Pics from our last few days in Tuscany

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Sandy Brown

We all took a day off today in Sansepolcro while a few of us recovered from various maladies. Here are pics from our last 24 hours.

Gathering before yesterday’s walk.

We meet Katherine, a Facebook friend, on the trail.

Lonely cows on the hillside. Or maybe cows on the lonely hillside.

Kim and Sue pose with treats. (Pic by Gary)

cow poses with Beth for a selfie.

Selfies with a mannequin at the Museo Civico.

Luke is man of the hour as he rescues our group from a rainstorm. (Photo by Kim)

We pose at Montecasale.

Halldora and Alma at Anghiari (photo by Donna)

Revision: CAI 22 trail removes dangerous path after Pieve Santo Stefano

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Sandy Brown

As promised, here is additional information about revisions to the path after Pieve Santo Stefano (Stage 8, p. 95).

Keep the first line of the paragraph that reads, “The road turns to gravel then comes alongside the wall of the Auto Strada Statale 3bis.” Replace the rest of the paragraph with this:

Turn right at the first archway under the highway and follow the driveway left, past the house and through the metal gate (please close it behind you). Keep on this road, veering left at the next two Y intersections while going uphill at a moderate rate. Stay on the road as it leads through a logged area and then goes steeply uphill. About 500m later the road becomes a one track path and reaches a summit with views to the reservoir beyond. About 200m later the path joins a road from the right which you follow as it leads steeply downhill. Watch your footing carefully as the road plunges down on sandstone bedrock and small, loose gravel.

CAI 22 markers show the way.

Turn right here.

I strongly advise against walking on the original route behind the Euro Hotel. The path has eroded off the hillside and is precarious for all walkers.

What the old path looks like now.

Revised route from Pieve Santo Stefano to Sansepolcro

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Sandy Brown

Carol Sammet’s proposed route is the dotted line above, CAI 22.

Back in 2014 when I researched the route from Pieve Santo Stefano to Sansepolcro I recognized that the biggest challenge was how to reduce the 37km distance of this stage in the official Via di Francesco trail. I talked to locals who told me of the path behind the Euro Hotel that easily connected to the official Cammino di Assisi route for a 25km total to Sansepolcro. I walked it and a couple of other variants and chose the Euro Hotel route with its shaded and gentle grade among young trees with the Tiber River, a wide creek this far north, babbling joyfully below.

Sadly, in 2015 this lovely route was completely logged and all that remained was a narrow path in daylight on a steep bank slowly being choked by weeds. Pilgrims began to report difficulties and dangers as the rains slowly washed away what had once been a gentle and picturesque trail.

Pilgrim Carol Sammet wrote this to me two days ago:

Sandy, we tried to walk today the route from pieve Santo to sansepolcro and found it too dangerous. We found out later you need to pick up CA 22 at the first tunnel under the bridge rather than the trail behind hotel Euro.

In a few days I’ll confirm Carol’s suggestion and make an official revision to my guidebook along with a revised GPX track. But in the meantime I offer Carol’s recommendation to all who are presently in the trail.

As I’ve often said, it takes a village to make a guidebook. Thanks always to everyone whose comments are helping to improve our route.