Day 43 From Bolsena to Montefiascone 17.3 km

Tuesday  22nd October  day 43 should be only 17.3 km, but we get lost a couple of times, adding another couple of kilometers to our walk
At the end of the day Only 100 km to walk until we reach St Peter's Square in Rome!

A day walking uphill, overlooking the lake as we leave Bolsena. Montefiascone sits up above the Shores of Lake Bolsena.

farewell the lovely Convento 

we walk past the closed door of the wine cave, grape pressings piled outside, and the intoxicating heady smell of fermenting grapes permeating the air

Morning Caffé doppio made by the friendly Barista at the bar in the main Bolsena piazza

By the time we leave Bolsena, after our morning Caffé doppio and buying supplies for picnic lunch, it's about 8:45 am, bit of a late start today.

Its a lovely rural scenic walk again today. I've never seen such unusual looking little pigs! 

a lovely old spring channelling water into a fountain and communal washing pond

and another abandoned house just around the corner from the spring! Yes, it's calling to me .... no "vendesi" sign though. (it's a pleasant daydream of mine to buy an old stone house somewhere along the Via Francigena)

We get lost at least twice! adding a few KMs to our walk, 

not through lack of signage today, 

but from us not paying attention, being too distracted by eating our apples, or admiring the scenery!

I forgot to mention that Patrick's hat has undergone some repairs! he washed it a little bit too vigorously a week or so ago, and it tore along the top! He's used his handy roll of gaffer tape to stick it together!

I have to share more photos of the cutest lambs!

I love the texture and shapes of the gnarled roots and moss of the old olive trees

we walk along a lovely  series of man made little weirs and cascades that provided irrigation and water supply for Bolsena in years gone by

Pilgrim Signs with "Roma" appear for the first time along the walk today.

Having a cool drink from a spring with my handy cup! It looks as though this old building was a water mill, there're large round mill stones near the building and creek. It's a lovely spot.

We spent some time walking through more olive groves, and sections of beautiful, quite well preserved Roman roads!

There's an amazing sense of history, timelessness and .... not sure of the word I want here... to be walking along roads that were built with such effort thousands of years ago, and walked along by hundreds of thousands of people before us... and will probably be walked on by thousands of more feet in the years to come 

We get lost again... and find ourselves at a dead end- and a donkey on the farmhouse roof!

After we find our way again, further along the road we walk past this exciting sign!

Arrived at Montefiascone at 3:40 pm

We find our accommodation 

 buzzed the door of the San Pietro convent and get stamped and organised by the lovely Sister Marie Claire - When she came to meet us I thought I had been transported into the movie "Sister Act" she looks so much like the gorgeous Woopie Goldberg! (there were even music lessons happening in the convent somewhere in the background) 

Montefiascone is the first town that I haven't ventured out after a shower and rest to explore the town! My right foot and ankle are too sore, and I think I really need to rest them.50€ for bed breakfast and dinner! Warm welcome all included!

view from our Pilgrim room out into the Convento orto.

sunrise

breakfast

opening the doors ready to head off!

Our accommodation tonight:
MONASTERY OF SAN PIETRO - MONTEFIASCONE

Address: Via Garibaldi, 31 - Montefiascone
Phone: 0761 826066
Email: benedettineap.mf@gmail.com
Type: Religious Structure
Open all year
Price: Offer - 25 euro each for bed, dinner and breakfast.
Number of places: 30
Use of kitchen: NO. Breakfast and dinner on request.

WELCOME SUNBEAM - MONTEFIASCONE
Address: Via San Francesco, 3 - Montefiascone
Phone: 347 5900953
Email: edybertolo@libero.it
Type: Religious Structure
Independent: Edy Bertolo
Open all year
Price: 10 €
Number of seats: 140
Use of kitchen: NO.
 
CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY 'FILIPINO SAINT LUCIA - MONTEFIASCONE

Address: Via Santa Maria in Arce, 11 - Montefiascone
Phone: 0761 826088
Type: Religious Structure
Open from April to October
Price: Offer
Number of places: 26
Use of kitchen: NO.