roofs of houses, could be seen tucked among trees on the mountainsides and in the valleys. Our stage today had two big ascents and two big descents, mostly on mountain paths which were, to our chagrin, rocky. Some trail sections were strewn with loose, sharp rocks which were an obstacle course to maneuver through, while other portions were paved with round-topped cobblestones (actually not that gentle on the feet, either, especially when going steeply downhill at the day’s end).
The distance from Fornovo di Taro to Pontremoli (i.e. the main part of the Apennines portion of the Via Francigena) is about 61 kms, which our guidebook has divided into two stages. 31 kms per day?! In hot weather?! Up and down stony mountain paths?! Not this pilgrim!! So, Jim and I had re-jigged the guidebook’s stages from two to three. Upon reaching today’s destination, Pontremoli, I felt that four stages would have been better yet as the last hours today were tough going. However, as there are stretches with nowhere to stay or to buy food through some of the Apennines, dividing into four stages may have proven to be its own challenge.
🔹Surprise: on the downward slope of Il Cucchero Mountain, we were concentrating on our feet while carefully picking our way along the rock-strewn path when Jim suddenly stopped and quietly pointed — to our amazement, on the trail just a few meters in front of us were standing two horses. Behind them, down the path, were more horses! We stepped off to the side (as much as we could — there was hardly any space to spare) and silently waited. The lead horse started moving up the trail past us, and the others followed. Soon all twenty animals had gone by! The photo below shows their proximity.
🔹Bridges: we crossed a wooden suspension bridge plus five ancient stone bridges along our pedestrian path today. Pontremoli, our stage end, sits at the confluence of two rivers and has nine bridges, some of which are also stone construction.
🔹Drama: at about nine kms outside of Pontremoli, a woman hurrying along the trail in the opposite direction stopped us and enquired, with urgency in her voice (speaking English), as to whether we had seen a boy and girl along our way. We had not. She quickly explained that she’s a teacher chaperoning a middle-school hike, and that two children were not with the group. She rushed on her way and we continued in our direction, now with our eyes scanning side to side. Thirty minutes later the teacher came up behind us looking visibly relieved, informed us that the kids were found (hooray!), and sped past us to re-join her party ahead on the path. We soon came upon the whole school group, now complete with all 18 children and three teachers happily re-united. We learned that they had hiked, over six days, all the way from Fornovo di Taro! From that point onward we passed, or were passed, by the school hikers a few times. The cheery sounds of the children chatting and singing as they hiked provided us with encouragement, as our energy was flagging in those last kms.
In Pontremoli, we were too tired to take in the annual summer street party that was happening and tucked ourselves into our hostel beds early.
Top photo: sunrise as seen from the front steps of the church at Passo della Cisa
Bottom photo: looking back, just after passing by the church; the arch marks where we re-entered Tuscany
Two photos above: morning light coming through the trees as we hike
Four photos above: some of today’s paths
Top photo: approaching the top of Il Cucchero
Bottom left: a marker at the apex of Il Cucchero; Right: starting to head down
Sharing our trail with 20 horses — they were going up Il Cucchero while we were going down
Some of today’s bridges
Top photo: looking off the top of the stone bridge at Groppodalosio (built in 1574)
Bottom photo: view of the Magra River flowing beneath the bridge
Three photos above: a welcome and much needed “Pilgrim’s Oasis” kindly hosted by a couple at Previde
Top right and bottom photos: the school group
Three photos above: Pontremoli (they were holding a classic car event)
Love this day… walking along with wild horses and school kids!
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