Today is mostly through woods. 17 kms in total, and generally good paths and jeep tracks. The route includes sections of paving from medieval times.
It starts off cool again as we leave Filetto. Market stalls are setting up. It is Sunday. A day, as we have previously found, for shooting. Walking today is accompanied by church bells echoing through the hills, and at times, rifle shots. I see two signs highlighting that hunting for wild boar is taking place. At one point we can see a group of men with their guns and dogs not far away in the woods. At another point I see a middle-aged man, grey-haired, and with chain saw, emerging from some woods. I pick my pace up a bit, hoping that it isn’t John Jarrett / Mick Taylor.
Rather than the right turn out of Filetto, we follow the road straight ahead (very quiet) and turn to meet the trail after passing a few streets. We are soon climbing to reach Virgoletta, where we veer off the trail to go for a wander through this ancient town.
We follow the alternate trail to the Roman ‘castrum’ (military town), but there is nothing there to see at the moment – excavations are planned.
We are, though, very excited to walk over sections of ancient, medieval road.
Overall, we pass through wetter forest than previously and we have to deal with our first mud issues – easily negotiated, mostly. Richo fails to safely negotiate a section of steep downhill, slippy with clay.
Falls count: DC 1, Richo 2. I reckon that is going to be sore tomorrow.
When we arrive in Aulla, it is straight to the hotel and to the dining room. We are hungry. We stand out in the dining room though. It is busy with large family groups, dressed in Sunday best for big family lunches.
Steak and salad for DC, grilled chicken and veggies for Richo. We don’t even venture out of the hotel spending the arvo sleeping (DC) and reading up on days ahead and making plans for our next scheduled rest stop (Richo). Aulla doesn’t strike us as having a lot to venture out for. It’s strategic position meant the ancient town was heavily bombed during WW2. It has been replaced by modernity.
Very nice spag bol for dinner. We need some carb loading; it is a big day tomorrow.
Stay and Eat: Demy Hotel
Buonanotte.
Richo and DC 