Costaccario
We were glad to be back home in quiet Costaccario, reunited with our caravan. Ron was very keen to get to the Sibilline National Park at the southern end of Umbria so the next day as it was fine and sunny we pack a few things and headed for them there hills.

Sibillini
This place was so much fun. There is a 9 day walk of the circumference of the park. This is beautiful country with large upland plains full of wild flowers and towering mountains.

Wildflowers

The first day we walked in a beautiful valley without another person, car, dog in sight. We found a cabin in a caravan park at Ussita. They provide a kitchen but no kitchen utensils i.e. nothing. I had to drink a glass of wine out of a vitamin pill bottle in desperation. So we went to the Trattoria for dinner. They were so kind to us and just brought us plates and plates of pasta, pizza, salami etc.

Our cabin

A picnic (we have one most days)

Castellangelo is a walled town on the lower slopes. Castelluccio a most beautiful village overlooking the Great Plain is Ron’s pick of all the beautiful towns we have seen in Italy. We stopped to buy local produce which included salamis, sheep cheese (which I can eat), lentils and truffles.

Castelangelo a walled town in the Sibillines

Castelluccio

The market at castelluccio

The 2nd day Ron decided that we would climb Mt. Vetorre the highest mountain in the Sibillines. The climb starts at 1600m and goes to 2400m. I have learnt that in this kind of country it is not km travelled that counts but height achieved.

The view from Mt. Vettore

We travelled to the start of the climb and there were stacks of people and cars. It was Italian Republic Day long weekend and every Italian and their dog seemed to have arrived at the Mt Vettore. Most walks we have done since we have been in Europe we have not seen a soul so this was a new phenomena. I had been saying things like “Italians do not appreciate their National Parks, they only like to eat and siesta and other nasty things” Boy was I wrong.

We started the ascent up a very steep windy track covered in small stone. On the descent it was very dangerous imagine walking on marbles. We met lots of nice people on the way. It was a fiesta atmosphere. After 2 hours I made it to the top. Ron turned back earlier. By then I had a nice young couple keeping an eye on me to make sure I was Ok (sweet).

Ron on the track up to Mt. Vettore

The last part of the climb

A map of Italy made out of trees viewed from the top

Well there were literally hundreds of people at the top all with their lunches watching a slalom ski competition on the last remaining patch of snow. Some had climbed with packs of horses. It was all an extraordinary sight. All these people had made this quite difficult ascent with lunches and children for a ski comp.