Although we continue through amazing Tuscan scenery, each day has differences. This area is ‘the land of castles and abbeys’. It is a long day, especially as we add to the distance with an error.
But first, the confirmation of a milestone.
At 8.50 we head off towards Monteriggioni. It is soon in sight. As we cross the farmland we are struck by the rich chocolate colour of the soil.
While we walk we are passed by car after car of hunters and their dogs – it appears today is wild boar hunting day. I think how this works is teams of hunters and the dogs try to flush out the boar in the woods. The boar runs, the dogs follow. What you don’t want is, through some extraordinary stroke of bad luck, for your route and the boars escape route to meet. Its clear who comes off second best from that encounter.
We do cross paths multiple times with people setting up for an event tomorrow: run via Francigena. Tomorrow there will be between 400-500 walkers and runners out on routes of different lengths in the area.
We leave the small walled village and descend through the carpark. The massive carpark is I think bigger than the village itself – must be sardine time inside those walls when busy. Its 11 o’clock and we still have 20 kms to go.
Soon after leaving we can hear the hunters in the distance: the dogs barking, an occasional gunshot then, shortly after, multiple gunshots in succession – i can taste the wild boar ragu now.
Today the route includes more stretches of ‘mule track’. Although still pretty good paths, they do still slow progress a little.
We eat our lunch at a rest place, beautifully set up by a resident with big tables, chairs, shade, postcards, information and more. After lunch we still have 13 kms to go. We descend from the hill with castles and somehow make a left turn rather than a right. Perhaps we follow old markers. Not quite sure but we end up off track quite a bit. When we realise our error using the SloWays map, we are able to sort ourselves out pretty easily. But that probably added at least a km or two to our day plus slowed us further.
There are some sections on roads today but they weren’t too busy. There are fewer hills today in general but of course scenic hilltop towns are accessed by climbing the hill. And into Siena it is steep.
Finally arrive at our B&B for the night after 5.
I think this is the most tired I have been. The original plan was for a rest/ sightseeing day in Siena. We will decide in the morning what we will do.
Buonanotte.
Richo and DC 