Stage 2 Via Degli Dei: Sasso Marconi to Madonna di Fornelli

Patchwork countryside Day 2

 

After the best sleep in years we woke refreshed and excited about the next stage and after a most delicious breakfast of savoury pancake, coffee, apple cake and toast set off with a packed lunch of breakfast fare, cheese and fruit. As the BNB is right on the route of the via degli Dei it was a matter only of walking out the gate before entering a chestnut forest where sunlight filtered magically and the only sound, the plop of ripe chestnuts falling. What a perfect autumn morning it was; cool but sunny, leaves turning red and yellow and amazing views in all directions after emerging from the forest.

 

Misty morning Day 2

 

 In the forest

 

Our map and app provided two options, a longer trek to the summit of Monte Adone or the other, a quicker route avoiding the summit. We took the latter in view of the length of the day (27k), which we later regretted in view of the spectacular scenery missed. Nevertheless we experienced wonderful vistas and views of the peak itself, passed a small lavender plantation in the middle of nowhere and stopped for a cappuccino and cornetto break in the tiny village of Brento.

 

Lavender plantation

 

View of Monte Adone

 

Autumn colours

As mentioned previously, the trail is exceptionally well marked and one would have to try very hard to get lost while the app provides additional interesting information about the area through which one walks. Soon after Brento the trail follows an ancient Roman military road and largely remains on it until near the end at Fiesole and then Florence. How wonderful to actually walk on these massive flagstones the foundation of a road that remains after nearly 2000 years and what a testament to the engineering genius of the Romans!

 

 

Roman road

At this point we met a group of male hikers approaching from the opposite direction and soon after a dog appeared which we thought may have belonged to them. Instead it followed us with hackles raised and threatening and just as the track took us out onto a local road it rushed at us with teeth bared. Fortunately our raised hiking poles deterred it but the thought of rabies crossed my mind faced with its frothing mouth. No harm done but it was a warning about taking seriously the dangers of interacting with stray animals.

 

The following section of approximately 8 kilometres on and off the road until the town of Montezuno was hard on our feet and we looked forward to finding a restaurant or bar for lunch where we could eat outside and take off our shoes and socks. Andrew met us in the town and even though there were a range of little bars and cafes, none opened for meals until 12.30- it was then 12. Instead we bought ham, cheese, olives and dry biscuits at a little grocery- no fresh bread to be had anywhere and took our impromptu picnic onto the verandah of a restaurant with fabulous views and where we justified our intrusion by buying white wine from the bar. Probably one of the worst wines we experienced in Italy but worth it for the view!

 

view from restaurant balcony

As we headed off after lunch we encountered two young hikers who Andrew had met the day before at Nova Abora carrying both packs and sleeping gear. They were quite prepared to sleep out if necessary, which made me feel a little ambivalent about our own arrangements. I do love the liberation of carrying a pack with all requirements on your back but it is also appealing to have back up, for which we were very grateful when tramping in driving rain. During that afternoon however with an average climb of 680 metres we were most pleased to be minus packs!

 

After a very steep climb we reached a most marvellous chestnut forest with massive ancient trees and noted that these wonderful experiences are available only when walking. We felt fortunate. At some point later we passed an artists’ colony with a range of colourful outdoor sculptures, pretty awful really but also with a wall mural featuring a wolf, which seems to have become my totem on this adventure; present but unseen. We continued to the summit of Mt Rattene, where wind turbines gently whirred and with spectacular views of surrounding mountains; their names and heights displayed on a large sign.

 

Ancient chestnut plantation

 

 

very old church

On the final stage to our destination Madonna dei Fornelli, we passed a delightful  collection of houses and an ancient 4C church- locked of course and then up again to the ancient village of Le Croci where it is possible to hang glide off the mountain. With Madonna dei Fornelli now in view it didn’t take long to complete the final few kilometres and we soon settled on the outside verandah of a local bar where with newly arrived Andrew we scoffed an excellent bottle of  Robbilla Galla from the Venezia region complemented by a delicious selection of snacks provided by our host.  We discovered that the town is relatively new after a landslide in the 1970s buried the old village thus those who escaped sensibly rebuilt elsewhere.

 

 

Unfortunately our navigators, both electronic and human failed on the return to Nova Abora so what should have been a half hour trip took us almost two hours along windy mountain roads. We unanimously decided that from now on we would find accommodation at the end of each hiking stage rather than waste both time and fuel to-ing and fro-ing! Poor Andrew!

 

Entering Madonna di Fornelli

While we rested our weary feet Andrew kindly prepared an excellent dinner with antipasti of cheeses, salami, ham and olives as well as  pasta with pesto and salad, the ingredients of which we purchased at a little roadside stall on our way home. Andrew’s excursion to the fantastic FICO, Eatitaly in Bologna was however the source of much of our dinner which was unfortunately just as tempting to our hosts’ German Shepherd which managed to break in during our absence and eat most of the parmesan!

 

Lesson for the day: Always book accommodation at the end of the stage!
http://www.emiliaromagnaturismo.com/en/apennines-and-nature/the-way-of-the-gods