DAY 78 - CAMPAGNANO DI ROMA to LA STORTA - 7 July 2026

-

First and second breakfast happened in quick succession today. We ate our own muesli and rockmelon then used the voucher the accommodation supplied for a cappuccino and jam croissant in a bar down the road.  

Well-fortified, we followed the signs out using a combination of footpaths and quiet roads.

Soon we descended to the Parco Veio, established as part of a greenbelt around Rome. Signs warned us not to touch the animals, but although at one stage we saw three cows in the distance, we didn't see the wild boar or deer that we were hoping for. 

At Formello we had planned to see the glass staircase engraved with the names of the stages of the Via Francigena, but it was closed. The medieval main street was closed too, as there was a film crew there, but we were able to explore some of the side streets. We found a delightful bar across the road from the medieval centre and had a third breakfast. 

Returning to the Parco Veio, we found ourselves scrambling over and under vegetation at times. At one of these fallen logs, we finished our breakfast juice and had a muesli bar, but decided to wait for the picnic tables for lunch.

We were interested to read about and view any of the remains of the great Etruscan city that once stood here. With its defensive walls and position, Veii withstood a Roman siege for 10 years but was eventually destroyed and the inhabitants killed or sold into slavery. Today, little visible evidence of the city remains, and most of the signboards had vanished too.

In the absence of a picnic table, we ate yesterday's cheese and salad on another fallen log. We continued to an historic mill, with scenic waterfall and bridge, before heading uphill to La Storta and our accommodation. 

Leaving  Campagnano di Roma this morning 
The Via Francigena on from Campagnano di Roma 
The Via Francigena on to Formello
Passage blocked by a film set in Formello
Formello
Rest stop in Formello
Mural in Formello
There were a few obstructions on the path today. This one was fine if you didn't have to duck too far . . . 
 . . . but more of a challenge if you were a bit taller 
Onwards on the Via Francigena 
No benches or picnic tables on the way today, but we found a couple of well-placed logs for our rest stops
We were very keen to read about the important ancient Etruscan city of Veii as we walked through the site where it once stood, but the informative signboards were mostly non-existent
Photographing some Etruscan ruins. An information board here would have been useful. 
Walking through the site where Veii once stood. Hard to believe from the current landscape that this was once a major city. 
Down through an Etruscan sunken road
One of today's highlights - the Cascata della Mola Veio
Just a bit further on, the Via Francigena joined the busy Via Cassia at La Storta
Pizza for dinner
Bits and pieces
Flower
2 birds and a fish
Day 78 - Map

Day:                               78
Distance:                      23.63 km
Walking time:               5 hrs 07 mins
Elevation gain:             483 metres
Cumulative distance:  1606.77 km

Comments

  1. Anonymous9 July 2026 at 02:26

    Sometimes a log for lunch is a great option!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Barkers9 July 2026 at 07:01

    Yes, better than sitting on the ground!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PREPARING FOR ANOTHER LONG WALK

-
Image
We're excited to be getting ready for another adventure! This time we are heading to Italy. The plan is to walk from the East Coast to the West Coast,  starting from Marina di Ravenna on the Adriatic Sea on Tuesday 21 April, arriving at Ostia on the Tyrrhenian Sea on Sunday 12 July.  Using walking paths and small roads, we aim to cover about 25 km most days,  with plenty of rest days in interesting places in between. We've pre-booked bed and breakfasts and small hotels in the places we pass through.  We're planning to write a blog post about our experiences every day. Follow along to share in wonderful vistas, fabulous food and the joys of long distance walking! Coming soon: Reading, Preparation 
Read more

TRAINING

-
Image
Approaching Lennox Head Last Saturday we completed our final training walk, from Ballina to Lennox Head. When we are travelling, our phones are very important. We use the Samsung Health app to record the day's walking statistics, take photos with the camera app, then compile the blog on our phones in the evening. Shouldering our full packs, we started out from Lighthouse Beach in Ballina. The fine drizzle gave us the opportunity to test out our hands-free umbrella holding system. We found something that worked for Kath, but Russell's is still a work in progress. We followed the sealed path along the coast, admiring fine views before heading into the coastal scrub. The path was busy and we shared it with cyclists, joggers, fellow walkers and a couple of groups in training for long distance walking - one even planning on walking the Via Francigena like us! The new facilities at Sharpes Beach - toilet, water, benches - were being well patronised. Someone had even built rock cairns...
Read more

DAY 1 - MARINA DI RAVENNA to RAVENNA - 21 April 2026

-
Image
Ceremonial selfie to mark the start of the walk - Marina di Ravenna After a wonderful week with family and friends we were very excited to begin our walk today!  We flagged down the 5:30 am bus to get to Marina di Ravenna, our starting point,  in time for sunrise over the Adriatic. We walked along the breakwater, marvelling over the fishing huts jutting out into the sea.  One of them provided a temporary shelter as we scrambled into wet weather gear when the weather changed.  Luckily the rain and wind did not last for long.  The wet boardwalk and early morning light made for good photography as we followed a coastal bike path. Many of the beach shack restaurants,  closed at the moment,  looked as if they could be washed away in a good storm!  Leaving the coast, our path took us through fields of crops and workers planting trees before heading back into Ravenna for breakfast and a rest at our hotel. Ravenna is known for its wonderful mosaics. We ha...
Read more