Tag: European long distance walks
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The Cotswold Way-A New Day Dawns
Day 7 We began our day feeling pretty good about it. Reg’s itinerary had us walking just 10 miles with an easy 450’ of ascent. “Piece of cake,” we thought. We passed by St Mary the Virgin, one of the oldest churches in the area. According to Wikipedia, it is thought that most of what…
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The Cotswold Way-A Couple Of Wimps
Day 6 It was an ongoing 24-hour debate between us; Should we walk or not? How hard would it rain? How windy would it get? How wet would we be by the time we reached Wotton-Under-Edge?Having walked in miserable weather several times in the past, the memories were clear, so in the end we wimped…
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The Cotswold Way-Doesn’t Miss A Hilltop
Day 4 After a torrential morning downpour during our breakfast time, the sun reappeared (yay!) when we headed out on the trail. By the end of the day we had climbed up to the top of three different nature parks, all with impressive distant views. All very pretty but what happened to the charming villages…
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The Cotswold Way-Chipping Campden
Two trains and a bus transported us across England, from York to Chipping Campden, where we will spend two nights before we set foot along the 102-mile Cotswold Way.This quintessential English Village was known as a wool trading center in the Middle Ages. Today, there is an active arts and crafts community as well as…
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Via Francigena Interesting But Terrifying
Day 18 We’re off to Vitralia, another hilltop town just 11 miles away. But first, we were directed to the Strada Signorino where a narrow lane led us between cliff-like walls of an ancient Etruscan-era roadway.It’s thought that the Etruscan Vie Cava (or excavated roadway) was built over 2500 years ago. I thought the cliffs…
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Via Francigena Those Bloomin’ Flowers
Day 17 Once again our day began with a hike uphill. There really wasn’t reason to complain though. Our day was another short one. Just 11 miles with only 800 feet of climbing. After a quick stop at the corner bar for sandwiches, we climbed as high as we could go in Montefiascone before plunging…
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Via Francigena Where’s My Luggage?
Day 15 The next section ahead of us would lead to the lakeside town of Bolsena. We had no idea how much charm would ooze from every ancient wall and cobbled street. Had we been more on-the-ball, we would have traded our rest day in Aquapendente for a second night in Bolsena. We stopped for…
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Via Francigena Decisions, Decisions
Day 13 When we left Radicofani for Aquapendente this morning, we knew we had a decision to make. Our guidebook suggested splitting the walk with a bus ride once we reached Centeno, thus avoiding a dangerous, hot 4-mile walk along a busy 2-lane highway. Our dilemma…we had no bus ticket, had no way to get…
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Via Francigena Creates Unexpected Friendships
Day 10 Another pretty day greeted us on Day 10. We were headed to Torrenieri, 12 miles away with 1,640 feet of ascent. Our trail followed the contours of the hills as it passed by vinyards and agriturismos. Finding a picnic table or a bench when lunchtime rolls around isn’t usually easy, so we try…
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