Got to keep on moving

When I decided to book a ten week stay in Italy last autumn, I had exactly two major goals: improve my Italian by speaking and learn as much as I could about the growth and production of Nebbiolo in Piemonte. I had been offered a harvest internship near Asti which I thought was going to be a pretty good way of achieving those goals.  (Anyone would, right?)

But it didn’t work out like I had planned and there was no way I was giving up my goals.  So I high tailed it to the hills of Barolo.  I needed to be surrounded by Nebbiolo.

My new plan was to:

1)      Improve my Italian and learn about the production of Nebbiolo by visiting wineries and attempting to speak and listen to Italian as much as I could and

2)      Learn about Nebbiolo vines and cru vineyards by hiking through as many as possible.

So I set out exploring.

I will tell you that as high tech as I think of myself (I was born in Mountain View, California; silicon runs through my veins.), I don’t use GPS.  I am old fashioned, I love my maps, and enjoy the challenge of navigating.  But the only “hiking” map I had was one I’d acquired some years ago, which is really more of an abstract drawing of one path through some (albeit, key) La Morra vineyards.  It’s called Le vigne del Barolo e il loro sentiero (The vineyards of Barolo and their path).

I needed more.

So, at the Alba tourist office I picked up a guide for hikes in and around all of Piemonte.  However most of them were 70, maybe 80 km treks.  I wasn’t really looking to do overnight stays in random places by myself but it was of some help for my Monforte d’Alba to Serralunga trek below.  Their website could be helpful for planning:  http://www.turismolanghe.it/ Luckily I came across I sette sentieri di La Morra (Seven hikes of La morra), which could have been very unfortunate for me since this particular one is published only in French and German.  But I guess I must have been paying attention in French class because I remember all my French direction words.  So this was a great resource.  For hiking through Barbaresco, I picked up a map at the Enoteca del Barbaresco called Sentieri dell’Unione dei Communi di Collina (Paths of the Union of Hill Communes).  I found it to be helpful.  For the last hike, the Roero one, I was lucky to find some great pocket guides at Luciano Sandrone just the day before I was planning to do a hike there.  They’re published by Ecomuseo delle Rocche del Roero.  Their website is here http://www.ecomuseodellerocche.it/.

Other than the maps above, I kept an eye peeled for the red Sentieri Langa Barolo signs and signs in Barbaresco denoting marked paths.  They’re especially easy to find in and around the Barolo villages.  After finishing the hikes, I figured out which vineyards I’d gone through by using the yellow vineyard maps published by Alessandro Masnaghetti Editore.  Find out about these here: http://www.enogea.it/Enogea/Le_Cartine.html.

A few notes:

1)      The intentions of this blog entry, as it may be quite tedious to read all the way through at once, are to:

  1. inspire you to go and check out some of your favorite cru vineyards in the Langhe when you’re there next,
  2. give you a very basic insight as to what they’re like, and
  3. be a resource and reference for anyone who decides to get out there and work off some of that carne cruda, tajarin alla coniglia, Robiola, and panna cotta.  You know what I’m talking about (and if you don’t, you will once you’re there).

2)      Distances are round trip.  Unless otherwise noted, I did the hike by myself.  Don’t be afraid to do that (unless you’re deathly afraid of dogs).  The names of cru vineyards appear in bold and italics, and the names of producers appear in bold only.  Aside from village and street names, most other uncommon Italian names will be in italics.

3)      All entries are marked by the date and time I did the hike but the descriptions are written as a mix of my experience, and instructions for you if you go.

4)      There is one hike, labeled 17 ottobre, which I did in Valle d’Aosta.

5)      Don’t forget, you can click on any photo in this blog to make it bigger.

– sabato, 18 settembre, 8:07am. –

Santa Maria to La Morra.  ~6km.

I did part of this hike back in April on a very clear day.  It was gorgeous.  This particular morning was cool and humid and I attempted to run it but unless you’re a “sky-runner,” which I’m not, it’ll be fairly annoying (steep).  It’s great for hiking, though.  It’s easy to park just up the road from the village of Santa Maria on the right where a dirt road begins and goes up the hill into the Capalot vineyard.

Along this dirt road, which makes some switch-backs up the hill, you will find a little house which stores an entertaining array of old winery supplies and equipment.  The view of the Langhe hills, namely the villages of Castiglione, Serralunga, Barolo, and Diano, is available to you all the way up.

Following this dirt road, you end up on a paved road.  Turning right will take you to the bottom part of the Roncaglie vineyard.  Here, the path takes you straight up hill through some treacherous chasms right through the vines.  After this steep climb you go left, at which point you’re technically now in the Castagni vineyard, which is equally as steep but it is distinct from Roncaglie because of the appearance of the vines.  Honestly I think Roncaglie looked healthier.  Anyway, the top of this vineyard is bordered by a foresty dirt road, which is pleasantly less-steep than the vineyards below.  Follow this up, past some feisty dogs (this will be a recurring trend) to reach the Gianni Voerzio winery on the northwest side of La Morra.  From here you can retrace your steps back to your car or turn left onto the main road and go just a little ways (5 minutes) into the village of La Morra.

– martedi, 21 settembre, 11:35am. –

Monforte d’Alba to Serralunga.  ~12km.

For this one I was using the aforementioned hiking guide which I’d picked up at the tourist office in Alba.  This guide was confusing as hell and it took me two tries to realize all you have to do to accomplish this route is park someplace in Monforte d’Alba, and go up the road you take to get to Conterno Fantino (via Vittorio Emanuele II and then via Circonvallazione) and you’re on your way.  Taking the road past Conterno Fantino, you then pass a pizzeria which I think had a pool (strangely), then a mausoleum (you could even park here to make the route shorter if you wanted), then the road gets windy and goes steeply downhill through some thick trees, past Elio Grasso, then along the Ginestra and Pajana vineyards (lovely), and past Paolo Conterno.

There are some really great old houses to see when you’re not being accosted loud and obnoxious dogs.

The paved road leads you directly down to a woodsy valley with a creek.  I followed the only tool available to me at this point: my intuition.  And ended up here.

You have to walk directly through this dirt patch and go right, up the hill directly through a vineyard.  (The only way is up so if you’re tired (I was) and it’s hot (it was), you’re screwed.)  You’re now in the steep Collaretto vineyard.  Go up to a cascina/azienda where you find and follow their paved driveway.  Going up this to the main road, which takes you ultimately to the village of Serralunga, you pass the Colombaro and Serra vineyards.  On the main road you will pass Broglio and Rivette, along with Giacomo Anselma and Palladino, producers within the village.  I always seem to end up in Serralunga between noon and 3pm when everything is closed.  I advise you pack a picnic; the view is spectacular.

– giovedi , 23 settembre, 7:27am.  Anche lunedi, 8 novembre, 12:30pm. –

Barolo to Novello.  ~4-6km.

For this route it is convenient to park right in the main parking square of the village of Barolo or on the road just past the main square in the direction toward Monforte d’Alba and Monchiero.  Start up the small road across from the main parking square (I think it was marked by a red Sentieri Langa Barolo sign), which is between the two producers, Cantine Prandi and E. Pira e Figli.  Up the road a few hundred meters, passing Paiagallo briefly on your right, you get onto a dirt road going through the Terlo vineyard.  Follow the red/red & white blazes.  This route is one of the flattest around.  The first time I did it, I ran, but the second time when I took my husband, Jeff, it was extremely muddy.  The mud in these areas is like wet clay and has a tendency to stick like mad and build up.  However the soil of this particular vineyard has a lot more pebbles and rocks than others in which I happened to get stuck (Bricco delle Viole, the southern part of Serradenari, Coste di Vergne, Fossati, and a couple vineyards in Treiso (Barbaresco), Rombone and Pajorè , which I’ll talk about later).  So this one is a good choice for a post-rain hike.  This rocky characteristic is something I have tried to commit to my memory for the next time I might have the opportunity to compare a Terlo Barolo to a Fossati (although I’ve never even heard of Terlo so I’m wondering if there any single vineyard crus out there by anyone…).  Anyway, following the dirt road brings you into part of Ravera and eventually out onto one of the roads that leads up to the village of Novello.

Go right.  (If you go left you can start the Novello to Monforte d’Alba hike below at “#1.”)  The entire way up to the village affords a great view of the vineyards of Novello, Monforte d’Alba and Dogliani.  Half way up the road, pass the beautiful Elvio Cogno estate which is surrounded by the part of Ravera which they own and upon which the grow Nebbiolo for their Barolo and also some Dolcetto and Barbera.  Their Nascetta grows along the road to Merli in the Cerviano vineyard.

Once up in the village, if it’s clear enough, you will see spectacular views of the Alps off to the west and the aforementioned villages to the south east.

– domenica, 26 settembre, 11:17am. –

Novello to Monforte d’Alba.  ~5.5km.

It was a rainy September but the rainy days were interspersed with amazingly crystal clear days when the air was crisp and the sun was shining.  This was one of those so I got out to enjoy it.  I followed the path from Novello to Monforte d’Alba.  To find this route you can

  1. either turn left during the above mentioned hike (Barolo to Novello) on the road that leads to Novello, so that you are heading away from Novello or
  2. start driving from Barolo in the direction to Monforte d’Alba and just about one kilometer out of Barolo you will see a sign for Novello.  Turn right as the sign indicates and you will be on the road that leads to Novello.  Keep your eye out for a red Sentieri Langa Barolo sign on the left.  Park on the right side of the road, technically bordering the south east part of the Ravera vineyard and…

Follow the red Sentieri Langa Barolo sign which leads you down through the Panerole vineyard.  Go down through the vineyard until you reach a flat part of the trail/dirt road along a woodsy area to your right.  There are some great views looking up into the vines.  Follow the red and white blazes.

They’ll lead back up and out of this vineyard where you’ll cross the Barolo – Monforte d’Alba road just near the brown Monforte d’Alba sign.  Cross and go up the hill on the dirt road, passing through some fabulous vineyards, however not cru according to the yellow Masnaghetti map.

You reach the top of the hill as the road winds to the right past a lot of cascine (and barking dogs).  Now you are on the other side, i.e., the Monforte side.  Off to your left is the top of the San Pietro vineyard, a great cru vineyard from which Nicola Argamante of Ruggeri Corsini makes a fine Barolo.  This path dumps you back out onto the main road which leads to the village of Monforte d’Alba.

Turn left and go up into the village if you want – there’s usually something open there, unlike some villages where nothing ever seems to be.  Then follow the route back the same way you came.  The view to the west, on a clear day like this, is fabulous from the part of the path that leads down through the non-cru vineyard back down to the road near the brown Monforte d’Alba sign.

– lunedì, 27 settembre, 2:05pm. –

La Morra to Berri.  ~7km.

Park in the village of La Morra and head up via Fontane, which is in the southern part of the village, past Cappella di San Brigida and Enzo Boglietti.  Make sure you are on via Fontane and not via Roma.  (It might be confusing if you see the other Enzo Boglietti sign on via Roma, but this is not the location of the winery.  The winery is up via Fontane, which heads in the direction of Berri.)  From here the German/French I sette sentieri di La Morra (route #5) tells you to take a left on the road in the direction of Bricco del Dente and Serradenari where you’d turn right at the producer and pass through the Serradenari vineyard.  This is the road that goes along the ridge above La Morra where you can find all the radio and cell towers.  (I talk about it below in the Vergne to La Morra hike.)  But I guess I missed that part and just headed up and to the right on via Fontane, and then down the hill where the road gets very straight, and goes directly to the village of Berri.  In Berri you will see a red and white blaze on the right just before the village leading you down a dirt road.  Take that and go down the hill past lots and lots of hazelnut trees.  The uneven road leads you down to a wooded valley where it’s kind of easy to get turned around but if you wander long enough you’ll find a red Sentieri Langa Barolo sign leading you to cross the creek over a perfectly crafted little bridge.

Following the dirt path will lead you again up the hill back in the direction from which you came, this time passing vineyards which border Brandini cru, but which I believe are mostly Barbera.

Very yummy Barbera, … not that I tried any of course.  Following the path up through the vineyards brings you back on to via Fontane closer to La Morra.  Follow via Fontane back into the village.

– mercoledì, 29 settembre, 10:52am. –

La Morra.  ~12km.

This is the one hike described in Le vigne del Barolo e il loro sentiero, which is, as I mentioned, basically an abstract painting and is not incredibly helpful.  It’s also described in the German/French I sette sentieri di La Morra as route #7.  I did part of this route back in 2008 with Jeff going in the opposite direction.  But I prefer this way, which is clock-wise on the map.  Start out by parking just under Rocche Costamagna on the road which leads from La Morra to Annunziata/Santa Maria (the northeast end of La Morra).  Walk down the road and cross over the switchback into the Rochettevino and then Capalot vineyards.

You follow the same dirt road I mentioned in the Santa Maria to La Morra hike but in the opposite direction, which takes you to Roncaglie.  You can take the road past Roncaglie into Silio, following the road around to the right back to Santa Maria, if you want.  But you can also turn right into Capalot before Roncaglie and take the shorter route to Santa Maria, which I described above in the Santa Maria to La Morra hike.  Once in the village of Santa Maria, walk along the main road that goes down the hill in the direction of Alba past Silvio Alessandria (you’re passing through Bricco Chiesa) and instead of following the main road when it turns sharply to the left, stay straight and follow the driveway towards  Eraldo Viberti.  Follow the drive down and to your left where you come into a valley and you will be looking at the Santa Maria vineyard up on your left and Bricco San Biagio on your right.  This can be a very muddy little valley – it was when I was there, even though the day was clear.  Like I said before, this September was rainy.  There are pretty good Sentieri Langa Barolo signs marking route #7 through this part so follow those up through Bricco San Biagio.  Go left at the top of the vineyard and follow the flat dirt road for a little ways until you turn right to go up through the back side of Annunziata cru, leading up to a road where you’ll find Monfalletto.  On the left side of this producer, going up and over the slope is the Gattera vineyard.  Mauro Veglio produces an amazing Gattera Barolo with peculiar stone fruit aromas and flavors – different from most!  They say theirs is from a young part of this vineyard but most of what is easiest to see seems older.  Follow this small road back into the village of Annunziata by hanging right on the main road.  You’ll see a sign or red/red & white blazes telling you to turn left on the other end of the village to go down into the beloved Rocche dell’Annunziata from which many producers (Renato Corino, Renato Ratti, Roberto Voerzio, Rocche Costamagna, Andrea Oberto, Paolo Scavino, and Mauro Veglio to name the few I’ve written about or will write about) source prized grapes for Rocche Barolo.

At least one producer, whom I did not recognize, was harvesting Nebbiolo in Rocche at the time while I was hiking through.

Going down out of Rocche, hang left to follow around the bottom of Torriglione where Renato Ratti grows his Barbera and Voerzio gets some of his Nebbiolo.

Going past Torriglione, go up the steep vineyard in front of you until you get to a paved road.  It’s confusing here and I can’t remember if there were any signs or blazes… basically you turn right and follow the road a few paces until you turn left into the Brunate vineyard which is labeled.  Now you just wander down and around through some of my favorite La Morra vineyards: Brunate, Cerequio, Casa Nere, La Serra, and Fossati, eventually finding the long dirt road which leads you up through Boiolo and back into the southern part of La Morra.

Walk through the village to get back to your car.  Or better yet, stop at More e Macine osteria and wine bar or Vineria San Giorgio Enoteca for the glass of wine which you deserve.

– venerdì, 1 ottobre,  12:46pm.  Anche domenica, 3 ottobre 8:00am, e lunedì, 4 ottobre, 4:47pm. –

Vergne to La Morra.  ~6-7km.

Just before entering the township of Vergne, if you’re driving from La Morra or Barolo, there’s a red Sentieri Langa Barolo sign on your right, just past the roundabout.  Since Le Viole (the agriturismo where I “always stay”) is right there, I could easily walk out the door of my room and start on this trek.  If you are not staying at Le Viole (well, you should be!) but you could park somewhere in the village of Vergne, which is where you’ll find Vajra, and walk a little ways up the road to the trailhead.  On the Friday when I first did this route it was partly cloudy and mild and I was curious to check out Bricco delle Viole where I’d learned from my visit at Vajra (which I’ll write about eventually), that that is where they grow their 35 year old Freisa and also Nebbiolo for some of their Barolo.

I headed up the hill through Bricco delle Viole where the Freisa and Nebbiolo were indeed lovely and I spotted a very new plot of young vines near the top of the hill which got me so side-tracked I missed the red and white blaze that was trying to tell me to turn right.  I will point out here as well, that the mud in this vineyard was thick and sticky.  It caked onto my shoes like it was nobody’s business.  In comparison to Terlo, this vineyard is a huge pain after it’s been raining.  So after checking out the baby vines, and prying the mud off my shoes, I continued up past Coste di Vergne to find the paved road on the ridge, which I spoke about above in my La Morra to Berri route.  If you continue on this road you pass Serradenari (on your left behind the houses) and all the radio and cell towers (on your right) on the ridge above La Morra (also a bunch of barking dogs: surprise surprise!) and you come out onto via Fontane.

The second time I did this I attempted to run it.  I found the red and white blaze this time and turned right before the baby vineyard but it was impossible to run because the route was a series of tractor roads that went straight up and straight down.

It would be a nice walk, however, and it starts out through the upper part of Fossati.  The dirt roads dump you out onto the main road that leads (from Vergne) to La Morra (maybe I missed a sign somewhere again?) so on this particular occasion, seeking a genuine run, I headed towards La Morra and then turned left on via Fontane and returned on the ridge road back to Le Viole.

On Monday, October 4, I was looking to work off some food and wine, i.e., a six hour lunch at Giancarlo Boasso before dinner at Osteria Vignaiolo.  Even though the fog was thick and it was rainy and dark, I set out, up the hill (the mud was highly annoying but I dealt with it) and took the ridge road (paved=no mud) into La Morra and took the main road back.  It did the trick and was I hungry (and thristy!) for an amazing meal at Osteria Vignaiolo.

All ways are entertaining depending on your needs, personality, mood and the weather.

– mercoledì, 6 ottobre, 11:18am. –

Barbaresco & Neive.  ~7km+.


It was a spectacular sunny day and I was extremely hopeful Barbarseco would be less sticky than Bricco delle Viole.  I set out with new friend Sara from Switzerland and we parked near Solo Nebbiolo wine bar in the Barbaresco village and headed up strada Giro della Valle in the direction of Albino Rocca.  Using the map called Sentieri dell’Unione dei Communi di Collina, I was attempting to follow the red route called il Sentiero del Barbareco (the Barbaresco path).  But the mud was just as bad as Bricco delle Viole so we took a more paved route, which I’ll explain here.  I’m sure the other is spectacular when the ground is dryer!  After passing Albina Rocca, descend into Ronchi, going down into a valley, at which point you will need to come back up and out of the valley through Cottà, Currà, or Gaia Principe where there is a dirt road and less mud.  Reach one of the main roads just above Borgata Currà. Follow that road towards Neive Alta.  San Cristoforo will be along the road to your right.  After a few minutes of walking, make the U-turn on the left onto a dirt road.

You’ll be passing Fausoni and be heading back into Gaia Principe towards Prinsi and Gaia Principe.  Go right after Cascina Principe and then turn left along the railroad.  Follow that for a few minutes until you take an obvious U-turn to the right onto a dirt road.  Follow that for about the same distance as you did the railroad and make a 90 degree left on another dirt road which will take you steeply up in the direction of the Barbaresco village.  You’ll be ascending the Montestefano cru vineyard and will pass Serafino Rivella.  Cross over strada Giro del Mondo (strada Ovello), passing by Ovello, down via Cavazza and back into the village.

– domenica, 17 ottobre, 1:07pm. –

above the Sarre village in Valle d’Aosta.  ~10-12km.  Final elevation: 2,312m (7,585 ft)

I took a break from Piemonte to explore the south of France and Valle d’Aosta.  I won’t review my French hikes since they don’t relate to Italy and this blog is only about Italy and Italian things but the hike I took in Aosta was amazing.  I had crap for maps but luckily made a good friend at Feudo San Maurizio, the wine maker, Michel.  He explained to me where to go, just above his village, the village of Sarre.  So with the following instructions, “Ville sur Sarre 6km (Hotel des Salasses) -> Thouraz 6km Thouraz’s Ranch,” I was on my way!  At Thouraz’s Ranch, I found a series of signs notating some routes, the average time, and the final elevation.  So I parked and followed the sign for Becca France.  It was a cold one – the forecast said it would snow but luckily for me, it never did.

I followed the dirt road winding up and into the mountains, passing horses, old mountain people with cow-herding dogs (mostly more well-mannered than Piemonte dogs) in old pick-up trucks, and lots and lots of happy cows, ranging on wild grasses.

The road wound around and around,

and after about an hour and a half, I spotted a smaller trail that went straight up to the top of a ridge.  It said it was a 45 minute round trip so I took it and came up to this.

I felt like I was just about to reach heaven.  I stayed there as long as I could stand the cold wind, and then retraced my path back as fast as I could to keep warm.  I made it back to my car just before it got dark.  Amazing route!  So grateful for a local’s advice!

– mercoledì, 20 ottobre, 12:15pm. –

Barbaresco.  8km.

Starting from Cantina del Pino, turn left and descend strada Ovello north/northeast in the direction away from Barbaresco.  Ovello is both on your right and left as you descend.  At the intersection of the main road which winds back up the hill (and parallels the part of the paved road you were just on), just go straight onto the dirt road and continue into a woodsy area down the hill.  On the Sentieri dell’Unione dei Communi di Collina map this is a combination of the hot pink, purple, and red routes, starting with the hot pink.  Cross the main road and go left towards Cascina Piana (now you’re following the purple route) and turn right just past the house.  Follow the straight road and hang left at the fork.  Take the first right and head up another road, which is also straight, passing Starderi (on your left) all the way up.

The road will begin to wind a bit and ascend until you come to a four way intersection at which point you make a sharp right (U-turn basically) and ascend the paved road.  It’s worth stopping in any of the vineyards you see.

You’re now passing through Bordini.  Hang left at the next two options: first just after Fontanabianca, passing Balluri and the second at Cantina del Bricchetto, where Albesani will be on your right.  My favorite Albesani Barbaresco is from Cantina del Pino.

At the next four-way intersection, turn right (you’re now following the red route).  All the way down the hill you will be in Gallina and you’ll pass Giuseppe Negro.  At the bottom of the hill cross the main road onto a dirt road, and after a few paces, turn right on the dirt road.  Follow this dirt road/path until you meet back to the dirt road upon which you descended down from strada Ovello.  Follow this path back up the hill, retracing your steps.

– giovedì, 28 ottobre, 10:40am. –

Treiso.  5-6km.

This route partially follows the hot pink route coming out of Treiso in the Sentieri dell’Unione dei Communi di Collina map.  Park in Treiso, on the west side of the village above the school yard.  Continue west up a dirt road, which will meander up through Bricco di Treiso and slowly down through Ausario as you head northwest.

At the bottom of the hill you will be among the vines of Rombone, and you’ll pass Nada Fiorenzo, a fabulous producer of Rombone Barbaresco.  (I’d recommend all the ones I’ve tried: 1999, 2005, and 2006.)  However, I’m not a fan of Ada Nada, who you’ll pass here too.

Turn right on the dirt path past the two producers, past another house and follow the path turning right.  Here you’ll pass hazelnut trees and you’ll need to find a good place to cross the muddy creek.

Once I got across, I scoped out the colorful hills of the Pajorè and Marcarini vineyards to find the shortest route back up the paved road.

(I was again trying to escape the mud.)  The shortest was the steepest and I quickly made my way up to the main road.  Taking this, you pass through the Giacosa cru.  Keep right to come back to Treiso.

– mercoledì, 10 novembre, 1:00pm. –

Il Sentiero della Masca Micilina (The path of the Micilina witch) in the Rocche of Roero.  ~4-6km+.

I REALLY wanted to check out the rocche, the steep sandy cliffs, in Roero.

Sara Palma at Matteo Correggia had told me about the hiking trails when I visited the winery in October but I needed a map and I wanted someone to go with.  I finally found an appropriate guide (incidentally at Sandrone on November 9) and since Jeff was with me, this trek finally came together on the last day of my 10 week stay.

This is the “yellow route” and sort-of clearly signed.  Park anywhere you can find a spot in the center of the village of Pocapaglia.  Pass Chiesa Sant’Agostino, heading west.  Go down the hill on the road and veer right.  Just up on your left is supposedly the site of the house of the Masca di Micilina but we didn’t see much but a sign.  Just past the sign is a house but someone lives there and they have a lot of barking dogs.  Go back to the road and follow it up, stopping to read the signs about Micilina if you’re into that.  On the left at this sign,

you can take a diversion down into an overgrown valley below lots of rocche.  It’s entertaining – we followed it for a while but headed back up to find our planned route.  Here along the road you have a great view of rocche and the village of Pocapaglia.  Farther up the road, the guide indicated to go right up a dirt road, past hundreds of bee boxes but we opted not to since we’re both allergic to bees.  Instead we continued up the road, trying to find an alternative.  We turned right after a little way into a park and found some signs indicating routes of different colors.  Since they seemed to be heading in the right direction, we followed them.  The trail led us down into a very bushy and overgrown valley.  We navigated through this for what seemed like forever

…until we eventually reached a wide trail, which we followed for another 20-30 minutes until we finally came upon the yellow signs again.  Once you reach this point, however you do it, follow the yellow signs, leading you to turn right after the Chiesetta di San Giacomo.  Ascend the steep smaller paved road on the right back up to the village.

“…Ain’t nothing gonna break my stride
Nobody’s gonna slow me down
Oh no, I’ve got to keep on moving
Ain’t nothing gonna break my stride
I’m running and I won’t touch ground
Oh no, I’ve got to keep on moving…”   -Men at Work

Buon viaggio!

7 thoughts on “Got to keep on moving

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