Stage 44: Campagnano di Roma to La Storta. Magic meadows and a first glimpse of Rome. Part 3.

Then on through sunny woods and flower-filled fields, 

several pilgrims on the same route, until a long stretch through magical kaleidoscopic meadows of wild flowers, 

impossible to convey through a lens, but going on for an extended period, before passing Etruscan water works (Ponte Sodo).

A lot more up and down, before this ancient WG 

(I hadn't forgotten you!) and a final long pull up to Isola Farnese and La Storta, and a fast bus back to Sutri.

Stage 44: Campagnano di Roma to La Storta. Magic meadows and a first glimpse of Rome. Part 2.

I think I had my first sight of Rome today,

and the marker in the lovely open heathland of Sorbo suggests I may have done. 

Another stiff climb out of Sorbo for another couple of kilometres, before reaching the substantial town of Formello, where a park at the side of the road offered sunny steps for elevenses, before the Via passed through its pretty old town.

Stage 44: Campagnano di Roma to La Storta. Magic meadows and a first glimpse of Rome. Part 1.

A long schlepp uphill out of Campagnano started the stage for a couple of kilometres,

although it was soon on more minor, quieter tarmac, with views across a lot of country. 

The official app (last updated November 2021) warns of swine fever and offers a Gpx - which won't open in the app - for a deviation (on busy roads) avoiding the Sorbo park area. There are no signs about this on the ground, though, until the other end, by an old mill

so, with the experience of stage 41 still fresh, I ignored it and had a beautiful walk.  

Stage 43: Sutri to Campagnano di Roma. Nuts, whole hazelnuts, as far as the eye can see. Part 3.

So, when I arrived at the crossing of the SP 16/B, and was offered a choice of Francigenas, one to Monte Gelato 11.6km on more dirt track (on the official app), and one on the anello di Compagnano of 9km, through woodland (not mentioned at all anywhere but with clear official signage), I chose the latter, and was glad I had.

It follows the original Cassia, and the ancient paving is clearly visible in places. 

Someone has lavishly marked the early stages on a very narrow and sometimes indistinct path with generous swathes of red and white ribbon, 

although how long they'll last, who knows. Nevertheless, they are very useful in giving confidence to the suspicious pilgrim, who has learnt that not all Via markings can be trusted.  I saw evidence of porcupine.

And the flowers! They were so bright and varied, I've made you a a separate album .

I didn't get to see Ice Cream Mountain (Monte Gelato), and even the inevitable long schlepp up to Compagnano in spits and spots of rain was worth it. Everything was nicely iced, after a search for some kind of stamp, by the lovely owner of Cafe Vizi e Virtù, just inside the Porta Romana at the southern end of the main street, providing not only a stamp but also a donation. (Which you can too, of course.)

Stage 43: Sutri to Campagnano di Roma. Nuts, whole hazelnuts, as far as the eye can see. Part 2.

The path (fenced off) crosses a golf course before a quick haul up to Monterosi, scene of many bus changes on this section so far, 

and a Via info point that was, of course, closed on a Saturday (although a cafe offers a stamp just as you enter the town, and the Commune was open).

Then a noisy, and slightly stomach-churning fenced section at the side of the busy autostrada, before a long stretch of narrow dusty dirt track, every car sending up clouds of dust in its wake, some drivers slowing down, others just churning it up.  But lined with grand palatial houses, many with well-established pines standing sentinel along the drive.

Stage 43: Sutri to Campagnano di Roma. Nuts, whole hazelnuts, as far as the eye can see. Part 1.

After a brief passage through the Etruscan park, (end of stage 42) a long busy tarmac stretch, where I encountered this Casa Cantoniera. 

I've seen several of these in my various bus journeys up and down the Via Cassia. As far as I can make out, (Italian only on Wikipedia) they were built to house roadmen (and their families) who were responsible for the maintenance of a 3 or 4km stretch of the road. They also appear to have offered emergency accommodation to stranded travellers. Many are now derelict, and some are for sale, if you fancy it.

Thereafter, a good long stretch, some of it uphill, but mostly fairly flat, through hazel groves in every direction, very much the background on today's canvas.

Stage 42: Vetralla to Sutri. A decaying town and long decayed Etruscans. Part 3.

That descent could mean only one thing: a very steep climb up again, until it levels out and passes through another via cava, eventually reaching another valley floor and a narrow mud track through forest, leading, after about 4km to the archaeological park at Sutri. Beware, however, some parts of this path were distinctly hairy, and in wet weather it is likely to be very muddy.  

Hazards apart, it winds beside a brook and on the last day of April, was lined with swathes of yellow ranunculus.

Just before reaching the park, you get one of the best views of Sutri, the photo at the start of today's post.

The park itself is stuffed with Etruscan tombs, a temple to Mithras-turned-church, 

which you can visit, and a crumbling, picturesque probably pre-Roman amphitheatre.

Pilgrims get a decent discount for entry to these, and it's definitely worth a linger if the weather is good. Sadly it had just started to rain as I was there, so I plodded up to my digs for a much-needed shower and siesta.

Stage 42: Vetralla to Sutri. A decaying town and long decayed Etruscans. Part 2.

This woman and an American living in Málaga were on and off companions for most of the stage until Capranica, as the path wove through hazel plantations, passing the Roman tombs at Torri d'Orlando, 

and eventually hitting what can only be described as the arse end of a not very prepossessing town…at least until you enter the old town, 

which, although much decayed (the church is closed for renovation), still offered intriguing glimpses down its tiny viccoli, 

and suddenly blossomed as it narrowed at the very end, 

and then descends on switchback steps to the valley floor.  

Stage 42: Vetralla to Sutri. A decaying town and long decayed Etruscans. Part 1.

Bus Cotral's app scored another victory this morning, getting me up early to catch what it informed me was the only (but turned out to be non-existent) bus of the day to Vetralla at 7am. Turns out there are plenty of buses in fact, and they start at 08.25 on a Sunday.  

Undaunted, I picked up the Via at Cura di Vetralla, for once not steeply uphill, to start the day through mature woods, 

well-stocked with several species of flying insect, barely repelled by my liberally applied jungle-strength deterrent. The woods were also full of birdsong, and light freckled through the fresh spring green of the canopy. 

At Casale delle Capannacce, the path has been diverted from how the official app shows it, but is very well signed. Here I met a Dutch woman who insisted on checking the diversion for herself, finding a locked gate across the original path. A clear case of : "Geroff moi land!"

Stage 41: Viterbo to Vetralla. In which my attempt to avoid a schlepp turns into one. Part 3

Then a steep climb up through olive groves, before a rest stop (no water) and on, through woods, 

past houses surrounded by olive orchards, past hazelnut plantations (increasingly common in this area) 

to a water fountain shortly before a self service stamp at Barbara's gate.  

Then more steep up and down at forced march pace to the Via Cassia in Vetralla, to catch the last direct bus to Sutri of the day. Tabnet wouldn't let me buy a ticket online, but luckily, Kate and Rob had left me a handful of paper bus tickets, which saved the day.

A challenging day for me at the start, I nearly threw in the towel, but a pep-talk from home saw me through, and it turned out to be a lovely walk, although still 20k in the end, with no schlepp avoidance.

Stage 41: Viterbo to Vetralla. In which my attempt to avoid a schlepp turns into one. Part 2.

The Signorino variant starts in Piazza del Plebiscito, just a little uphill from a Via infopoint and self-service stamp opposite the brutalist Poste.

Once gained though, it follows an Etruscan Via Cava, carved through rock, and then runs along rural asphalt before accompanying the Autostrada 675, where 6 tractors were being loaded with freshly harvested cauliflowers.  

Stage 41: Viterbo to Vetralla. In which my attempt to avoid a schlepp turns into one. Part 1.

Hoping to steal a march on the day, I queued with sleepy teens at a freezing bus stop at 7am for the Viterbo bus, and rode a bus full of completely silent youngsters.

I got off early at the Porta Romana (just inside which is a great cafè for croissants) pleased to have skipped a schlepp across the city, and set off on the clearly signed path. As I gained height on the long hill, I noticed this sign 

warning of damage to the path and directing me to the Signorino variant of the Via which does not appear on the official app, nor is mentioned anywhere on the official site. By the time I located it in an obscure part of my Via Francigena "app-aratus", I'd walked 3 km in the wrong direction, and had to circle round the southern suburbs to find the other variant, which is much shorter (16km vs 20km). The air was pretty blue, despite the growing heat of the sun, as I roundly cursed all apps

Transfer day: Montefiascone to Sutri

Waving good bye to Rob and Kate (it has been great having their company, and they certainly picked some beautiful stages for their first Via experience), I trotted up to the tourist office for a stamp, before catching a bus to Viterbo, becoming thoroughly confused in the bus station while trying to match my blue dot to anything on the ground, and luckily spotting the right bus.  

Arriving in Sutri, my home for the next five nights, before the final stay in Rome, I settled in and wandered around this ancient town, basking in the sun by the old town laundry, 

and enjoying a leisurely lunch in the nearest trattoria.

Stage 40: Montefiascone to Viterbo. Roman road and a mummy. Part 2.

On through the unprepossessing streets of the city to a city gate, and then the search for gelato culminated in a three-flavour sundae at Nono Ugo's place. Then a leisurely stroll around the main streets 

until climbing up to the Church of Santa Rosa, which was fascinating. It features the mummified remains of a thirteenth century teenager, and an exhibition of the extraordinary annual celebrations of her sainthood on 2 September, involving the transport of a 5 ton 

macchina through the streets.

My photos of the day may look romantically blurred as a result of a greasy smudge on the lens…

Stage 40: Montefiascone to Viterbo. Roman road and a mummy. Part 1.

We descended to the Roman road below Montefiascone, 

and the path today led through fields and flat terrain towards the large city of Viterbo.

As we entered the outskirts we came across the large necropolis (clean toilets on offer by the main gate), and took shelter from a shower. We were reminded of La Recoleta in Buenos Aires, lending a certain circularity to things, given that my first ever blog Wrinkliesontheroad covered visits to several of those in South America.

Stage 39: Bolsena to Montefiascone: 100km remain. Part 2.

More lovely views of the lake, before catching sight of Montefiascone. 

On the outskirts is a significant church, marking exactly 100km remaining on the Via to St Peter's in Rome.  900km down.  It felt a little emotional.

And so, ignoring an unnecessary arc as the Via approaches the town, we gained the city gate.