Wake at 6.30, before alarm goes off. Looks set to be another glorious sunny day in what is billed as one of the most remote sections of the trail. Today also comes with health and safety warnings about steep descents, aided by iron rungs and ropes, that should not be attempted in the wet. At 21km it is a also one of our longer days, but this is day 4 and we should have all walked ourselves into fitness.
Breakfast at 8.00, the ubiquitous plate of cold meats makes its appearance – probably because we had not finished it the night before. To be honest, I'm not very hungry and pick around a few bits of bread. And some cake. And a doughnut. And some more cake. A traditional Italian breakfast.
We have a taxi to take us back to the trail at the Futa pass.
It's straight into delightful oak and beech woodland, with dappled sunlight, birdsong, and a refreshing morning coolness. We notice we are on route E1, which I discover runs from Sicily to Norway.
We are walking along a wooded ridge, with occasional breaks in the trees giving views over the surrounding countryside. Here we see the view back to the village of Traversa and the hills walked yesterday.
After a short climb we are soon at the Monte Gazzaro cross, with extensive views all around. We decide we are going to go and look at the dangerous descent. Initially this is quite gentle and easy. A sign to a punto panoramico takes us to a rocky spur of our ridge....
...with steep drops all around and excellent views
and some new flora
The path now becomes steeper, and wire rope appears to provide assistance. The steep sections do not last long, though there are plenty of places where it is obvious that people have taken a slide in the mud. Fortunately for us the ground is drying out nicely and we have no problems.
We have a long descent, but nothing outrageously steep, on good mountain paths, generally wooded, scented with hawthorn and honeysuckle....
....but with grassy interludes to relax, soak up the views, and listen to our ever present cuckoo now joined by a woodpecker.
Lunch is on another rocky spur, in the shade of some small trees, with big views. It is easily the best lunch spot of the walk to date, and it's great to be able to get my boots off and air my sweaty feet.
After 14km, and the temperature climbing, we reach the outskirts of St Agata where we hope to replenish our dwindling water supplies. But the village is further off the trail than we realised, so we turned back and continued without resupply.
It was a 7km walk along a bit dusty road to our destination, San Piero
With only the sight of some sheep being driven along the road by a farmer in a car.
Just outside the tiny hamlet of Gabbiano we found a small graveyard with a tap. It's interesting that just like in the ancient world, the necropolis is usually located outside of the city/town/village
We eventually arrive, hot, thirsty, and tired, at our destination of San Piero a Sieve and the Hotel La Felicina.
The hotel is amazing. Full of quirky collections and objects:
I also have a very quirky bedroom
We have a beer or two in the garden, Anita clearly out of practice at pouring
Manage to shower before dinner, where we rejoin our Dutch friends.
Winnie and Mona had attempted to get the bus from St Agata to San Piero, but the shop owner refused to sell tickets on the grounds that the walk was along one of the finest stretches of road in Italy.
The meal was the best so far. Pasta not quite up to last night's standard, but secondi of roast chicken, roast pork and roast potatoes was simply superb. And not a plate of cold meats in sight. Oh, and some very nice red wine
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