Day 16: Stage 12: Foligno, 20 kms, Mixed Bag, 24°

Pilgrims! You’re Going The Wrong Way!

I have learned over the years that sometimes decisions are just made for you when you’re on a walk like this. I woke up this morning to hear the sound of the rain, and it looked like it have been raining all night. So, decision made, the lower route it is. As the above map shows, the upper route doesn’t really get that much higher than the lower route until closer to the end. I wasn’t gonna miss much on a day like today.
I found my way out of town through the winding small streets.
One look out across the valley, confirm that I made the right decision, or rather the right decision been made for me.

Through one of the city gates, they are very cool, and off I went!
The first set of signs told me how far I have still ahead of me to get to Rome. I think it’s 10 stages. So most days won’t be exceedingly long. Of course, I’ve learned not to trust the signs, because I know today is about 20 km to Foligno, not 13.5!

I stopped early on and put my pack cover on my bag and pulled on my rain jacket. I was pretty sure I was gonna have to keep it on all day, but certainly at this point I need it on.

I don’t think the views from the upper trail would’ve been particularly special today. On a sunny day this would’ve been a brilliant stage!

However, you play the cards you’re dealt and hope that things will work out.

As I sit here writing this post, I’m sitting on a nice little veranda where I can get data access. It’s starting to rain again and I’m glad there’s a restaurant close by. In the meantime, I can munch on potato chips and drink a cold Moretti Birra while I write🙂🍻 Dinner won’t be until about 8:00 pm. Welcome to Italy.

That’s Assisi behind me in the top right corner. 

The rain made all the roadside grasses and flowers hang out into the road. As you’ll see, this amused me for quite a while. 🤣








The sun suggested that it was going to make an effort to come out. The rain actually stopped, and I stripped off my wet gear.




I could see where the sun was popping out and lighting up some of the lower valley. Things were looking up!

I met 4 other walkers on this part of the stage. Two women from California who had just been walking a couple of days and were only walking on to Assisi, and a couple from Switzerland who have been walking a different route for the past four weeks and planned to finish in Assisi as well. The only issue was that they were going in the opposite direction! Hard to make friends on this route.😑 

The Swiss couple told me that they had met two Canadians who are presently two stages ahead of me. I asked it was a mother and daughter team? They said it was and that the mother was quite elderly, close to 80. Ken, I think this is your friend Anne who you mentioned to me. I’ve been watching for them, but the lack of other walkers to ask about their whereabouts has made this the first news I’ve received. Apparently they are able to send their packs ahead each day, which is quite a relief when you consider that one of the women is 80 years old. This gives me hope for the future! 🙂

And then Spello came into view. 


Spello is another one of those mediaeval hill towns. It’s worth a visit and I might’ve stayed longer except that I had promised my host today that I would be here by 1300.

Caitlin, this is so your door!
It was a very cute town, and it was clear that the residents had made a real effort.





Leaving Spello. 



Just 3-4 km to Foligno. 

Dad, Annemarie told me that you were coming over to the house today to hill my potatoes. When I saw these potatoes by the side of the road under the olive trees, I thought that you would probably be enjoying yourself  at some point today! Thanks for doing this. 
Costanza, I haven’t heard from you for a while, and I think you’re away on your course, right? I thought of you today when I spotted this pride of cats. There were actually 6 cats. One was camera shy. 
I think this is one of the few times that I have ever seen a church in the middle of a traffic circle. That’s pretty innovative!

Apparently, there are a few Naples football fans in the area. They were the Italian champions this year for the first time since Maradona played for them away back when.

And then I was in. I read that Foligno was badly bombed during WWII. Great efforts were made to rebuild the centre of town, particularly the churches. Unfortunately I couldn’t get into the main Basilica because it’s undergoing a massive restoration.



I stopped for a slice of pizza and a cold drink. There were three German folks sitting beside me, each with a pack. I asked them if they were walking to Assisi and they replied, sort of. It seems that they are not walking, but are following the route by train. I’m not sure how they’re doing that because there are only three train access points. However, they too were going in the wrong direction.🫤


I guess I have to change my title!  As I sit here on my little balcony outside the door to my room, a couple just came around the corner, and we all started to laugh! I met them with three other people, two weeks ago in Consuma. This was the German couple who I shared dinner with along with another Swiss couple and an Austrian fellow. They have just walked in from Assisi and stopped on their way through town to have their dinner. Apparently Germans eat a lot earlier, as do we in Canada. But this is Italy, and I eat when they do. I think there was talk of a beer together in a little while, and I will then go and find my dinner. I found a little place about a block away, so I won’t get too wet.

Tomorrow is another day. I have yet to review the stage, but I believe there’s a little more involved than today. Hopefully this rain will stop, but if not I have my wet gear. All good!