Stage 6 - Pont St Martin to Ivrea (In which etc) Part IV

Once through this (yawn, oh puhlease!) pretty medieval village, the route becomes flatter as it begins to leave the Alps, and, after fields and cobbled streets goes onto a straight sunbaked path.

 Thoroughly sun-dried myself by now, I entered Borgofranco d'Ivrea (which also has a railway station not mentioned in the guide) just after midday 

and took a couple of milkshakes across the road from its neoclassical church facade.

A man and his friend came to a nearby table and he started having a loud and very extended conversation on his 'phone in a local dialect. Then, clearly at a loss as how to entertain himself, his companion started another 'phone conversation. Thank goodness they didn't have to speak to each other while they went out together for a coffee.

It was here that I managed to pick up an Italian man, who joined me on the way through flat deciduous woods , as we said a final farewell to the mountains,

and then uphill again towards Lake Pistono, where we parted. We were so engrossed in our conversation that we didn't notice the climb. He explained that in Valldaosta, there are so many trails and hikers that the Via is of little consequence, hence the somewhat lackadaisical attention to accuracy in its signage, whereas in Piedmont, the pilgrim is highly respected, and this is reflected in very clear, frequent and helpful signs.

After regretfully waving goodbye to my lovely young Italian, there was more uphill then finally down, through the toffs' part of town, and into the centre of decidedly more metropolitan Ivrea, where, after 23km in 34C, this adventure on the Via ends until next year.

However, you can take part in a quiz: identify, please, these wildflowers and enter your suggestions in the comments section.

No. 1

No. 2

No. 3

Stage 6 - Pont St Martin to Ivrea (In which, etc) Part III.

More climbing led up to the church complex of San Lorenzo, which was closed:

The sun was so strong by then that even the fence posts needed sunglasses.

Then down through a maze of vines towards a castle, 

through a path enclosed on both sides by rocks, twisting past and through deserted buildings built into the cliffs. 

The track is steep and stony to Montestrutto, where, passing a fabulous example of a village laundry fountain, 

I sat by another cool fountain for my third breakfast.

Stage 6 - Pont St Martin to Ivrea (In which, etc) Part II.

  After a nasty stretch along the busy and unpavemented SS26, I reached Torre Daniele: 

the house on the left is for sale, if you fancy a renovation project, and past a lovely shaded campsite with wooden huts. 

Then up through vines to Cesnola where I stopped in the village square at a fountain for my second breakfast. 

I found evidence of doggie on an otherwise pristine stretch of concrete, 

bringing to mind this conversation:

Claudio: "Oh, no, Fido! That's still wet!" 

Fido: (sighs) "Oh, sorry, I'll come back then."

Claudio: "Oh no! Not that way, Fido!"

Fido: "???, humpff, now I'm really confused" (soulful look).

Stage 6 - Pont St Martin to Ivrea. Part I (In which Wrinklitourist picks up a companion, says farewell to the mountains and sets a quiz.)

A slight cheat on the start to the walk, by walking for a few minutes from the train station (not mentioned in the guide, unhelpfully, as it would have saved a circuitous bus journey the previous day) to intersect with the route outside town. Fuelled by a coffee at the welcoming Bar Fuoco conveniently near both the station and the Via, it was up the first of the day's several climbs, mendaciously described in the guide as "not arduous".

The route passes under vines and alongside topie, 

with some very exciting WG, 

until Carema, where I met a father and young son whose ability to ignore the very clear signage on the route, now that it has reached the Piedmont, matched Wrinkli's, and led to an additional 100m of ascent.

Stage 5 - Verres to Pont Saint Martin (Part III)

Then downhill to Donnaz, past orchards and another boulder barn 

walking along a Roman road and through the cool main street of the old town, which dips down.

 In 2000 the floods apparently went into the town wreaking havoc. I'll take Donnaz's faded beauty over the obvious charms of Bard any day.

Finally a blistering (32C) 2.5km along the A226, past adret vineyards 

and into the centre of Pont St Martín and its lovely Roman bridge. 

After a hasty lunch onto the (free) bus back to Aosta.  This route is rather more spectacular than the train or motorway, which go under the castle at Bard; there's a spectacular section outside  Castle St Germain, where the valley forms a high, steep gorge

Stage 5 - Verres to Pont Saint Martin (Part II)

Along a road towards Hone, I passed memorials to two dead children, from the 70s and 1925, then an unpleasant 2km stretch below and beside the motorway, with my first sight of Bard castle, hoving into view.

I passed into Hone by nineteenth century cholera graves and a barn built up against a massive boulder. Then through the charming town 

and across a bridge

to the twin town of Bard (supposedly the second most beautiful town in Italy) and its castle, with (hold fast ye WG enthusiasts!) a funicular which goes up in three stages.

Bard is definitely worth spending time in, so I did, partly because I went up and down looking for a credential stamp which I eventually found under the second arch, 

but it had run out of ink, and partly because it's quite special, albeit self-consciously.  This woman was screaming for some reason.

Stage 5 - Verres to Pont Saint Martin (Part I)

This morning outside Verres station I asked this traveller the time, but didn't get much response. I think he's been waiting for his train for a long time.

Managing to avoid a repeat visit to the recycling centre, my walk began along the valley bottom by the Dora Baltea. Then up over the motorway to the hamlets comprising Arnad, where there was the greatest variety of livestock so far: 

geese, ducks, hens, goats and donkeys. For the WG brotherhood, some ancient winding gear in the form of a grape press. 

Today's dogs were definitely wide awake, setting up quite a casino as I passed by. More poor signage took me on a slight detour, but I found my way down through meadows to the river again, and Echallod bridge. In October 2000 there was a terrific flood, and the bridge was partly destroyed, but rebuilt, and previous attempts at restoration improved upon in 2006.  

Stage 4 - Chatillon to Verres (Part III)

The village of Reclou stole my heart, but was followed by yet more steep climbing, before reaching the final summit, in the top left,

after which I descended through olive groves, (the slopes here have a Mediterranean climate) to walk alongside the Dora Baltea 

towards the station at Verres, where helpful signs, purporting to direct me there, actually took me to the town recycling centre.  

After a well- deserved limonata in the station bar (the guide book had this as a 19k walk, but my route tracker indicated more like 23) it was back to Aosta and a shower.

Stage 4 - Chatillon to Verres (Part II)

For the WG fraternity, and those of you wondering how houses are built on these sheer slopes, here's how.

Then more climbing up to the village of Chenal, with its ruined castle,

another perfect, tranquil spot, and down towards Montjovet, and another break at an automatic water dispenser, charging 5 cents for a litre of still or sparkling chilled water. 

After filling up, there was a brief flat section, before crossing a vineyard-filled basin at the village of Toffo. 

Stage 4 - Chatillon to Verres (Part I)

At 06.30, as the moon set and the sun rose over the mountains, I left Aosta station for Chatillon, 

where I retraced my steps and then climbed from the centre of town to the church, looking back towards Aosta.

 From here there was a killer climb up to the Ru, where I walked east along a rocky path, passing vineyards and orchards.

By now fully alert after the climb, I passed through sleeping hamlets with old doggies raising one drooping eyelid at my approach. Along a street of Aleppo pines in St Vincent, I skirted the thermal springs, went under a funicular, and literally sat on the ru to eat my first snack, the bench being positioned on a grille above the water.

Another climb to Cillian, with a tiny chapel, 

then more climbing to Feilley. Just before I reached it, the smell of basil filled my nose, and, looking down to the right, I saw an elderly couple working in their immaculate vegetable plot, the signora picking handfuls of basil.

Stage 3b - Nus to Chatillon

Picking up where I left off in Nus, this was a day of steep climbs and descents, through oak woods, along country roads and through tiny hamlets. One with an immaculate orchard garden in the foreground, and a backdrop of the mountains to the west of Aosta, 

one with tiny winding cobbled alleys and a house decorated with painted wooden plaques.

In Chambave, with its pretty main Street and intriguing passages, 

I stopped for water and an apricot outside the church and post office, which had an electronic sign announcing today as the feast of the Blessed Virgin of the Snows ( I'd almost forgotten).

Then back uphill again, where the path became much narrower and overgrown,

 till it passed through an area of abandoned villages and overgrown orchards.

Eventually I reached Chatillon, very hot and bothered after a demanding trek.  And with very little in the way of anecdotes, except that I managed to get on the train going the wrong way, while trying to get back to Aosta.  Few of you will be surprised.