Accommodation was a bit tricky, I’m feeling tired, and so as I said previously, I decided to stay two night in the village of Borgo. I had intended to walk to Cismon del Grappa, but I only got as far as Grigno on my pack free day, which was pity as I was really enjoying it, but a storm thwarted my plans. I left early with every intention of covering the 30 kilometres or so, the morning was cool, the sun was shining, and the haze wasn’t too bad, looking away from the sun.
There were only going to be two days of mountains around me left. The valley is easy walking, but the mountains on either side really are spectacular. There was a remarkable difference with the amount of traffic on the path. I had been walking for half an hour before a cyclist passed me, and there weren’t very many at all throughout the day. The valley was getting narrower the further I went, but it wasn’t until the next day that it got to its narrowest point.
This meant that I had to do some juggling with where I would catch the train the next morning. I decided that I would skip a few kilometres and head to Primalano. I stopped and had breakfast in the bar across the road from the station and then set off. It was beautifully clear this morning, after the rain and the mountains looked stunning. I had some confusion to start, as in the section I had missed there had been a rock fall, with the route being diverted, and so looking for the start of my leg was a bit confusing. I watched the occasional cyclist that passed me like a hawk, trying to figure out where they were going so that I could copy them.
This was the stage that took me through the neck of the valley. I kept estimating that this was the narrowest part, initially hazarding a guess that it was about 500 – 600 metres wide, then I dropped it to about 400 and when I finally got to the narrowest part I decided that it was probably not much more than 150 metres wide – just enough room for a train track, a road, a river, and a cycling path! I was headed to Cismon del grappa, and one of the reasons I wanted to go there was that there are interesting old fortifications to be seen. However, once I got there I lost the desire to lug my pack up there and have a look. Instead I went to the church and had a look at the Santuario Nostra Signora del Pedancini. Here was an almost life sized statue of the Virgin Mary found by a deaf mute many hundreds of years ago. This has become a place of pilgrimage for the deaf. I was also feeling very lethargic and everything was an effort and so I decided that I would stop here and catch the train to Bassano del Grappa. Once I had arrived here and found a room I even had a siesta!
There were only going to be two days of mountains around me left. The valley is easy walking, but the mountains on either side really are spectacular. There was a remarkable difference with the amount of traffic on the path. I had been walking for half an hour before a cyclist passed me, and there weren’t very many at all throughout the day. The valley was getting narrower the further I went, but it wasn’t until the next day that it got to its narrowest point.
The strawberry farms are massive - this is just a small portion of one of them.
This seems the standard way to grow strawberries here. It makes it much easier for the pickers - no bending.
Following the Brenta down stream, the mountains always drawing the eye.
I walked along a road, as directed by the guide, which had a barrier up. I couldn' t see anything about pedestrians so continued along it. As I emerged at the other end I came across two shepherds moving their sheep, a huge flock, brwosing in the forest in the foothills.
I had been quite keen to go to Grigno to walk down what is known as the Trincerone (Great Trench). This is a n old WW1 trench that the Italians had built as defence. I had a bit of trouble finding it, but after a coffee in the bar and a chat to a lady I set off. I passed another bar though and decided to stop. The mountains had become covered in a black shroud, and it was obvious the heavens were going to open. The downpour stopped eventually and the barman said it was OK to go. Off I went – no rain, but had only gone a few hundred metres when I decided it would be prudent to put my jacket on and put up the umbrella and make a beeline for the bridge about 200 metres away. By the time I got there the bottom half of me was soaked. That wasn’t the concern though, it was the sound and light display going on overhead. I hunkered down under the bridge for 20 mins or so until the rain eased off, then made a dash to the bus stop. The storm was still crashing and banging above my head, and I had no intention of walking in that. A couple of days ago the thunder (and lightning) was a long way away in the mountains, but this day it was directly overhead – far more dangerous. I was very glad that I didn’t have to deal with a wet pack, and try and find a room in those conditions too, and instead just return to my room and dry out.
The storm approaching at Grigno, looking up the valley .......
...... and down the valley.
The WW1 trench (above & below)
This meant that I had to do some juggling with where I would catch the train the next morning. I decided that I would skip a few kilometres and head to Primalano. I stopped and had breakfast in the bar across the road from the station and then set off. It was beautifully clear this morning, after the rain and the mountains looked stunning. I had some confusion to start, as in the section I had missed there had been a rock fall, with the route being diverted, and so looking for the start of my leg was a bit confusing. I watched the occasional cyclist that passed me like a hawk, trying to figure out where they were going so that I could copy them.
Leaving Primalano
Always the rock faces of the mountains
This was the stage that took me through the neck of the valley. I kept estimating that this was the narrowest part, initially hazarding a guess that it was about 500 – 600 metres wide, then I dropped it to about 400 and when I finally got to the narrowest part I decided that it was probably not much more than 150 metres wide – just enough room for a train track, a road, a river, and a cycling path! I was headed to Cismon del grappa, and one of the reasons I wanted to go there was that there are interesting old fortifications to be seen. However, once I got there I lost the desire to lug my pack up there and have a look. Instead I went to the church and had a look at the Santuario Nostra Signora del Pedancini. Here was an almost life sized statue of the Virgin Mary found by a deaf mute many hundreds of years ago. This has become a place of pilgrimage for the deaf. I was also feeling very lethargic and everything was an effort and so I decided that I would stop here and catch the train to Bassano del Grappa. Once I had arrived here and found a room I even had a siesta!
The narrowest part of the valley.
A suspension bridgeheading to Cismon. The boards were uneven, some were starting to rot, though still firm on most of it, and there were gaps in between the boards. I DID NOT enjoy crossing this!Throughout the section, cyclists all seem to think that the signs to say walking only doesn't apply to them!
Cismon del Grappa. The Santuario Nostra Signora del Pedancini
Bassono del Grappa
Another storm approaching.
My guest house in Bassano was a former monastery. The nuns would have sat around this table.
I am uncertain as to what to do next. I am tired and need a rest day, but I am meeting my friend Jill in a week and so I will need to catch up a day or so, not just for that, but because I have a plane to catch in 7 weeks time!. At some point I will need to catch a train or bus to do this, and am still trying to work out the best place to do so. I would like to have a rest day in Padova, which is where the Cammino d’SantAntonio starts. When I walked this path a few years ago I didn’t join it until Bologna and so it would be good to walk the first part of it now. It is also good to have filled in some of the gaps of the Via Claudia Augusta that I walked bits of in 2014 – I am slowly joining the dots! Thus far the blog is up to date – at last!
What an interesting blog , and I’m tired just reading it !! Take care x
ReplyDeleteHi Janet If you’re looking to skip part of the VRG I would have to say that although interesting in its own way, the section from Ferrara to Ravenna is the bit I’d choose . There are days of almost straight flat walking with not a lot to see.
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