ensuitepilgrim's Blog

“VERY SUPERSTITIOUS” by Stevie Wonder.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=2PJ__4Nzzkk&si=DQDr0QZxJRTx0cuQ

Superstition has often to do with numbers. I know that in some countries 13 is a very bad number. Well, in Italy, 13 is considered a lucky number, whilst fearing the number 17. Better be careful and do not plan anything important on a Friday 17, because it is considered a very bad day. Below is a link to a lighthearted article about superstitions in Italy.

https://instantlyitaly.com/are-italians-really-superstitious-superstition-in-italy/

It’s a short stage today, but a beautiful one,the reason is to break what would be 29 KM trek to Radocafani, including a long climb at the end of the day.

We shall depart along the Via Dante Alighieri, the pedestrian street,turning right on to the Via Matteoli,then left onto Via Garibaldi,some suburban walking then at a Y junction ( 1.2KM ), the road turns to gravel and climbs,sometimes steeply,leading to a fine view.

The road returns to concrete on the descent,but we follow arrows to the left, to enter the picturesque hamlet of Vignoni Alto.

https://castellitoscani.com/en/vignoni-castle/

Leaving the village there is a sign to a pedestrian bridge over the River Orcia,however it has been closed for repairs,if not reopened, we continue downhill to the Via Cassia and cross via the auto bridge. Then veering right along a driveway to an Osteria, before which turning left on to the VF. We cross the SP323, passing a small vineyard and orchard on to a gravel road to Castiglione d’Orcia.

https://www.visittuscany.com/en/towns-and-villages/castiglione-dorcia/

Lodgings for this evening are in B&B II Vecchietta. B&B “The Old Lady”.

A RECENT REVIEW “The owners of Il Vecchietta, Sylvia and Arturo, were such welcoming and kind hosts and I could not have asked for a more wonderful stay, if only it was longer. Their beautiful B&B is on the Via Francigena pilgrim path located in the historic center of Castiglione d’Orcia. My room was spacious, well furnished and with a great view of the Rocca di Tentennano. The bathroom was also excellent. It was great having access to the communal kitchen after a long day of walking . Sylvia was very accommodating of my early start the next day with a delicious homemade breakfast prepared for me and goodies to go! Thank you both for your generous hospitality and I do hope to return.”

The road continues along ridges with majestic views of the Tuscan countryside until we reach Torrenieri, with facilities.

“Torrenieri takes its name from a fortified outpost with a black (‘nero’) tower (‘torre’), either by virtue of having been built of dark stone or because the stone was blackened by fire. In 1452 Eleanor, Princess of Portugal, stayed here on her way to marry the emperor Federico III. Being on the Via Francigena, it is constantly traversed by pilgrims on their way to Rome. The diary of the travels of the Archbishop Sigeric from Canterbury describes the tower as having been a hostel from around the year 1,000 AD, but from the 12th-century became a private dwelling and later a castle. Dante may have stopped here during a trip to Rome. In the 14th-century several events in the town are recounted in the novel of the ninth day of the Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio. In the 18th-century census Torrenieri was described as “on the road from Siena to Rome, upon an easily accessible hill, entirely cultivated in vines and olives, the small castle of Torrenieri.”

Below are links to this beautiful town.

https://www.visitsanquirico.it/en/discover-news/must-see/san-quirico-dorcia-the-charm-of-history-the-beauty-of-the-landscape/

https://www.visitsanquirico.it/en/discover-news/must-see/san-quirico-dorcia-the-charm-of-history-the-beauty-of-the-landscape/

The accommodation for this evening is Hotel Palazzuolo, Via Santa Caterina, on the outskirts of the town. An 11 minute walk to Via Dante Alighieri, the way out of San Quirico.

Don’t worry, we’ll be taking our time on what should be a short,relaxing stroll. In fact,time could be spent exploring the town before departure,if wanted and also stocking up on snacks / water.

Lucignano d’Arbia is a beautiful fortified village, which has carefully kept much of its original medieval architecture. We were greeted at the Porta Senese, the gateway into town, by the old brick,water well, where residents drew their daily water for centuries.

The tall solid brick tower, the Torre del Cassero, dates to the 13th century, as does the beautiful church of San Francesco; the church has a Gothic portal and frescoes by Bartolo di Fredi. The Pieve di San Giovanni Battista is Romanesque, with stone vaults and paintings.

Lucignano d’Arbia is compact and a pretty village to wander. Surrounding it are the postcard-like images of the Tuscan countryside with grape vines, rolling hills and cypress trees.

This is an informative link to the history of Ponte d’Arbia.

https://www.google.com/url?q=http://centrocresti.it/en/history/&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwirpbSssaqLAxUxXEEAHbRJLmcQFnoECDgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2Km7YIzykpp2lASvOyRy9C

We walk uphill en route to Buonconvento, along a series of paths that keep us among fields and off the SR2. The climb is a little steeper towards the top – good views – and eventually pick up the SR2 Via Cassia just before the town, crossing the River Ombrone to enter Buonconvento via the Porto Sienes. About an hour’s walk from Ponte d’Arbia.

An excellent and beautifully illustrated guide to the town.

https://www.discovertuscany.com/crete-senesi/visit-buonconvento.html

Unusually for this part of Tuscany. It’s a medieval walled town (with post-war expansions) which is situated on a plain (and not a hill) at the intersection of the Arbia and Ombrone rivers, surrounded by the grey clay-scarred hills of the Crete Senesi. Located approximately 16 miles to the south-east of Siena ,the town became an important trading centre in the thirteenth century and later a military town for the City State of Siena, which presumably triggered the need for the high town walls and gates which were constructed between 1371 and 1383. 

On a practical note, supermarket Il Frutteto Di Tatania and Charlie’s Pub pizzeria are very close by and recommended.

We make our first saunter along the Camino

Francigena .

It’s a 1.7 km walk to the Porto Romano (22 mins), the traditional exit point from the city. We shall have the first of many encounters with the historic Via Cassia,built by the Romans to connect Rome and Florence.

Expect vast farmlands, small hamlets and farmhouses. Red Sienese farmland is replaced by Crete Senesi – gray claylike soil – which gives its name to this region.After passing through an industrial zone,we walk into Isola d’Arbia. Fork right off the highway to a bar, if needed.

A little further on we encounter Ponte a Tressa,located at the confluence of the Tressa and Arabia rivers – pilgrim links date back to its 12 th century pilgrim hospital. 15th century Church of San Michele Arcangelo. Refreshments and bus stop available here,too.

Continuing among fields of Alfafa and grain until Grancia di Cuna ( water ). This one of Tuscany’s best-preserved fortified farms

After Cuna the road circles down, through duplex style homes and the on to a narrow path that climbs to a cell phone tower – expect wide vistas over the countryside. Very soon we come to Monteroni d’Arbia, the largest town in the area – all amenities.

After here there are no more facilities until Lucignano but it’s not too far to,our destination.

Hotel Borgo Antico

Via di Lucignano, 405 (bus stop outside)

We leave Digbeth coach station at 07.05 ,arriving at Luton airport at 10.05.

Flight to Pisa, departing at 12.50, arriving in Pisa at 16.10 ( hour’s time difference ). Then to Siena by Sloways minibus. Expected arrival time after a journey of 125 KM – 19.00 at best – 12 hours…

This leaves little time for exploring Siena. I attach a link for your interest.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/st-dominics-basilica

Siena -Hotel Chiusarelli – where we are staying – Restaurant recommended,too.

Viale Curtatone, 15

This patio looks very inviting…

LYME REGIS – Situated on the world-famous Jurassic Coast.

Making our way towards the Coastal path we came across another local hero with a sea faring pedigree.

It was a most enjoyable morning in what is a charming resort – no high rise buildings or “ tat” – Lyme Regis retains a traditional English seaside atmosphere and seems to be doing very well with it remaining so.

Sunday afternoon in Ilminster

In Victorian times the town was an important staging post for travellers with east-west and north-south routes converging there. The town is now by – passed by the A 358 & A 303.

The other one looks as though it’s receiving some much needed TLC !

After breakfast,on Saturday morning, we drove six miles or so to South Petherton, to begin our circular walk through small unspoilt villages, arable fields and orchards.

One of many Market towns hereabouts.

Time to move on from Merriot’s parish church after a lunch stop.

After another welcome dinner at The Shrubbery, I put on a bit of a “ Folderol” for the group and after a long day the “ audience “ did well to keep up the pace!

I have driven past the motorway exit to Taunton many times but never felt tempted to visit Somerset’s county town. However, we decided to break our journey to The Shrubbery Hotel Ilminster, at Taunton. Choosing the Gateway Park and Ride proved to be a good option and avoided the hassle of driving into the town and finding somewhere to park.

First port of call was a coffee stop, almost opposite the bus stop – The Bakery, housed in a former Royal Bank of Scotland.

Much of the centre is semi pedestrianised and we were soon struck by a number of interesting buildings.

We were only planning on a couple of hours, to include a picnic, ideally in a green spot and by pure chance we happened upon part of the town’s Heritage Trail, by taking a random turn down an alley into Bath Place – a row of original 19th century shop frontages and small mansions.

We then came to the Weir which was perfect for an alfresco lunch on a nearby bench.

Closer to the town centre – the Taunton Minster’ striking tower.

Then it was a short wait for the bus back to the ParknRide. What struck me about Taunton during this short saunter, was what an interesting and well kept town it was, with the added attractions of tempting shops, restaurants and pubs.

It was a ten mile drive to Ilminster from Taunton and the hotel was easy to locate

A warm welcome with afternoon tea and cakes awaited us and first impressions were most favourable .

Mahón, the capital of Menorca has an astonishing history and reading about it gives the visitor an improved understanding of its place in the island’s history and how it became the Capital city,displacing Ciutadella in the process.

MAHÓN’s TOUGH HISTORY

While nowadays, this city is a bustling centre for tourism and trade, this wasn’t always the case. In fact, this city was once riddled with destruction and suffering and was once one of the most important military ports in the entire Mediterranean. Many historians believe the name Menorca,Mahon comes from the Carthaginian general Mago Barca, who was the brother to Hannibal and who is thought to have taken refuge in the city during the year 205 BC.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, this city became part of the Eastern Roman Empire and an incredibly important port. Port cities were considered highly valuable at the time and they were being used as the main source of trade and transportation. Unfortunately, as a result, it suffered a tremendous number of raids from both Viking and Arab expeditions. This continued for centuries until the city was finally conquered by the Islamic Caliphate of Cordoba in the year 903.

Islamic Moorish rule lasted in Mahon until the year 1287 when it was eventually reconquered by Alfonso III, the King of Aragon. He made the city a part of the Kingdom of Majorca and also part of the Crown of Aragon.

The Crown of Aragon was a composite monarchy, which is to say a group of separate kingdoms all ruled under one king.

This was a win-win situation for everyone involved as joining this composite monarchy provided the city with enormous protection while the city itself offered a brand new trade port for these kingdoms to take advantage of.

It was during this time that the city of Mahon has named as the capital which conveniently served as the residence for the Governor of Menorca.

During the year 1756, the island was lost to French control after what would later be known as the Naval Battle of Menorca.However, after the French lost the 7 Years War, the island was returned to the British in the year 1763, but this ownership wouldn’t last long. In the year 1782, the French and Spanish started a combined five-month invasion which took a massive toll on the island and the British eventually surrendered it.In 1783, control of the island was transferred back to Spain according to the Peace of Paris.

However, the British would eventually recapture the important port island in 1798 during the French Revolutionary Wars.

 Luckily, when the French and British decided it was finally time to end all the hostilities between them, they agreed to withdraw their militaries and claims from certain territories including the island of Menorca, which was finally passed back to Spain, where it has stayed ever since.

RECENT HISTORY OF MENORCA

During the 20th century, Spain itself suffered through a terrible civil war. At this time, the entire island remained loyal to the Republic. However, it was captured by the Nationalists in the year 1939.

 Unfortunately, during the battle to capture the Island, Italian and Spanish Nationalist bomber planes bombed the city of Mahon Menorca Spain and destroyed many important historical sites. Luckily, a number of structures remained undamaged or easily repairable making it possible for tourists to still enjoy the wonders of this incredible city to this day.

The history of Mahon has been riddled with conquests, sieges, and battles. However, throughout all that terror this stunning city has also bloomed under the constant cultural influences and changing powers.

The city now serves as the seat of the Island Council of Menorca and quite a bit of effort has been made to promote tourism as a primary source of income for the island’s residents helping it to remain one of the richest port cities in all of Spain.

The Capital City of Mahon where people love walking through the historic areas whilst taking in the stunning Mahon Harbour which happens to be one of the deepest natural harbours in the world.

Many delicate facades in Mahón

Ciutadella was founded by the Carthaginians and was once Menorca’s capital – its centre of commerce and culture, and was known to the Moors as “Medina Minurqa.”

“The eternal capital behind the scenes. The quiet and beautiful Ciutadella. A place in which every stone, every street and every mooring in its port harbours a history of battles and conquests.  Many people think that Mahón has always been the capital of Menorca, as it is nowadays. Its primacy, however, is relatively recent: for centuries, until the arrival of the British on the isle – early in 1700 – Ciutadella was the great nucleus from which the entirety of Menorca was governed. Relegated to a secondary place with the arrival of the English, the civitavella of Alphonse III lost its influence.”

Ciutadella is a city to explore on foot, especially the historic quarter, where an obelisk dominates the main square.

The cathedral is built on top of the High Mosque that existed under Arab rule. It is truly monumental, with one nave and six chapels.

If you’re a fan of seafood, traditional cuisine from Menorca, which largely based on seafood, is unlikely to disappoint. 

One day we walked along a road by the sea and were curious about the distinctive villas, some of which were early a 100 years old.