Sunday 20 October 2013

Day 41 From Aquapendente to Bolsena 22.1 km

Sunday 20th October  22.1 km day 41 of walking!
"Meandering gentle up and down paths on farm and sheep tracks"


We're up and heading out of Acquapedente by 8am - CaffĂ© and pastry on the way out of town (not as nice as yesterday..) As we head out of town we can see Lake Bolsena! The lake looks silvery today under the overcast sky. 

walking through fields of freshly ploughed earth, the occasional hunter booming away

We phone ahead to Bolsena and book our accommodation at
Convento Santa Maria del Giglio
Via Madonna del Giglio, 49
€22 each 
PH: 0761799066 Sabrina speaks English 

We have a chat with the kiddes at home on Skype  while we're walking along.
pass by a house crying out to be explored and rescued...

we arrive at San Lorenzo Nuovo  at 11 am, have a delicious toasted focaccia with prosciutto
I love the fruit shop produce display!

I have a lovely afternoon wandering along the quiet country paths alongside the lake, getting into the rhythm of easy, dreamy walking, letting thoughts drift through my mind like clouds drifting through the sky. Quite meditative. More tiny cyclamens pop up everywhere

I'm actually pretty tired this afternoon- my ankles and feet are a bit sore and stiff, particularly my right foot bones... I think my body is complaining about the two consecutive 30km+ days with so many hills...
Thankfully the walk this afternoon continues to be delightful! (distracts me from my complaining body)
olive groves, full of ripening olives!
glimpses of the silvery magical looking volcanic lake and a couple of islands
alternating rows of grapes and olives, this is my kind of countryside! 
an olive grove for sale!
approaching Bolsena... didn't think the day could get any dreamier, but... yep... there's a Castello!
We continue around the high points of Bolsena  

Along the stone walled lane ways - I'm walking very slowly by now... my right foot is really not happy...
to find our accommodation Convento Santa Maria del Giglio...

 It's amazing! the church is incredible, Santa Maria del Giglio

inside Santa Maria Giglio church
and our accommodation is in the lovely old convent, complete with walled garden. 
We're the only guests

a maze of rooms - the dining hall / refrectory
There's an incredible ancient marble topped stove in the kitchen
The courtyard - cloister
is full of lovely frescos
vineyard in the garden creating shady walkways....

Sabrina and her family live here and are volunteers to manage and run it, 3 kids, two German shepherds, a friendly cat... I feel like I should get in and help with the gardening! But I need a shower, to wash some clothes, and get my feet elevated! 
We wander down the street to get some dinner, and pass Guiseppe in his wine cave - I say in my fabulous Italiano "buonasera..." we get chatting and he invites us into the cave to taste the wine he's pressing! most of the houses and families have these caves or cellars around this area. The temperature stays approximately an even 15 deg all year round, perfect for storing wine, and all sorts of produce - there are jars of tomatoes - pomadore on the shelves lining the walls 

I can tell Patrick's planning his rock cellar at home!
Bolsena's Basilica of Saint Christina - there's a service on tonight, so I can't go inside.

 One of the portals of Bolsena 
We've decided to,stay here in Bolsena for two nights, to give my ankle and foot time to rest and improve. Tomorrow we'll catch the 6:45 am bus from Bolsena to Orvieto to have a gentle wander and explore.

Our accommodation tonight
Convento Santa Maria del Giglio
Via Madonna del Giglio, 49
€ 22 each

other options,

SISTERS OF THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT - BOLSENA 

Address: Piazza Santa Cristina, 4 - Bolsena
Phone: 0761 799058
Type: Religious Structure
Open all year
Price: 15 €
Number of places: 15
Use of kitchen: NO. The price includes breakfast. 

 HOSTEL OFFICIAL - LOC. OFFICIAL (Bolsena)

Address: Loc Official
Phone: 0761 798753 - 333 4375473 - 320 0738496
Email: ostellogazzetta@gmail.com
Type: Youth Hostel
Open all year
Price: under 20 €
Number of places: 21
Use of kitchen: NO. The price includes breakfast and dinner

SISTERS OF THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT - BOLSENA

Address: Piazza Santa Cristina, 4 - Bolsena
Phone: 0761 799058
Type: Religious Structure
Open all year
Price: 15 €
Number of places: 15
Use of kitchen: NO. The price includes breakfast.
 

1 comment:

  1. Scegli i caschi migliori. Da sci e snowboard, moto, caschiate, cap equitazione.
    https://www.sportvip.it/caschi/
    #caschi

    ReplyDelete