12thJuly 2017

12th July 2017

Ponte d'Arbia to San Quirico d'Orcia- 27kms

Last night we had a great meal prepared by our Belgian friends, Carole, Etienne, and their teenage children Mael and Morgan. Today the two teenagers were going back home to attend a scout summer camp. 

This morning we left at 4:45am and headed for Buonconvento, where we hoped to have our breakfast. It was quite dark when we set off so we had our lights on but even then it was difficult to see the route signs! I'm glad to say that for once we did not get lost!

After Buonconvento we carried on to Torrenieri some 12 kms further on. By 10:30 the sun was beating down on us as we travelled along ridges over the Tuscan hills, up and down like a rollercoaster. If it sounds like fun it wasn't as the heat makes climbing those hills a little bit trying! On very hilltop we found either a farmhouse or a castle or a vineyard, many of which will sell you wine and or cheese. We had neither and simply carried on trying to get to our destination as quickly as possible. As we stopped to rest underneath some trees our New Zealand friends John and Patricia caught up with us and were soon way ahead of us. We came across them again in Torrenieri in a bar having a rest. As we were chatting to them an Asian lady came up and asked if we were walking to Rome. She was carrying a small ruscksack and seemed out of breath so we all assumed she was doing the Via Francígena like us. No she had just got off the bus and had walked about 100 meters to the bar. She could not comprehend that we had walked all the way from Canterbury! After a good long rest we carried to San Quirico d'Orcia where we arrived just over eight hours after we set off this morning! It has been a very tiring day, mainly because of the intense heat, but it has been very enjoyable. We do not tire of the beauty of these Tuscan hills - we just wish there was a lot more shade everywhere!

The next stage should take us to Radicofani but it is over 30kms and we don't think we can make it in this heat. We are therefore going to split this stage into two shorter hops, the first to Gallina and then a very, very long and steep climb to Radicofani the day after! 

Some of my equipment is beginning to disintegrate and I have now had to withdraw a pair of socks. My miniature electric shaver has also given up the ghost so I may have to grow a beard for the next few days until I can find a small can of shaving soap as I definitely do not want to carry the extra weight of a large one!