Walking in Europe

Subtitle: Over the Passo Dell Osteria Bruciata and into Tuscany

The last two days we walked from La Futa to San Piero A Sieve with last night in Sant’ Agata. We’re now well into Tuscany. It’s beautiful but very warm; 33C today!

We started early yesterday from our campground at San Futa (noisy place!) and had breakfast of the last of the porridge we’ve been packing around since Switzerland (it’s too hard not to have a fresh croissant in the morning!). We walked back up to the Futa war cemetery and then a few kms of descent along a main road before leaving pavement and starting the climb through beech and conifer woods up to a pilgrimage cross (and interesting arch) marking a high point at Mont Gazzaro at about 1100m. From there most of the day was along a beautifully forested ridge line or just below through a pass at Osteria Dell Bruciata, more ridge walking and shady trail (so grateful for the shade!) till about km 16 on the day then a steepish descent toward Sant’ Agata for a total of 21. We were forewarned about the lack of water sources on this leg so “watered up” in the morning and were carrying a good 4L which ran out just we came into the little ancient church at Montepoli at about km 18. From there a simple walk along the road into the really charming town of Sant’Agata where we stayed at a very welcome hostel with comfy bunks and hot showers! We had a nice dinner of local pasta and vegetables at the only bar/ristorante/market/convenience store in town, in the centre “piazza” at the base of the large Romanesque era church (built in 948 AD) that marks the centre of town. Just amazing. The town was getting ready for the annual mid-August holiday “Ferragosto” celebrating a mid-summer break from work for Italians across the country.

A big distance day: 21 kms, tired feet.

This morning we were up early and back at the little market for croissants 😋 and coffee/tea and lunch makings and after the long kms yesterday were rewarded with a lovely 9 km walk through the Tuscan countryside of farms and sunflower fields on a pretty country road to San Piero A Sieve where we walked through town and up to our campsite (nice shady tent-site!) in time for lunch, the heating day, and a slow afternoon.

We’re now over 100 kms on this walk with about another 30 to go.

Footnote: Saint Agatha is the patron saint of breast cancer, and of many communities and church organizations, social service organizations and religious orders around the world who work to end sexual assault, violence against women in all its forms, and to end femicide. She died (martyred) in 251 AD. Horrific story and horrific still that her spirit and invocation is still so needed two millennia later. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_of_Sicily