The two days walk from Viterbo to Formello along the ancient Via Francigena (VF) / Italy section
I must say I was not well prepared about the route. My knowledge prior to this walk was pretty thin. It is not now!
One lesson from life in general and living in Italy in particular is that there is always a solution...and Italians indeed are ready to help...I even drove a km or so in a Lamborghini.....( a tractor...never knew that company made anything else than exclusive sports cars).
Arriving at the Tourist office in Viterbo..there was no info available for walkers like myself. I was handed a print-out from the web for the route Viterbo-Vetralla. And so I started.....nice weather, the usual gear, good mood. I managed to understand the Italian info on the route map, however the combination of measured distances to specific topographical points, with the signs indicating the route itself soon led to confusion. In the end I did not use the print-out from the Tourist office and relied on my common sense.
Problem nr. 1 along the Via Francigena is that there are at least 7 different signs used that mark the route itself...at times conflicting...or not readable anymore. And where one must expect to see signs (crossroads...and where trails split... ) quite often there were none. Pretty chaotic. I got lost twice: pretty soon close to the autostrada 7 kms. out of Viterbo, where all signs had disappeared. I finally reestablished contact with the VF 4 kms. later after having taken a road that I thought would be going into the direction of Vetralla... The second time late in the afternoon on my way to Capranica where I lost track in the hazelnut groves: again all signs disappeared and I wandered for at least 30 minutes but could not find the VF. So I had to go to the main road leading into the town of Capranica where there was no hotel..... For 1 euro the bus and on to Sutri where day one ended with the best 'penne a la carbonara' I ever had in my life (ristorante l'Antitheatro). Interestingly, I never saw anybody walking the VF , not on day one, not on day two.
The first leg of day two from Sutri to Monterosi was fast in the cool morning; beautiful weather...the landscape though in general and throughout is not exceptional. There is little agricultural activity..farms seem not buzzing. Lots of olive and hazelnut groves. Watch out for the Maremma white big sheepdogs. At one time I had a 'sixpack' coming after me...just in time the farmer cried out to stop them approaching further. The second time one got close to about one meter and I was ready to jump across a fence. Again the farmer had heard the noise and came driving his car at full speed to help out. He apologised and offered me a drink on his farm, which I politely declined at 11 in the morning.
The walk through part of the Parco Natural di Veio is disappointing...the parc is now so natural that at some places I had to use my arms to get through the path. A pity; in fact the VF itself is not maintained at all. Worse is that I must have come across over 100 illegal dumps where furniture and all sorts of plastics etc. is disposed off. Disgusting and it clearly will stick into every walker's mind that the VF needs to be cleaned up. Walking up into Campagnolo from the valley is breathtaking. I arrived at the back of its medieval section....and was astonished to see all those tiny houses still being lived in. Want to buy cheap property, prepared to invest 50 thousand euro to do it up...? Campagnolo is a beautiful historical town! Loved walking through it.
Another 10 kms. on to Formello where I was told there would be a hotel...very nice road, rolling hills, clean area....and when I arrived at 16.30 hrs...no hotel...so I decided to call it a day took the bus for 2 euros to travel the last 10 kms. to Rome and was back in my apartment at 7 in the eve.
Tired? Yes, an indicator of tiredness and the intensity of the day is when in the eve and after a shower you still feel that you have your cap on!!
Some stats:
Viterbo-Rome as the crow flies: 75 kms. / per autostrada 90 kms. and walking along the VF about 115 kms. all the way to the Vatican. I estimate my walking from Viterbo to Formello a total distance of 90 kms.
Equipment: Lowa Renegade light and high closing hiking boots with goretex and vibram soles, and my 'Feetures USA brand' socks proved a perfect choice. And the Rohde Hirschtalg cream to use before and after this 2 day's heavy duty walk. Feet need to be looked after! I carried 5-6 kgs. of essentials in a cheap backpack
Please fellow walkers do note that except for the towns of Viterbo, Vetralla, Caparanica, Sutri, Monterosi, Campagnolo and Formello...you cannot buy anything along the road...and I saw no public drinking taps either... and the streams all looked polluted, and are full of discarded garbage.
Finally, and yes, since a lot in Italy is about food....I had my best ever 'cioccolata calda' in a whole in the wall cafetaria in Monterosi....
Ton van Zutphen
Via dei Sampietrini 19
00168 Roma, Italia
tonvanzutphen@gmail.com
