I had a good nights sleep overlooking the castle in Colle di Val d’Elsa. Breakfast was at 8, but I hadn’t set an alarm and slept until 7.45, so before I’d washed and dressed it was later than expected. I was further delayed by a pleasant chat with an American mother and daughter and an English couple who were in Italy to follow his dad’s tracks after parachuting behind the lines in Italy during WW2.
It was going to be a 31km day, so 9.30 am was a late start. It was cloudy, and rain was forecast from early afternoon. I walked through the old town of Colle di Val d*Else, along the narrow streets and visited the church, where the clock showed 10.30. It was fairly quiet. The town has an upper and lower part of town, and I was in the upper part. There is an elevator between the two parts, but unfortunately it wasn’t working and I had to take the steep path down.
The official path follows a river out of town, but given that I was already late leaving, I took the main road, which is slightly shorter. After crossing the river at the edge of town, it was largely back roads and a single gravel path, along which cars drove and created lots of dust!
The weather was pleasant, partly sunny and partly cloudy and the views again beautiful. Just after Strove, I met a large group of Australian walkers who had stopped for a break. Twenty or so walked, and one had volunteered to drive water and food along the route. We had a chat for a few minutes and I took a group photo (of most of them) before I moved on.
I passed the pretty village of Abbadia a Isola, before following a dirt path, with quite a few cyclists, towards Monteriggioni, yet another hill top village. Whilst I could see the village from afar, I didn’t feel I was getting any closer as I trampled along the path. Finally with a steep last climb into the village, I passed through the town gate into a beautifully preserved medieval village.
Monteriggioni is one of the oldest and most recognisable villages in all of Italy. Inhabited since the eighth century BC. The current village was built between 1213 and 1219 for defensive purposes, and has remained incredibly intact as if time has never passed. The village dominates the surrounding territory from the top of a hill overlooking the Via Cassia, a strategic path from Rome.
I got a stamp at the tourist office and sat down with an ice cream. It was already lunch time, and I noticed a large group of Danes at one table, in matching corporate cycle kit – most probably the management team on a bonding outing or with customers.
I didn’t hang around for long as I still had a fair bit to walk to get to Siena and dark clouds were hovering overhead.
I just managed to get a picture whilst climbing the hill opposite the village before the rain started. The path was wide and flat, so cape on, umbrella out and I marched onwards. The rain had started to fall heavier and heavier just as I had turn onto a much smaller and more uneven path up a hill. I stopped in the shelter of a tree and considered my options. The path I had just started was for walkers, whilst cyclists were being sent a different way and eventually along a main road. The small path was quickly turning into a small stream, so I decided to follow the cycle route.
It continued to rain as I walked along the wider (cyclist) path and hit the road. I know Italien drivers have, over time, had a bad reputation, but I must admit I am impressed. They slow down and give a wide berth when passing, and drive even slower past me when it’s raining. I had few kilometers along a moderately busy road before I finally reached a bus shelter where I could rest and eat my egg of the day, with a couple of slices of now relatively dry bread.
The rain quietened whilst sitting in the bus shelter and eventually stopped. I still had 8km to Siena, and it was past 4pm already. I was pretty much already on the outskirts of Siena, and the rest of the walk was road walking. I passed through an urban area, before a steep decent under the motorway and equally steep incline on the other side, I finally reached the town sign.
It started to rain again as I passed the town gates, the fist into a newer part of town, the second into the smaller streets of the older medieval city, famous for its square in which parades and horse racing take place. The Il Campo square is truly spectacular.
I reached the B&B where I was staying, 5 minutes from the square. Tomorrow was going to be a shorter walking day, so the plan is to have time for sightseeing before starting out.
The B&B is just above the market square, a covered square where a market is held. Somebody had taken their drum (the one used in the various processions here) and was practicing under the roof of the market. He carried on for at least 45 mins, and could be heard in the whole area.
The owner of the B&B also ran a restaurant in the market square, so still tired after a shower, I decided to eat there and take advantage of the 15% discount. Soup, a chianti stew and cheesecake for desert was fine, but not of the standard from some of the smaller towns where I have eaten in the past few days. I chatted with two French couples at the next table, helping them order as they didn’t speak English or Italian.
I felt a little unwell as I made my way back to the B&B, thinking that a good nights sleep would surely help.