Hello friends. My hike along the Viandante trail was quite eventful, but I hadn’t completed the entire route yet. So it was time to continue. Later, I headed to a new area. I arrived in Varenna and started my journey from there. If I’m not mistaken the northernmost olive groves in Europe are located here, just above Varenna. It turns out the stairs I climbed were private property. But we won’t tell anyone, right? If you can greet the locals politely, they will most likely smile and let you pass.
Hello, Mr. Cat. Will you accompany me on my journey?
There’s always something interesting hidden behind simple doors. A wasp decided to share my classic Italian breakfast with me, overlooking the lake and the castle. This region has a perfect temperate climate, so it’s common to see swings nestled under grapevines and fruit orchards filled with large, ripe apples.
After reaching the square I continued on my way. In coastal towns, cemeteries are usually built on hills, offering breathtaking views. I also noticed that many tombstones here feature photos of elderly couples in a cozy home setting, smiling happily. I think they deserve this beautiful scenery.
The next turn on the Viandante trail was left and downhill, but I saw an interesting sign: "Witches Forest". It was only 200 meters away, though it required climbing uphill. But how could I resist? I continued my journey, passing through olive groves. The stone-lined olive terraces reminded me a bit of the Gargano hills, but with much more greenery. I moved from a sunny path into a shaded passage. Something told me the witches here lived as friendly as possible. They had arranged this area nicely: benches, a playhouse and even… a bookcrossing spot. I left everything as it was for future readers.
Perhaps these deer were enchanted and turned into wooden figures. But at least they have been well cared for and kept out of the water. I didn’t encounter any witches this time, but now I have a reason to return.
There must be a special kind of raspberry growing here because they look quite different from the ones I’ve seen before. The path merges with the road at this point. I hope drivers don’t get as lost in these stunning cliffs as I do. Just like in the previous part of my journey, the metal signs make navigating the forest trails much easier.
The stones here are even older than the church itself. Unfortunately, this is quite common in Italy, parts of ancient buildings and structures have often been repurposed for later constructions.
After hours of hiking, I started feeling grateful for every sign pointing downhill instead of up. I love peeking over fences. Every shaded path eventually leads to a breathtaking view.
This building is several centuries old. Originally, there was a hay storage and a place for carts. Later over a few hundred years, an osteria was opened here for travelers along the Viandante trail. Some journeyed on foot, others on muleback. Since the journey was long, taking a break along the way was inevitable.
I couldn't wait to reach the beach. The mountains were, of course, magnificent, but all I could think about in this heat was getting down and diving into the water. I arrived at the last stop before descending into the city. A stream usually flows under the bridge here, though it had dried up this year. Its riverbed is fascinating.it sits at the junction of two ancient rocks. One is over a billion years old, dating back to the Archaeozoic era. The other isn't exactly young either, at over 270 million years old from the Permian period. Incredible.
And here this house is abandoned. Its door is open and its windows are boarded up, but the view below is breathtaking. I can understand why houses in the high, hard to reach mountains might be left uninhabited, but this one is only a 10-15 minute walk from Bellano, a large city with easy access to transportation, trains and ferries. Plus, the scenery is stunning.
I'm sure most of us wouldn't say no to living here for at least a month, surrounded by this spectacular view.
Hooray!!! Finally the long-awaited beach. And so, my little journey came to an end. I stepped back into my cool train carriage and set off for Milan.
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