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Via Francigena
  • Carolyn Hyde
  • Carolyn Hyde

Via Francigena

Walking Europe, Via Francigena in reverse. From Rome to Canterbury. 3 months on the road walking solo through Italy, Switzerland, France and England.
Key words. - tolerance, patience, and understanding Read more
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  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler
    The trail is just to the left of the road markerThe Frenchman and the pack that hurtled down into the torrentA marmot

    Day 52 San Bernard to Bourg St Pierre

    June 15, 2025 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    After breakfast with the other pilgrims ( most not walking but travellers) it started off down. At the advice of the others that had walked I took the road for the first few kms as the trail was covered in snowy mush which was really quite slippery. I passed about 6 walkers going up . One I met a a bridge that had a nice place to soak sore feet in the cold water. See the photo of the guy with a red pack. Well when he had just got his feet I the water hi pack fell over and the greenery the other side of the path was covering a steep bank. His pal hurtled down the bank and landed in the gushing torrent at the bottom ( which went into the dam). He without thinking and bare feet nearly killed himself retrieving his pack. I stayed to help what little I could and to call emergency in case he too was swept away or did himself damage as the bank was very steep to get back up. He lost some stuff (including his food) out of his pack and everything else was soaked. I gave him a couple of my muesli bars to see him to the top of the pass which was a long way off. Then I saw what I think were marmots and one hung around for me to get a photo. Still feeling tired from food poisoning my 900m, 14 km descent was enough for today. Toes are sore and quads feeling it.Read more

  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler
    2
    Waiting for dinner time. He viewnoit my window.

    Day 53 Bourg st Pierre to Orsieres

    June 16, 2025 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    It’s been a lovely day, not too hot , a bit of a cooler start today at 10°, mostly down hill, and not many kms. In saying that the descent makes my real knee ache. Tomorrow will be more of a mix of up and down so it may settle down. I feel my energy levels are coming back and today was enjoyable. There were Pine forests and wild flower fields nearly ready for hay making and I saw a very light coloured deer 🦌. It will be sad to say good bye to the mountains as they are nearly ended. Cow bells ringing in the air, and picture perfect Swiss mountain houses. I was expecting Heidi to come around the hill.Read more

  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler
    1A memorial to the cattle herders that have lost their lives3An awesome swing bridge

    Day 54 Orsieres to Martigny

    June 17, 2025 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    What an awesome day hiking. Proper hiking and not for the faint hearted. The hills I was walking along were pretty steep both in the ups and downs but the drop off the edge of the trail. I tried to take photos but unfortunately photos don’t show elevation. Big rocks, swinging bridges the a bounce factor of about 7, fungi, and a giant Bee. All in a days hiking.
    I will be very sad to say good bye to the mountains still with snow on the tops in mid JuneToday I ended up where I finished my journey 2 years ago. This means I have walked from Pontarlier in France to Rome. 🤩❤️🥰🐾🥳    Read more

  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler
    Very French I think1Just what every hiker needs at lunchtime

    Day 55 Travel Pontarlier

    June 18, 2025 in France ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Today was the day that I could now skip forward a few pages in the book. 2 years ago I did Pontarlier to Martigny before I called things off. So I can now fast forward to where I began to continue to Canterbury tomorrow. 3 trains and €60 later I arrive in France. 🇫🇷 only 48 stages to go.
    I have a few hard days ahead I hope the temperature cools down.
    My thoughts on Switzerland! 🇨🇭 The air is clean with very little haze, the streets are clean and the landscape is beautiful. It is EXPENSIVE. €20 for a pizza, €20 for burger king combo meal. If I was tempted to redo the route I did before the cost said no. Hopefully now in France especially the rural areas it will be cheeper but I have the feeling that Gite accommodation is not as cheep as the Ostello in Italy. 🇮🇹    Read more

  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler
    Even the deviation had some damage

    Day 56 Pontarlier to Mouthier-Haute

    June 19, 2025 in France ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    .
    What I didn’t realise until too late was the there is a diversion in place today that adds another 4km into the day. With accommodation already booked I had no choice but to do the extra.
    My day began at 6.30 to get as many kms in before the heat. This also allowed my afternoon to be leisurely, I couldn’t get into my Gite until after 4pm.
    The morning was walking through Pontarlier suburbs and then out into farmland. Interestingly no fences and so the whole area was cut and turned hay without fences getting in the way. The cows i did see were fenced with electric fencing.
    Then I came across a restaurant in the middle of nowhere and a path leading down a gorge. It revealed itself to be the source of the river Loue. The river came out of the side of a mountain I. A mouth like opening. Crystal clear water flowing out of a cave in the cliff. The Romans already knew about the place as there are roads and structures around the place. The concrete man at least took pity and left some of the Roman road for us to see.
    Then it was time for the diversion. I was dreading it but honestly it was the best part of the day. The VF was supposed to go along the gorge bottom but bad weather a few years ago damaged it and made it unsafe. The diversion took me to the top to the ridge above the gorge. It was awesome forest walking with occasional views out and down. And I saw a couple of small deer. I arrived at my Gite at 4 pm early but they let me in anyway. The village is small and quaint but it is on a hill so I didn’t do any exploring.
    I had a bath, my first since leaving NZ. It was awesome. 🛀
    A Hard but good day 27km with 520m up and 900m down    Read more

  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler
    Interesting decoration
    New shoes with the wine trail marker1Finally a little shade. Even if it was for about 200m

    Day 57 Mouthier HautePierre to Foucheran

    June 20, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Today was hard purely due to the heat. it was a day of walking along either country roads or old rail trails with very little shade. It was very much railway line walking like the NZ the rail trails with a continual but gental incline. I even had an old viaduct and a tunnel. It all sounds nice but in 29° it was no fun. I think I got a slight touch of heat stroke for the second day in a row making eating difficult. My Garmin says I lost 5 litres of sweat. That amount is very difficult to replace. No onset I don’t feel so good.
    Leaving early in the morning is nice for walking with the cooler temperatures and the birds and mist but that means I have to wait 3-4 hrs before I can get into my accommodation. It doesn’t work well. Take the sun away and it would have made for a nice day.
    It was a momentous day as I threw out my old shoes. They were like a comfort blanket. The new ones aren’t perfect but they will have to do.
    The area is known for it grapes and cherries. Apparently they are not very good for eating as they go off very quickly and so are used for wine (sweet like a sherry) and preserves.    Read more

  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler

    Day 58 Foucherns to Besancon

    June 21, 2025 in France ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    After a poor night struggling with my food poisoning again and I think heat stroke, I left Foucherns early (a town that has nothing but 2 churches). No heat for me today. I walked 5 km to the next town that had a train station and without scruples I took to it Besanćon. It is 10am and already 25° with a predicted 32°.
    I’m going to take a few nights here and recover and think about forming plan B. As the temperatures are set to get worse over the next 10 days.    Read more

  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler

    Day 59 Held up in Besancon

    June 22, 2025 in France ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Well I was supposed to moving on but my Food poisoning has come back and I think that is what is overheating me. It certainly is hot at 33°. I went to the dr this morning on now my 2 full day here and he has done bloods and given me some stuff but not antibiotics yet and wants to see me Wednesday 25th. Hopefully with the meds at least I can eat.
    I am aware that time is ticking but I really don’t feel like I can walk, the lethargy is quite bad. So we will see what a few days bring.
    Feeling annoyed, tired, disappointed.    Read more

  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler
    Well walking wheelFireing squad postsA WWII radio transmitter/reciever

    Besancon citadel wanderings

    June 24, 2025 in France ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Bored to tears resting in my room so after a visit to the lab for blood tests I walked up the hill (very slowly) to the 17thC Citadel.
    It has a history of being used to protect the town, to train soldiers, and a military prison. In WWII the Germans took it and used it as a prison and there is even the original posts used for the firing squad. About 100 resistance fighters died there..
    It has a walking wheel to draw water from its 132m deep well.    Read more

  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler

    Besancon to London

    June 25, 2025 in France ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    I had a drs review this morning and his opinion was - he doesn’t know. No treatment and see my dr at home when I get there if no better. Pretty disappointing but on the positive side I have had 4 days rest. Currently 34°.
    My thoughts are that in part it is food poisoning and in part heat stress. So
    I have decided to end the French section of the VF in Besancon, I’m sad to leave France as I was quite enjoying it but I am so happy that I have done what my initial intention was (Lausanne to Rome). I have done more Rome to Besancon in France 🇫🇷..
    Plan B is to escape the 30° heat here in France and go north to London. The intention is to maybe do the London to Canterbury/Dover Pilgrims way extension to the VF if I can get my head around the accommodation as I haven’t done any research on this section of the walk.
    Tomorrow’s train booked. London here I come.    Read more

  • Carolyn HydeVia FrancigenaTraveler
    St Pancras station
    China town streetNatural History MuseumBritish Natioal Museum1A citoleUp in my hotel room wall21CanterburyRome

    Days in London

    June 29, 2025 in England ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    After much searching and trying to make things work it was all too much at short notice (mainly accommodation) Rather than find things to do just to fill in time and spend money, and I’m still not completely well., I have decided to come home. Until my departure on the 30th I spend a few days in London. The temperatures are still I the low 30°s too hot for me.
    Yesterday I went to the Natural History museum and today the British museum. I have been to both many years ago and in parts they were unrecognisable from my past visit. People everywhere battering my senses. Still I’m glad I went. At the British museum I found an interesting violin type instrument called a citole. It had a removable partition the allowed more or less resonance depending if the strings were plucked or bowed.
    I had to change hotels today and i got the Mozart room it is a much nicer hotel.
    Sunday 29/6 I shouted myself to a bus trip to Dover castle and Canterbury cathedral. I love castles and it was well worth the visit. At Canterbury cathedral I got the VIP treatment as I was a pilgrim and I got my final stamp in my VF Credendtiale. It was the highlight of my London stay. (I’m not a shopper)    Read more

    Trip end
    July 2, 2025
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