Friday: On the day we left Firenze the weather forecast was for rain all day so we decided to take the train to our first stop on our pilgrimage  – Pontassieve.  Ed has a cold and neither of us have gear for heavy rains. Before we left Firenze we went to Church of Santa Trinita which has a series of paintings on the life of San Francesco,  attributed to Giotto (our third try to find it open). On the way to the train station  we stopped at the St Lorenzo church.  As we left St. Lorenzo a heavy rain started on our walk to the station. Train to Pontassieve was comfortable. It was raining heavily when we got off the train and on the short walk to our albergo. We secured our first Pelligrino stamp on our passport at this albergo.

On Saturday morning we started walking from Pontassieve. We stopped at a farmacia on our way out of town to buy some cold medicine. The recomendation was for a pill that combines ibuprofen and Sudafed. 

The path was very rough and uphill for most of the 20 Km. Uphill was +3,400 ft. Then we had a 1,500 ft downhill to end the day.  It was cloudy for the first 4 hours and rained for the last 2.5 hours. Grade went from 10° – 20° up and down. We went to Messe at 6:00 pm at the parish church of Consuma.

Sunday: From Consuma to Stia there was a forecast for rain after 1:00pm so we started walking at 7:30 am — early for us!. We got a ride to our starting point. We walked in a light rain for 2 hours and then 3 hours under overcast skies. The day’s walk was 15Km, 1,700 ft up, 3,400 ft down. Walking down is hard on our legs and the track is often muddy and slippery even when it’s not actually raining.

Monday: From Stia to Camaldoli via Eremo Camaldoli we got a ride to our starting point and began walking at 9:00 am. NO rain today! We arrived at the Eremo, a 1,000 year old working Benedictine monastery, around 1:30 pm. After a quick look around there we walked into Camaldoli village around 3:00 pm. We went back to the Eremo after checking in to the albergo. 

Like all days on this Camino, the walk to Camaldoli involved walking from a valley floor,  over hills or small mountains and down to the next valley.  This day had a 3,500 ft up and a 2,000 ft down along the 17 Km hike. As we walked along through the Parco Nationale Forresta Casentinesi,  which is heavily treed, we heard birds singing,  water flowing,  and the sun peeking through the trees.  Near the end of the day we saw the sun shining over the top of one hill onto the hill on the other side of the valley. Later in the day the valley floor would be in shadows and the sun rested on the higher parts of  the hills. It made me think,  as we walk the Camino di San Francesco,  of the beauty of the natural world.  I am sure that Francesco saw it every day,  everywhere he went.  I am happy that I could see it through St Francis’ eyes today.

Tuesday: The last walk before reaching Sanctuario DellaVerna was ftom Camaldoli to Badia Prataglia.  Very steep grade  – 20° – 30°+ all day, up and down. First 2 hours seemed to be straight up hill. Only 9 Kms but 1,700 ft up and 1,600 ft down. No rain today.  It was a good day.  The next post will be from Sanctuario della Verna.