Day 46 From Sutri to Campagno-di-Roma 24.6 km

Friday 25th October  day 46

We're up before 7 am, our boots are damp... despite being stuffed with most of a roll of paper towel. At least they're not soggy! We're at the bar for our Caffé and pastry by 7:30.

No rain this morning and the sun is out as we leave the town centre - fantastico!

morning cleaning, I love the brooms made out of twigs, they're used everywhere.

The path leads from Sutri past the ancient archeological sites! 

Etruscan Tombs - pre Roman

an amazing early Roman amphitheatre carved out of the tuffa rock (light volcanic rock)

Amazing! so ancient, and unlike other Roman amphitheaters, not made with blocks of stone - this was carved out of the existing rock

more etruscan tombs

then we walk through olive groves and hazelnut groves

we arrive at the village of Monterosi at 11 am, just perfect timing for another Caffé and hot panini with spicey salumi and fromaggio. Spicey chilli options on the menu have appeared over the last couple of days 

We get some lunch snacks from the busy bakery - 

It's strange, even though yesterday was a harder walk, and longer... it didn't feel as difficult as the walk today. I definitely felt nourished and energized by the welcome and companionship we received at Viterbo, whereas I felt none of those things from the rather aloof and detached Carmelite accommodation experience.

It hard slog this afternoon body complaining, alternating between discomfort and low level pain. My right foot bones really painful again, and a sore hip and back... I really need to go to the chiropractor! I almost felt like having a little cry, but then thought... what's the point? just toughen up, and keep going one step at a time princess.

there's a motorbike race track somewhere to the right, hearing the loud incessant noise of the racing bikes is incredibly annoying, like hearing a mosquito buzzing around your head when trying to go to sleep.

Finally we can see Campagnano Di Roma!

We arrive 3:30 pm at Campagnano medieval quarter 

we walk along the main via - graffiti... I guess some things are everywhere!

There seems to be more rubbish and dirt the closer we get to Rome.

great texture in some old doors

Many old medieval features have been plastered over, some sections remain

I love the colors and texture of this building and the shutters

We find our  accommodation, decided to treat ourselves to a B&B tonight! the "Righetto" on the Main Street in the old quarter 

Ahhh... savor the moment when we walk into our room, take off packs knowing we don't need to put them on again for 14 hours! enjoy a big comfy bed, bathroom with white fluffy towels, soap, shampoo,and conditioner, and... a hair dryer! All in a lovely old building.

a self serve Lavanderia down the road.. pilgrim paradise!

Pizza and a beer for dinner

tucked up in bed by 9pm. Only two more days of walking and we arrive at St Peter's Square!

Our accommodation tonight; 

Hotel Ristorante da "Righetto" Campagnano Di Roma

Corso Vittorio Emanuele,70

PH: 06 9041036

80€ for two bed and breakfast

in the Main Street of the old quarter of Campagnano Di Roma- good location, good rooms and ensuite bathroom

Oratorio ST JOHN THE BAPTIST - CAMPAGNANO

Address: Via Dante Alighieri, 7 - Camps
Phone: 06 9041094 - 333 9381576
Email: donrenzotanturli@virgilio.it
Type: Religious Structure
Open all year
Price: Offer.
Number of places: 20. No beds, only with mattresses on the floor.
Use of kitchen: NO.

Day 45 From Viterbo to Sutri 33.4 km

Thursday 24th October   33km 

We take an alternate route, mapped out by the local Viterbo via Francigena group who hosted us last night. The path goes up to the village of San Martino, around the rim of the volcano and lake, then into Sutri, missing out the towns of Vetralla and Capri....

We walk out of Viterbo nice and early at 7 am

Through the impressive portal out of town.

Clouds fulfill their destiny, and start to deposit a light misty rain, that soon turns into real rain! on with the wet weather gear! It's still a pretty rural walk, even though a bit damp!

San Martino, a lovely looking village, even in the rain.

The Abbey looks worth spending more time investigating, except we need to keep going, its raining and we have 33km to walk... 

We have a Caffé doppio and toilet stop, after peeling off our wet weather gear outside. The bar is crowded with locals avoiding the wet weather, but still socialising!

today turns into "a walk in the clouds part three" As we climb steadily upwards to the rim of the volcano 911 m altitude

It would be a glorious walk in sunny weather!

 We walk through woodlands, Hazelenut groves, chestnut forests.

The rain and fog makes it difficult to see the markers

My gorgeous Teletubbie outfit below!

My feet are squelching in my wet shoes and socks! "water resistant" shoes only cope with a certain quantity of H2O . I love the chestnut forests, I get the feeling that people have lived harmoniously with this environment for thousands of years. harvesting nuts, fungi and timber as needed, and taking care that enough of the trees remain, regenerate and stay healthy.

We arrive finally in Sutri at 4:25 pm and walk through the old town portal, our accommodation is only about 20 m inside the portal.

Arranging our accommodation this afternoon proves to be a very bizarre experience, we buzz the bell of the Carmlite and announce "due Pellegrino", the door clicks and we're let in, there is a timber gadget in the wall in the foyer - we communicate through the timber mesh, we hand over our passports and pilgrim credenzas, the round thing spins around so the nun can get out our documents- 

she's on the other side, in another room, we can't see her. it's €30 for the both of us, the room is a couple of doors up the street, she gives us a key on the round thingy that she spins around so we can collect the key and our passports.

Out we go into the rain again, walk about 15m use the key to open the door- there's a stairway, it's dark, by the time were at the top, of the stairs the light has gone out... I get my phone and put on the flashlight app, find the light switch - then try and find our room... all the rooms have names on them, I think Saint's names...none say pelligrini... we find the door with the name that matches the key, it has two beds in the room with a message to leave the key in the mail box the next morning. Quite a contrast to our warm friendly welcoming experience yesterday!

After our shower and rest we head to a trattoria in the piazza for dinner, inside there are photos of the Piazza covered in snow! seems hard to believe it can get that cold, when we are walking in shorts and T-shirts in October! the waitress tell us it gets cold in January -February  and snows every couple of years.

a long day of wet walking in the rain!

Our Accommodation tonight;

Monache Carmelitane Di Clausura

Via Garibaldi 1

PH: 0761609082

€15pp

other options

Sutri

Seminario bed and breakfast,  in the middle of the town at 37 piazza del comune.  

 30 Euro pp
Francescane Oasi di pace  Via Delle Viole, 1501015 Sutri +39 0761659175  http://oasidipace.it/ 

MONASTERY OF OUR LADY OF PEACE - VETRALLA

Address: Via del Giardino, 4 - Vetralla
Phone: 0761 481519
Type: Religious Structure
Open all year
Price: 25 €. Breakfast included. 30 euro breakfast and dinner
Number of places: 30
Use of kitchen: NO.