Stage 21b and 22a:. Berceto to Previdè. I should've trusted the deer. (Part 1)

Some more incredible views and wildflowers today.  

The Via exits Berceto on a tree-lined street.  

The town is worthy of more attention than I gave it; yesterday my hosts were waiting for me, and this morning I was keen to get into the woods again.

It was a day of detours and mishaps; I lost the lead for my power pack, I forgot to pack my insect repellent, and I almost left my packed lunch behind. Some days seem full of such minor irritations, like finding my rucksack straps have got twisted, or I need to take my pack off for a third time in five minutes, or I can't quite reach behind me to get the suncream out, so I have to stop again, or a stone has leapt up into my boot from nowhere, or my phone's somehow lost 25% of its power in the first half an hour. Such a day was today.

Despite that, the route once again took me up steep woodland paths, through hazel and sycamore to begin with

then steadily climbing on rutted clay on the Monte Valoria variant, which was recommended by my host and British pilgrims on my first night. At one point the path forked, one branch leading steeply up, the other straight on. As I stood trying to work out which to take, a dark brown doe appeared straight ahead, and stood there looking at me for a few seconds, as if to say: "This way". Then she stepped into the woods and dissolved into the trees.

I ignored her and went straight uphill, on what turned out to be a pointless, but rather pretty, if very steep, 2km loop back to the path. I should've trusted that deer. But it did allow me to provide something for the WG gang to admire: this fascinating stretch of high voltage wire which sang and snapped above me for the first part of the day.