Castelluccio

My guide book described Castellucio as a "desperately isolated village". Not sure if "desperate" is quite the right word, but certainly there isn't much else around. You need a car to get here. It feels a little like Shangri-La in the sense that you work your way through the mountains on twisting roads and then suddenly you come across this wide, flat, featureless prairie, the Piano Grande, ringed by large and mainly treeless mountains.

We parked the car and went out for a walk along one side of the Plain, beneath the village. While not warm, it was pretty mild. We were in luck with the weather after the torrential rain of the night before. It was just ideal for the hiking Thibault had been yearning for all week.

At one point over the brow of a little hill we came across a shepherd with his flock of sheep. Our presence attracted the excitement of his sheepdogs who came up to have a good bark at us.

This was a relatively short walk, after which we had lunch in a largely deserted pizzeria - and possibly the only pizzeria in Italy that served no pizzas at all! But you could forgive it for the view.

Fortified by a stodgy lump of pasta we headed up to the village (probably even more ruined by the 2016 earthquake than Norcia) and then on upwards for a 10km hike to a peak at about 1700 metres, with great views. This was a very entertaining hike, although lacking a deserted monastery or the like. No buildings at all outside the village, but varied terrain.

So here is that "desperately isolated village", with, you would have to admit, a very dramatic backdrop.

One of the things I liked about this hike is there was a clearly marked path, except for immediately around the peak when the trail disappeared. But most of it was proper roadway, albeit not a road you would want to take a normal car along.

Not a lot of vegetation up here apart from some low-growing stuff along the path, especially these vibrant blue thistles.

As I said, towards the peak we sort of ran out of trail. I should also add the nice, mild day gave way to serious winds up here

As you can also see Thibault always waited for his elderly, tubby friend to...No he didn't actually😄

The views amply rewarded the climb

And eventually I caught up with the main man.

The walk took us around the other side of the mountain and suddenly we were on a hillside being grazed by a large herd of semi-wild horses

And from grazing horses we entered a patch of ancient forest. It really was an interesting hike.

And then back we came to Castellucio. Couldn't really have asked for a nicer way to spend our last day. Certainly not one on the normal tourist trail, although the village is a recognized starting point for hikers. Just not many hikers around. We hardly came across anyone on this walk.

So that was it. Our adventure in Italy over. I shall gloss over the last day, driving to Rome for the flight back. It bucketed down with rain, so delighted really that the day before had been so nice. We couldn't have done anything at all around Norcia if the rain had been that bad.

Overall I can only say it was a brilliant break after doing so little for 6 months. Definitely worth the risk of breaking cover, which I can say comfortably now, since more than a fortnight has elapsed and I am showing no signs of anything untoward. We ate and drank well - so much so that I have put back on a couple of kilos that I had lost prior to coming out. Even Thibault getting me up a mountain couldn't counteract our consumption! We saw lots of wonderful places - Tuscany is justly commended. There is something to say for being moth-balled for centuries. 

And this was my tenth holiday with Thibault, so I think it is fair to say we must like each other's company well enough. Who knows if and when there will be an eleventh, but all I can say is that I have loved every one of the first ten! Thibault seems moderately tolerant of my almost limitless appetite for trotting round ancient ruins and old cathedrals and I happily (ish) pant up mountains in his wake. Obviously a perfect match😃