- Day 42 - day 9 for 2026
- Tuesday, 5 May 2026
- Pontremoli to Burgo di Filetto - 18 km today
- 979 km on my Via Francigena before today
- 18 km for today
- 997 km on my Via Francigena (161 km for 2026)
In the chat at Pontremoli we were told that the 30 km or so to Aulla would be hard and afterwards Via Francigena becomes easier. The chat about today was right, in a way. There is always what seem to be gratuitous deviations. Some can be explained when we are taken up a steep path with many largish stones of varying sizes to a chapel, dedicated to the annunciation to Mary by the Archangel Gabriel of her pregnancy with a reredos in a 16th century style, which is locked. Many others can be understood as wanting to keep pilgrims away from main roads that motor vehicles and cyclists may find a nuisance. Today’s 18 km can be explained by that consideration. As I write the height is report as a tad above 200 m above sea level (asl). On our deviations towards the Apennines heights of around 400 m asl were noted.
The rain stopped just before 10h. We have a second break at Filateria about 11h and agree to carry on. We climb one hill and return, almost to the main road (SS62) and then go up another before reaching Burgo di Filetto about 14h This is an enclosed town with central road west to east and two piazza. We find the B&B that Nadine has booked on line. We check in. Still damp clothes are swapped and we rest until 19h.
The pizzeria is like a diamond waiting to be discovered. We enter just before 20h and are amongst the first arrivals. Over our evening meal, Nadine and I discuss today. She is quite clear that, despite the early rain for about two hours, it was a good day. We completed 18 km and I had used very little water. Nadine says she has travelled in Italy several times and on one trip their car was the hotel.
We return well after 21h and find the water heaters are on. Joy, we can now be certain our damp clothes will be dry by morning.
And so to our own beds.
No comments:
Post a Comment