Day 16: Roccaromana to Alife

Today was a real adventure - the Way (21.16 km) can really surprise you! It started off well enough, the climb out of Roccaromana was difficult and very much worth the effort. The view from the restored Norman Tower at the top was spectacular. As I walked into the small village of Baia e Latina I was offered water by a man tending his garden and my coffee was paid for by a nice man in the Cafe. Walking through Dragoni, was where things took a turn! I was following the VF signs when I realised I should have made a left turn, according to my map, so, I retraced my steps and made the turn. But, there was a very big dog in the middle of the narrow laneway so I thought I'd try following the signs. At the next intersection there was no signs to indicate the Way, so I walked down the road running parallel to the road (a main road) on my map and then rejoined the road, which was now dirt, which my map had told me to take. The trouble began at the highway underpass, it was a quagmire, and I sunk into the mud mid calf. I had to grab the vegetation on the side to pull myself out. That resulted in me getting seriously stung by nettles on my left hand and arm (through my shirt) and both of my bare legs - even after my shower I continue to feel the tingles! Not long after that, a path appeared, which seemed to be "official" if a little over grown. Fair enough, I thought, there are not many pilgrims, so I continued on my way. That path abruptly ended at the bank of the Volturno river and I literally had to bush bash my way through the trees and the undergrowth, pushing myself through a gap in a chained fence to get to the roadway and bridge to cross the river! The only VF signs I saw after that were obviously old and makeshift (see the photo), but, what else could I do, I had to follow my map? And, the really weird thing is that, even though I've had a good walk around Alife, I have not seen one single VF sign or any indication that I am on the Path - weird!Read more