Via Francigena: San Miniato to Gambassi Terme

 

Today was beautiful weather, starting with sunshine, mists across the landscape and a cool breeze but becoming too hot by the time we arrived at our destination at 3pm. We saw quite a few turkeys along the way. There were lovely views across the Tuscan hills, and not much road walking. Unfortunately I had to walk most of it in my sandals due to pinched pinkies.

The cathedral of San Miniato

Lots of vineyards today

Lunch stop in the shade

Vineyards galore. Getting overheated by this point.

We mean business and hang around on corners

The view from the window of our guesthouse
in Gambassi Terme

An April spritz in the town square,
between showers and dinner. 

My dinner - excellent fresh pizza

Via Francigena: Altopascio to San Miniato

 

An easier day today - an hour less walking, and less road walking overall. Some nice paths alongside canals and peaceful villages, and all quite flat until the final climb up into San Miniato. We passed lots of fields of sunflowers, brown and shrivelled and presumably awaiting the harvest. The day passed quickly as we chatted away, although possibly less so for Elizabeth who was sporting matching huge blisters on her tender inner heels. They got bigger and bigger as the day wore on, and once in San Miniato we paid an emergency visit to a pharmacy to ask for a needle. They duly sold her two very cheap sterile syringe needles. Success!

In Fucecchio, about halfway, we got water…

and a lovely coffee

Fucecchio was on a hilltop with
far-reaching views across the plain

…and with a long, peaceful canal at the bottom of the hill where we saw a pair of herons flapping along

After lots of fields of these…

…we stopped for a final rest, change of socks/shoes and sandwich before the final few miles

We arrived at about 4.00. San Miniato is really nice and has a relaxed out-of-season feel.

First view of San Miniato

Our guesthouse is lovely and our rooms have great views across the land.

On my balcony

We managed a bit of stretching before dinner 😀

We went to a local restaurant for another  wonderful meal involving funghi. Then everyone retired to bed by 8.30 as we were all knackered. Another fairly long (similar) day tomorrow, and all eyes are on the weather forecast thereafter as it’s possibly going to rain for the remainder of our trip, and some of us (including myself) chose to reduce the weight of their pack by omitting the waterproof trousers. It will still be warm so the only issue may be water running down into socks. I’ve brought a pair of (as yet untested) waterproof socks, so let’s see if I have to use them. At least I have spare shoes!

Via Francigena: Lucca to Altopascio

  

After scrambled egg we set off at 8.30. Perfect weather for it - about 20 degrees but cloudy and quite nice and fresh. 

Ready for action

On the city wall in Lucca

Viaduct just outside Lucca -  3.5 km long

There were lovely views of the Tuscan hills. A lot of road walking to start with but then up wooded paths into the hills. 

Sara and  Caroline weren’t with us as they took the other, slightly shorter route

Getting water from the spring - lots of locals filling up their jerrycans and bottles

Lots of trees bearing this fruit - a stone fruit with a semi-hard, pitted skin. Tasted apricot-like.

On coming back down to the plain, we thought we’d take a short cut but it was a really bad decision because we ended up walking along a horrible fast road and then having to double back along it when we realised we’d gone a bit wrong. 

Wishing we didn’t have another hour to walk

Elizabeth and I made a futile attempt to call a taxi to take us the last 3 miles as I had squashed toes and she had blisters on her heels from new-ish boots. We walked it in the end and were exceedingly happy to arrive. There wasn’t much ascent today but it was a long distance and quite hard on the feet and hips because of all the tarmac. My sandals were once again a lifesaver for the final three miles. We had a delicious dinner in the local restaurant and all retired quite early to bed.

Via Francigena: Ciao Via Francigena

 A 9 am flight to Pisa, and we six ladies were in Lucca by lunchtime, having survived the so-called  “mantrap” at passport security.  The sun was shining and the atmosphere in the town was bustling but relaxed. Substantial and beautiful town.

The entrance to Lucca

Dream team

This is what Lucca looked like when it was first built

We just ate our lunch here

Freaky relic - the whole body of a saint.
He needed to have his nails cut.

Puccini, who lived here.
Very supercilious.

Had an early dinner - lovely pizza.

SDW: Exton to Petersfield

 

 It wasn’t quite to Petersfield, but to a horrible dual carriageway just south of it. I had about half an hour to wait in a scuzzy bus shelter. I set off as soon as possible after my breakfast of scrambled egg and salmon as I wasn’t sure how long the walk would take me (very terrain-dependent) and I needed to get the 2.10 train from Petersfield to get back in time for the podiatrist at 4.30. They’re hopefully going to help me with my little toe, which is urgent since I’m off to Tuscany in a week’s time. Anyway, the route today was pretty flat and I was yomping it faster then three miles an hour, so it was actually really quick. I got to the bus stop at midday and am now on the 12.50 train to Waterloo.

It was absolutely beautiful weather today. 

There were more beautiful houses…

…and woods.

Met these horses on Butser Hill, which overlooks Queen Elizabeth Country Park, today’s destination.

 The end  is nigh