Wrinkli's back on the Via! (or will be in May).

Well, who'd a thunk it? I didn't anticipate that another year would elapse before I could plan the next stage of the journey. Still, plans are well in hand now for a 3 May 2022 departure date, and a 451km, 23 stage walk before returning in early June (assuming everything stays as it is now). I'll be picking up where I left off in Ivrea, and finishing in Lucca, in northern Tuscany. Sadly, still no Bro, as he is otherwise engaged with various projects and is a grandad now, poor old chap. I'm training hard, and have thoroughly worn out one pair of boots since January 2020, having kept moving and notched up a respectable 2,500km in them. I'm thrilled to be doing the next part at last, and hope to make it to Rome in September 2022.

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.