We enjoyed lovely paths to Rifugio Pacini - 18 km and 6 and a quarter hours of pure delight. Unmolested by trial bikers and only mildly scarified by wild boar.
Views are becoming a little hazier due to the continuing warm weather, so the snow-capped peaks to the WNW don't really look much closer, as we march towards them!
It was perfect walking weather again - sunny, calm, 20-25C, no insects, with good views through the unfurling tree canopy.
Snow still adorns some northern slopes above 1000 metres, and today we found ourselves striding across several snow patches in the sun.
We had two maps* (all that I could find in the UK, and not the ones recommended by Gillian) for this trip, one of which started 5 km into the walk on Day 1, and the second of which we fell off the western edge about 5 km before we reached Montepiano yesterday. Perhaps that's why we made a minor, inconsequential, error at the end of yesterday's walk. So today we had no map, but luckily the signposting (until the end of the day) was good so all that we lacked was the 'peripheral vision' that a map would have provided.
To cut the c**p, anyone planning to stay here should, on reaching Cantagallo, telephone Erica on 00390574956244 and ask to be collected. We walked, and succumbed to a badly positioned signpost that led to us covering an unnecessary 3 km, bringing our total for the day to 29 km in 9 hours 30 minutes. The celebratory beer was indeed most welcome.
Later: fantastic hospitality here, from lovely people. Not unexpectedly, we are the only guests.
Alan R - I think it must have been a 3HP Massey Harris Mower, as there were three cow tags hanging off the front! (Sorry, I should have mentioned them!)
Jules - 2014 - go for it - feel free to borrow our maps and to consult further.
Today's photos:
Top - the lake at Montepiano
Middle - Sue takes a swig from Fonte del Canapale (cup on a chain provided)
Bottom - a view WNW from the Apennine crest.
*Our maps - Kompass 1:50000 numbers 2459 and 2453 were adequate for sections 1 to 11 of the GEA.
[Apologies if today's. Entry seems. A bit. Disjointed - keyboard. Problems. First job when home is toreplace phone.]
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
5 comments:
It does look like you had a stunning days walk there. 3 cow tags. No bull!
"First job when home is toreplace phone."
I'm sure you've said that at the end of every trip for the best part of a year!
You are absolutely right Gayle, but with a lot of trips coming up I really mean it this time!
Good to hear from you btw...
Have enjoyed reading your posts on the GEA . We are now in Sansepolcro ready to start the walk tomorrow hope we enjoy it as much as you seemed too :-)
Sorry not to have responded to this, Sally, it got caught up in a black hole whilst we were in the Pyrenees. I've now enjoyed reading about your own Apennine trip.
Martin
And Gayle - as you now know, I did replace the phone this time.
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