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Umbria - Italy's Green HeartBy David QuickWalking in Italy usually brings with it a true sense of adventure. I think this has a lot to do with the very paths along which you walk. Unlike, say in Britain, where paths are almost always well-waymarked and frequently very popular, in Italy you tend to follow ancient tracks and trails that evoke past ages in a very real sense. In researching our walk in Umbria, I had plenty of time to ponder such matters, as well as an encounter with an animal which, more than any other, is bound by myth and legend: the wolf. It was March, and Rome blazed with heat dragged north from the Sahara. In temperatures of 30°C, we sat in the squares and sipped prosecco like it was July. The whole city took the opportunity to get outside and shed its winter garments, donning the first shorts, and short skirts, of the long summer that seemed to beckon. One can hardly fly to Rome and just get on the train and leave, so a night or two in the 'Eternal City' is an essential prelude, or postscript, to a week's walk in Umbria. 
The train ride to Spoleto is not long, less than two hours, but long enough to enter a different world. Leafy hills, sleepy hamlets, with glimpses of brooding mountains beyond. It feels like walkers' country, and it is. But before you set out, there is another city to enjoy, though one that has the friendly atmosphere of a small town: Spoleto. Small, but rich in magnificent monuments, as I discovered strolling around the medieval streets from the unassuming, welcoming Hotel Clitunno: a Roman arch, the famous 14th-century aqueduct, and, most beautiful of all, the Romanesque Duomo, facing a unique, fan-shaped square. With bed and breakfast only at the hotel, you are free to try the town's excellent restaurants – I recommend the Appollinare, where you can get your first taste of Umbrian cooking (rich and tasty, with wonderful mushrooms and truffles in season, and dark, robust red wines such as Rosso di Montefalco). The next day, we set off on the walk, dropped off a mile or two beyond Spoleto by our taxi driver. As soon as we turned off the road, along a stony path, we entered a magical world, descending rapidly into ancient woodland, then climbing to a panoramic pass. From here, we joined one of the region's stone footpaths that date from medieval times, if not earlier, and which until perhaps the middle of the last century were the main ways of communication between the villages. After a couple of hours of steady walking, we reached the hamlet of Le Cese, from where a broad track led us up to another pass, and further panoramic views. By now, we could see the real difference between this region of Umbria and the more familiar parts of Tuscany, its neighbour to the north. While Tuscany is soft and pretty, Umbria is wild and dramatic. Up on the pass, we found a woodland path that led us past an ancient wayfarers' chapel, and we knew that the abbey of San Pietro in Valle could not be far. This abbey is a truly remarkable place in which to stay, in the rooms that once housed the contemplative monks. The elegant simplicity of the bedrooms seems entirely appropriate, and with two nights here, we had time to relax and unwind after a fine long walk. 
The next day began with a taxi transfer along the beautiful Nera Valley, to reach another ancient village, Visso, right on the boundary of the Sibillini National Park. We stocked up on provisions in a friendly shop in the square, had a quick espresso in a bar, and set off into the park, along a broad track. After an hour's steady ascent, the track levelled out, and we entered an area of grassy moorland fringed by rocky hills. Beyond, the peaks flashed their snow-capped tops, and we added a layer or two of clothing. Rome seemed far away. We walked in silence, enjoying the pristine beauty, and not passing a single other walker. Then something moved on the edge of the valley, and a creature bounded up the slope, around 400 metres from where we walked. A fox, I thought; then, as it paused to stare down on us from a rock, another glimpse of it: a very large fox, indeed. More leaps up the hillside, another turn and stare. The biggest fox you ever could see. So big it could only be a wolf. It was a true privilege to see one of these creatures, and tribute to the work of the Park, which has sustained a growing wolf population in recent years. After a picnic lunch amidst the scenic splendour of the high mountains, we wound our way down to the village of Preci, passing the path that leads down to the hermit's cave and chapel of San Fiorenzo, just one of the dozens of such monuments in the region. Saint Francis of Assisi, too, would have walked these paths. The Hotel Agli Scacchi was clean and comfortable, with good, traditional cooking. 
If the walking had been tremendous so far, it was to get better. The next day's route took in the ancient abbey of San Eutizio, and then a medieval path around the mountain to reach the village of Campi. From here, we headed up the valley, reaching another pass that gave us views of our destination, Norcia, below. Another stone path led us down to Norcia, a marvellous walled town full of atmosphere, where we had the week's best meals at our hotel's restaurant, the Granaro del Monte. The final day's walk was the grand climax. From the town, we looked up to the mountains of the Park, and could see the first part of our route. It looked long and steep, so we set off in some trepidation on another warm morning. We took the climb steadily, and the path was sure and easy to follow. We paused every few minutes to enjoy the views back to Norcia, until we finally emerged into the grassy uplands once again. Shortly, the week's final surprise is revealed: the vast plain known as the Piano Grande. Later in spring, the plain is a blaze of colour. In late March, the scene was bleaker, but nonetheless dramatic. The final ascent was to the remote village of Castelluccio, overlooking the plain, a village as isolated as any in Italy, and a suitably atmospheric place to end a quite spectacular week's discovery of Umbria. Other Travel DiariesTo read about the experiences of other members of staff on their Inntravel holidays, visit our travel diaries archive.  |
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