The Via Degli Dei- Stage 1

Countryside near Bologna

The Via Degli Dei

Over the past seven years I have been lucky to walk many Italian hiking trails particularly in Umbria but also in Tuscany, the Veneto, the Italian Dolomites and the Trentino. Some hikes have been shorter day experiences while others, in particular the Via Francesco, in stages from a week to 10 days which fit my travel schedule of five to six weeks in Italy. While not all hiking trails are well marked with always the distinct possibility of getting “lost,” the joy of hiking in such glorious, various countryside and mountains is for me a bit of an addiction. The natural beauty of the environment, the possibility of encountering elusive animals such as bears or even a wolf, discovering sublime works of art even in tiny villages, walking past and through sites of antiquity, the marvelous food, wine and people is a wonderful whole, the totality of which I could not experience anywhere else on earth!

 

On my recent trip to Italy in September/ October 2018 with almost a week set aside for a long distance hike, my friend Abbie and I determined to walk the Via Degli Dei that straddles the provinces of Emilia Romagna and Tuscany.

 

The Via Degli Dei is a dual -purpose trail (hiking and mountain bike) between Bologna and Florence, in part along the route of an ancient Roman military road through the Appenines, which can be walked/ridden from either direction in 5 or 6 stages. After some research Abbie and I decided to take it in 5 stages as the official website suggests can be achieved but in retrospect it is ideally undertaken in six as the last leg is exceptionally long. We bought the official map and guidebook as well as downloading the Via Degli Dei app- an excellent resource and as neither of us had yet been to Bologna this was an opportunity to at least walk through the historical centre on route.

 

Bologna Colonade

Stage 1 Bologna to Sasso Marconi

 

We began from Bologna train station later than we would have liked after travelling from Florence, and at once bought a map of the city to find Piazza Maggiore where the trail officially begins. Unfortunately Abbie left her hiking poles on the train, which being critical equipment for such a hike were essential so it was was lucky that we were in Bologna and not out in the sticks when this was discovered. New poles purchased and map in hand we set off through this most erudite and magnificent of cities,  centre of left wing politics and home to one of the oldest universities in the world. Piazza Maggiore is magnificent and it was hard to resist visiting its elegant and imposing palaces and churches but deviating from our purpose after a late start and with more than 20ks to walk was not a good idea!

 

Piazza Maggiore Bologna

Bologna was certainly buzzing with preparations for a bike race on that day, a wine festival, and book fair over the weekend and we were delighted with the variety of markets and interesting shops particularly in the colonades for which the city is famous. The trail led us along an amazing 3.6 kilometre colonlade, which climbed steeply to the Sanctuario of San Luca high on a hill overlooking the city. Volunteers supporting the bike race were out sweeping, putting up bunting with a stream of people climbing to get the best view of the action. It certainly was a testing climb to begin the day and we also then climbed the church dome, a very scary business but with the most fantastic view over the city, mountains and countryside.

 

Longest colonnade in the world 3.8 kilometres

 

From San Luca Dome

Consulting a policeman re directions and thankfully finding the way indicators almost at once we thereafter had no difficulty as the trail is so well marked and maintained. For the next 10 kilometres we hiked through parks along the Reno river, passing a large bombed out villa, bomb shelters and various memorials to local people who died during WW2. Before beginning a steep climb into the mountains we passed a natural oasis and bird sanctuary, which we were unable to visit due to extremely restrictive visiting times. I suspect this may have something to do with the spectacular and beautiful palatial home down the road, the owners of which probably have significant influence regarding local traffic!

 

San Luca

 

 

Along the River Reno

 

River Park

 

Section of Pliocene Spur

Looming above us and extending for quite some distance was a strange and massive sandstone cliff, the Pliocene Spur, a natural rampart created by many cycles of sand and gravel sedimentation between 5 and 2 million years ago where Apennine streams emptied into a marine gulf. The cliffs are thus rich in marine fossils.  Close by is a sad memorial to a group of 12 local men executed by the SS in reprisal for the killing of two German officers.There are constant reminders of the war in and around Bologna, which was a  significant centre of resistance to German occupation.

 

 

Memorial to local SS victims

By now rain was threatening and we still had a significant climb ahead. Soon it bucketed down while we plodded on and up all the while hoping for rescue. We hadn’t thought to buy lunch in Bologna as we assumed there would be villages along the route where we could stop for coffee and panini; sadly not the case so we were both wet and very hungry. Close to our destination, Abbie’s husband Andrew called and offered to pick us up for which we were most grateful and it was fantastic to arrive at our lovely BNB Nova Abora for hot showers, clean clothes and food at last!!

 

 

Reno River in heavy rain

 


Nova Aboro

Lessons for the day: Always take a packed lunch and start early!

 

The Via Degli Dei Association is highly organised with hiker and biker support  and provides a list of possible accommodation options for each stage of the hike. On the first two nights we stayed at the delightful Nova Abora set in a botanical garden near Sasso Marconi. There are acres of garden with many rare plants, our host Donatella is a herbalist, and much of the breakfast fare, including delicious bread is sourced from the property. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to properly explore the garden but with a large, well equipped and comfortable apartment and welcoming hosts I can certainly recommend it as an excellent option for other hikers. Wet and cold we were even greeted with a cheery open fire! Dinner that evening at a nearby trattoria was equally good and empty tummies filled we returned to our BNB to prepare for Stage 2 and sleep.

 

 http://www.emiliaromagnaturismo.com/en/apennines-and-nature/the-way-of-the-gods

Lost again

 

View Climbing from San Severo

Despite our failure to find a good map of the walking trails in the Martani mountains we felt reasonably confident that  it was within our capacity to find our way on a circular route from the tiny village of San Severo up onto the high plateau above the town and through the forest to the deserted village of Lo Scoppio and back. Stopping first at the local bar run by two delightful sisters and their mother for  most necessary coffee and cornetti we reached San Severo as sunrise touched the mountains- the best time of the day as the light is so exquisite.

After a steep four kilometer climb up an access track we reached the high plain, an area designated for community agricultural activity by the EU, specifically stock grazing. Here cows and horses roam freely with bells around their necks tinkling as they graze. Sadly  it is also a favourite  location for hunters seeking wild boar and we encountered several well organised outfits with packs of dogs. Hunters regard hikers as a nuisance and endeavour to deter them by destroying trail markers, which is a quite successful strategy as there are a number of trails criss crossing the mountains so getting lost is almost inevitable without GPS trax on a smart phone.

 

Hikers hut with vandalised map

On the high plain

Hunter Vehicle and dog van

Very soon we found ourselves in the predicament of needing to choose a direction without the aid of markers but a man in the hunters’ back up vehicle pointed us in what we hoped was the right direction as our path took us deep into the forest. Other than the occasional crack of gun shot it is so free of human noise on the plateau and in the mountains with only bird song and a breeze through the trees. We had indeed been given correct advice as within 45 minutes we sighted the bell tower of Lo Scoppio and in another 15 arrived. The stone houses seem very solid and with the most wonderful views over wooded mountains and a valley below we wondered why it had been abandoned? Was it its isolation perhaps?

 

Approaching Lo Scoppio

There has been some vandalism in the village; the church doors bashed in and flotsam from people dossing in the empty buildings but it is such a  lovely spot high on its stony outcrop. The little church is simple and one can still see 17C (probably) frescoes albeit somewhat faded but thankfully untouched as well as a basic stone altar. The bells have been removed from the tower but one can almost evoke how they would have echoed across the valley and mountains telling the hour.

 

Fresco decoration

Interior Church

Faded fresco in poor light

the Bell tower minus bells

We headed steeply down from the outcrop and then equally steeply up onto a parallel ridge revealing a different aspect of the village and then as we continued over Lake Firenzuola far below. Reaching the small hamlet of La Costa the trail markers petered out and we took what we believed to be the correct direction  only to become hopelessly lost and disoriented in the forest where we thrashed around in thick undergrowth  to find a way down. Frustrated and scratched we climbed up to find a view -point and fortuitously stumbled on a trail leading to a series of bird hides. Eventually we reached the outskirts of the village of Ocinelli where we inquired from an elderly couple the trail direction to San Severo and our car. Walking back along the road would have been a total capitulation so with renewed enthusiasm we marched on stopping for a fruit and water rest with a fine view of San Severo on its hill confident that now on a path our seamless arrival was guaranteed. Sadly not so as again the path petered out and in forest again we contemplated bush bashing again or walking through a farmer’s olive grove along a fence line, which is what we ultimately did and at last discovered the road up to the village, somewhat a defeat but not a humiliation.

 

bird hide

Remains from dossiers

Towards Firenzuola

Last view of Lo Scoppio

It is a great pity that this paradise for walking is not more effectively managed as it has the potential to create economic benefit for the mountain communities. Walkers could pay a fee to use the trails which would also lead to increased spending in  nearby villages and towns with hikers requiring accommodation and food . The difficulty in sourcing accurate maps is a significant deterrent to all but the most determined who understand when walking in this region there is a strong likelihood of getting lost. Even with the frustrations outlined above it is an experience that I wouldn’t choose to miss out on and there is always coffee at the end!

 

Nearly there- we thought!

Over the valley

Caso

Madonna astride, Caso

 Ever since I learned about a small church in the village of Caso in the Vallnerina where can be found the rare depiction of the Madonna astride a horse, I was keen to visit. Francesca sent me the original link, which piqued my interest so Ludovico and I made an aborted attempt to visit in 2017.,Having learned since that a visit could be arranged through the museum in San Anatolia di Narco Avbbie and I called into the museum to book a guided tour after a walk which ended in that town. 

A young woman at the ticket desk agreed to take us on the following Tuesday morning and the only issue for us was that the description would be in Italian.. We were however grateful just to be able to see the frescoes so it was fantastic when Francesca and Ludovico found themselves available to join us and thus explain.

 

interior Caso Churc

We met at the museum and drove the steep seven kilometres into the mountains to Caso and after parking set off on foot up a steep path through the village to the small simple 15c church, which sits on the edge of a deep wooded ravine. The roof had recently been restored so that the interior was protected, through funds raised by the Italian guides association. Our guide Eva explained that the 15 C structure had been built around a 14C shrine, which contained the earlier frescoes, in particular the cycle of the Madonna astride.

 

What a treat this was! The building filled with light when the doors on each side opened; unusually the church has no front door due to the circumstances of its construction but the paintings stunning and vibrant after more than 600 years.

 

crucifixion Lo Spagno?

The central painting of the Madonna on horseback is unusual in a number of aspects, principally that she is on a horse and astride but unusually she is richly dressed in the garb of a bishop and thus depicted as a powerful personage. The story refers to a miracle performed by Mary after meeting a small boy on the road and greeting him. It is not clear from the paintings what the miracle actually is, though it may have been related to raising a man from the dead from the appearance of an adjacent fresco, which possibly suggests such an event. Nothing is known about the authorship of the painting but it is likely to have been painted in the late 14 or early 15C, while on the walls of the church are displayed frescoes from the 16C some of which have been attributed to Lo Spagno, after Raphael the main pupil of Perugino and sought after for commissions in Central Italy in the early 16C. What a treasure trove and how fortunate we were to have access.

 

The madonna in close up

After a short visit to the beautiful cemetery adjacent to the church and overlooking a wooded ravine we climbed this time up through the village and then made the short drive to another special forest site, the church of Santa Christina dedicated to that saint and of particular importance to women in their quest for marriage.  Prayers to and the worship of Santa Christina as a protector of women was ubiquitous because to find a husband was a matter of survival for women in the 15&16 C as the only means of economic security. The only other option was to become a nun and to secure that future for a daughter the family was required to pay a significant sum to the church. For a woman who did not marry or become a nun there was only one other possible future- that of prostitution, which is why the blessing of Santa Christina was critical for women of the time. 

 

Church Cristina

Inside are interesting, 12 C frescoes of the final judgment, almost cartoonish in their naivety, and more sophisticated in style but horrible in subject, the torture of St Catherine. Our guide through Francesca explained the iconography of particular symbols and objects which would have been clearly understood at the time of composition but today clearly require decoding, which understanding thoroughly enriched our experience.

Another stunningly beautiful church both inside and out and this opportunity for the paltry sum of 5 euro! 

 

Santa Cristina

Torture and martyrdom of St Catherine

Santa Cristina

We returned to San Anatolia to a visit to the small but fascinating Ethnographic museum mostly dedicated to the local tradition of spinning and weaving, particularly of hemp. This tradition, which structured the life of women in the local area is disappearing and the museum through its work offers workshops to schools and to adults interested in the craft through the efforts of a group of talented and committed young women artists and social historians.

We were offered a guided tour by one of these young women at no cost and what a privilege that was! We learned that young girls were required to learn the art of weaving in order to make clothing and household goods, which would then enable them to find a husband. A girl needed to demonstrate her mastery of this skill and would assemble a trousseau of her work, which with a dowry she took to her new home. Hemp as the main local crop was the source of fabric  and used also for rope making, building materials, soap and some foodstuffs.

Another space was dedicated to hemp growing and processing, this largely the work of men and we watched a video where two very old men who live in the village still describe and demonstrate aspects of this traditional work. Sadly after WW2 hemp growing and thus the practice of weaving gradually disappeared as young people moved to cities in search of a sustainable future.

The loom

In the final room was displayed an installation of woven human hair, interestingly collected from hair dressing shops in Australia and a collaboration between an Australian artist and two of the young women at the museum, including our lovely guide; very strange but somewhat compelling. The final aspect of the tour is a fine collection of woven items donated to the museum, including the prototype of a men’s jacket made from hemp by the Crucinelli cashmere company. 

Installation of human hair

Woven hair

After thanking the fantastic museum women we drove to lovely Scheggino, a small village on the river Nera famous for its trout, where we had a delicious baked trout lunch in a sunny room overlooking the river at Ristorante del Ponte. Afterwards we drove to the town of Norcia, which suffered significant damage in the 2016 earthquake to find a walking map of the Martani mountains apparently available at the tourist office but the office was of course closed. The town feels like a graveyard in contrast to its previous vitality and bustle but there is significant restoration and construction work going on so hopefully the historical centre will be restored and the tourists will return.

Earthquake damage

ruined Cathedral Norcia

We were dining at Casale Fusco during the evening, a collaboration between our wonderful hosts Andrea and Vincenzo and their friends and talented cooks, Nicolo and Carena with a menu of typical Umbrian dishes. What a feast; antipasti followed by strangozzi pasta and truffle (the local spaghetti), turkey with grilled vegetables and salad and homemade gelato and fresh fruit.  A fantastic sagrantino from the Casale vineyards accompanied the meal and afterwards a range of liquers. We literally rolled upstairs to our apartment with some doubt about our capacity to undertake a strenuous morning walk after such largesse. A suitable end to another fantastic day in Umbria.

Leaving La Licia

 

wonderful La Licina

On our final morning at La Licina we hiked a leg of the Via Francesca from Licina to the village of Poreta, a walk that allows spectacular views from Spoleto to Montefalco and Trevi as one climbs steeply into the olive groves out of the beautiful village of Eggi. Olive groves left behind we descended through oak forest to the town of Bazzano Inferiore and then steeply up to its twin village Bazzano Superiore with its tiny small help yourself library, lovely gardens and walnut groves. We picked walnuts and figs along the way to sustain us until a late breakfast in Poreta.

 

Eggi

Eggi from above

Poreta is almost on the plain and after a steep descent she announced herself with the most evocative ringing of church bells, not just “ding dong” but a bell song inviting the faithful to church. On Soon the bell tower was visible and as we walked through a row of plane trees into the town the local priest sped by in his little red car.

 

Waiting for breakfast, Poreta

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Climbing up!

Bazzano Inferiore

Generously, Ludovico had offered to pick us up and stopped for a coffee and pastry while we waited at a little bar chatting to the elderly shopkeeper who kindly brought our breakfast to a table in her sunny garden courtyard. Almost on queue  as we finished Ludovico appeared returning us to the sad task of packing. Farewells exchanged we departed for the other side of the valley to Agriturismo Casale Fusco in the foothills of the Martani mountains where Willy and I stayed for an extended period in 2013. On the top of a hill the grand old house looks over forested hills, rich agricultural land, olive groves and vineyards and clearly visible on an opposite hill line is the restored Castle Morgnano. A quite different range of walks in the more remote environment of the Martani Mountain are possible, the only drawback the paucity of good signage.

Andrea and Vincenzo are wonderful hosts and before we had unpacked the car were ensconced with proseco in a shady position near their recently installed pool overlooking the valley. The vista is exceptional with the castle of Spoleto; Monteluco mountain behind and the valley spread out beneath. Vincenzo explained that the pool is one which allows fish and frogs to also survive as it needs only a tiny dose of chemical to maintain safety so we were hopeful of days warm enough to swim.

 

The pool

While we had brought the leftovers from the previous evening for lunch, Andrea and Vincenzo insisted we share an impromptu lunch of pasta and salad with them. The simple pasta dish with tuna and freshly picked tomatoes, a caprese salad, followed by fresh fruit salad and ice-cream, accompanied by their own grechetto and sagrantino was far from modest fare and afterwards we rolled upstairs to  dress for our late afternoon performance of La Traviata by the Belli Sperimentali Lyrica, a highly acclaimed Opera company based in Spoleto  but well regarded in Europe as a training school for professional singers.

What a treat we experienced! The venue a medium sized 18C  decorative opera house with excellent acoustics and  the cast particularly the gorgeous Violetta with a fantastic presence and voice swept us into the passion of the narrative and music so perfectly performed by the Belli orchestra. Each autumn Spoleto  hosts an Opera festival and the Belli company completes the event with a well known opera which then  tours the region. This was their final performance and the audience response enthusiastic with loud cries of “Brava, Brava” as Violetta took her bows. What a wonderful town this is; a place of beauty, nature, art, music, history food and wine and how fortunate are we to experience its generosity!

 

Teatro Nuovo

Orchestra pit

Waiting for the action

We had booked for dinner at Tempio del Gusto a fantastic restaurant near Piazza Mercato in the centre of the ancient town next to a remaining Etruscan arch way so an almost  perfect day ended with a perfect dinner of mouth watering grilled tuna and salad followed by a semi freddo with peach. I looked forward to my first morning walk in what feels like a slice of paradise.