Saturday, 29 September 2018

SEPTEMBER 2018 : ITALY : VIA DI FRANCESCO : DAY 3 : Consuma - Stia - 17 kms (6 and a half hours)



Day 3 and another beautiful day. Sunny with a breeze.

We were woken to gunshots. It’s the weekend and hunting is a common practice. 


Breakfast at Irina’s cafe


Irina, a wonderful hostess, and ambassador for the Via di Francesco


Her father, Marcello


Their family has owned this business for 5 generations



Leaving Consuma


A small path onto forestry tracks


We set off confidently


Views of distant valleys


We needed to synchronise our guidebook information with our Maps.Me app as there were some hidden tracks




Our first hamlet, Gualdo with no facilities for walkers



We set off on to shaded forest tracks for most of the day


A rest stop


Autumn colours


The convent of Santa Maria della Gracie built in 1432 to mark an apparition of the Virgin Mary


Lunch, provided by Irina, was a welcome respite


Our first sighting of livestock was a donkey farm


Moving into Stia


Crossing the bridge over the headwaters of the Arno



Arriving in Stia - originally a a textile manufacturing centre but now a tourist centre


Our accommodation is in the main square



La Guardia - €50 bed and breakfast 


An 18th century guardhouse - our best accommodation yet!



Federico’s recommendation for tonight 


Very special and popular


Tonight for me - ravioli with prawns


What a great day!
What we have learnt today is two walking poles downhill are best on the slippery slopes!And the value of our Maps.Me app to double check that we are on the right track.

M&M

2 comments:

Julie said...

What a beautiful day of walking. Does mark have two poles.

Anonymous said...

Great start for your latest trek. We look forward to more beautiful! Scenery.....JulieJ