• Dog Walker

Sentiero Italia 2023

Sentiero Italia / Va Sentiero with a dog ( 2023 - Nobo)
We start in Sicily the Via Francigene di Sicilia to Trapani first.
https://sentieroitalia.cai.it
https://www.vasentiero.org
https://lighterpack.com/r/263eia
Les mer
  • H-day 14_3

    7. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    After the last beach walking we hiked above Passo del Lupo. A nice spot to view in 2 directions. There is a small shelter up there, but it was too cold and windy. So we decided to walk 400hm down and there are a fire bivaccos. Luckily one was open. Not very clean but still fine. I think the night will be cooked and it is good to stay inside.

    47200 steps - 35km
    Les mer

  • H-Day 15 Zingaro & Scopello

    8. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    It gets more remote with less mobile signal. But if we pass a small village like Scopello it gets much more touristy. You see it's cleaner and more foreigners are walking around.

    In the morning I have left the Zingaro Park entrance. Interesting.... From the side I have entered was no sign at all, which I realized. Immediately an office left the cashier (yrs, you have to pay entrance fee) and talked to me. Because of the dog! Oh....I wondered. No sign before anyway. He said it is not allowed in the park. Well, I've asked him if this can be in many parks on the SentieroItalia. Then he replied... Ah.. If you walk the SentieroItalia, you just walk. No problem (with the dog). Kind of exception. Nice! I love it, if people are enthusiastic about their trail.Les mer

  • H-Day 15 on the way to Alcamo

    8. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Every place is busy cause of Easter. At the water fountain/spring we've filled up water and have had a break. It takes not 5
    Min and one car after the other stops, packs out 20l canisters and fill up to 100l of water each. Well... This water must be "molto bueno".

    Today we have a warm day, but again with fresh wind. Still... My dog has problems with the heat. But at least there is much more water and creeks on the north side of the island. It feels more green. Less blooming. Less dry ground.

    The trail is really more up and down now. Sometimes road, sometimes gravel 4wd road, sometimes nice soft soil path.

    We try to reach Alcamo today. For shopping in the evening. But seems to me we are too slow. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and everything is closed. Just before people have told me, that Monday is no holiday here. Sounds good regarding shopping groceries.

    46300 steps - 34.7km
    Les mer

  • H-Day 16 Alcamo & further (EasterSunday)

    9. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    This was a shit night. No rain or just a drizzle at 1am was predicted. The dogs paws have made problems yesterday afternoon and evening. We switched to paved roads. It hasn't been much traffic and it was not much longer on the road. But he could walk easier without stepping on so many small stones.
    This resulted in finding harder a camping spot. So we have hidden behind a small stall some meters away from the road. The ground has been cemented. And I could not pitch the tarp well.
    So the drizzle arrived much earlier at night and the next morning hours it started to get windy and immediately started to rain a lot. We got partly wet and have had panic. Especially at the moment the thunderstorm started, still in the dark, we packed everything into the backpack. Shit if everything is wet. The weather forecast still predicted sunny weather. The sky has been still full of clouds.
    Walking further on the road it was okay with Lupo.
    5k further a dog started to bark. Some others set in too. We walked further until I realized the barking gets closer. They formed a pack of stray dogs and followed us on the main road. A pack of about 7 dogs barking and running behind us. Sometimes I needed to chase them and they turned around. Not for long and they followed us again.
    It took about 1-2km until I really was successful.
    So annoying.

    Finally arriving in Alcamo, all supermarkets I walked to have had closed. And they are outside the city and it is always a detour to walk. So we headed to the center. Suddenly a shepherd dog ran in the city toward us pretty fast. I tried to avoid that he comes close. No way. Even the bamboo stick did not impress him. He sniffed to Lupo and started immediately to bite. Again! I hated it. Like always I started to shout and this time I started to use the bamboo. It broke immediately. But I could chase him. I was so angry. And what happened!? The female owner of the dog appeared at a corner. Ways too late. So it was just a normal dog with such a behavior. And the woman only talked a bit to her dog. Normally I should have shout at her too.

    Some streets further a dark skinned foreigner approached me. Wanted to have lots of money because of whatever. I could not understand his Italian language. It took awhile until he disappeared. We tried to get an overview and went into a cafe. And... He was in there too. Drinking coffee. This poor man!

    In the bar, I got the information that today everything is closed. But tomorrow supermarkets will be open. So 40km further will be a possibility to get some food. Hopefully Lupo can walk that far.
    Les mer

  • H-day 16_2 crossing Meadows

    9. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We've ran with the wind across so many meadows. Cows are grazing and also some sheep herds. We pass some farms... Gates open, sure. It doesn't matter if a herd or a farm....always 2-8 dogs start to bark and run to you. Barking.... Same same, just different...I hope that this does not have a bad end.
    I am not sure if all the dogs actually belong to the sheltered. Seems to me he has only 1 or 2. All the others are probably stray dogs joining the herd.

    Sometimes it is nice, you have a view to the sea. And Palermo probably. Lots of olive trees and Vineyards. Some other fruit trees too. But most trees just start to bloom. I thought that they are much further in season. So there is not that huge difference to further north.

    50700 steps - 38.5km
    Les mer

  • H-Day 17

    10. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    2 passes crossed so far. About 1000m in height. We are resting at 13:00 in a cafe. After the 2 passes, 23.5km, changing weather from cloudy and cold to sunny and hot all the time, and doing groceries in town, Lupo and me are tired. Let's see how far we will get today. It depends on the landscape and weather. They've predicted lots of rain in the afternoon. But it doesn't look like rain. I think the wind has blown the clouds away.Les mer

  • H-Day 17_2 Tipi

    10. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    We've got by the rain. Unfortunately before this Tipi appeared.

    Well... It seems to me the sky will not open so soon. And now it is wet and windy. We are now at 1000m height. It will be cold here at night, but I still decided to stay at the tipi. I wanted to walk about 8km further into the forest. I think there will be lots of good camping sites. But Lupo wanted to stop anyway and here we have protection. So I end the day safely.
    Hopefully there will be more sun tomorrow.

    38.700 steps - 28.3km
    Les mer

  • H-Day 18 Bosco della Ficuzza

    11. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Fresh night, fresh day... Only in direct sunshine it is warm. It switches between cloudy and sunny all the time. We walk completely alone through the forest. Wild boars must be here everywhere. I see the holes they dig everywhere. Some house poo on the way. Seems to me it is a very gorgeous house trail.
    Lupo stops often today. He is not in the mood to hike a lot. Sometimes the gravel road is not ideal for him. So we stopped and listen to the wind in the trees and all these different birds singing all the time.
    Les mer

  • H-Day 18_2

    11. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    We stop again very early. We stay in the forest at 17:00. Lupo is tired the whole day and walking further would mean to do a shopping run until the evening and camp close to wind wheels again. That's probably cold wind at night. So we will have a very long night and pass the supermarket tomorrow at 8:30am.

    38.600 steps - 28.6km
    Les mer

  • H-Day 20 Montemaggiore Belsito

    13. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
  • H-Day 20_2 to Scillato

    13. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We've just seen a rot wild boar. The team away spotting us.

  • H-Day 20_3 - Scillato

    13. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    The way to Scillato was hard for me. My lower left leg makes some troubles hiking down and on uneven ground. So we slower down a lot.
    We've also stopped before the town to walk thru in the morning for eating and a coffee. Afterwards we should hike far with more elevation meters in one state. To hike up into the mountains of "Park delle Madonie" and also from the guy the next stage down into the valley. The weather forecast says stronger rain this night and the next day fine again.
    So I hope I have the sleeping setup well enough to have a calm night.

    44.600 steps - 32.3,km
    Les mer

  • H-Day 21 Nature Park Madonie (Bivacco)

    14. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    We've started at 6:30am after a coke and slightly rainy night. To much wind from the wrong direction blow is into the tarp setup.
    So we walked down into Scillato and have had breakfast. After town it is a long climb up through different terrain. Step streets, meadows, rocky trail, bush (no markings), forest trail and finally meadows and forest roads. It got colder and colder. Started to rain slightly and hefty wind gusts. Snow leftovers have been up there. It got very good. Especially with the wind. So we reached a bivacco and this one was open. Very simple. Fireplace only outside and no water at all. Dark inside the hut.
    After having a break, and drying the tarp etc. I've decided to finish the day and sleep inside. So we've rested. There problem was the temperature. The building was not 100% wind resistant. So it was inside as cold as outside. Even the snow I collected in the afternoon was not melted the next day. So temperatures have been without wind around 0°C.
    It was a cold night. It was okay only in the sleeping bag.

    No water and no warm place was the reason I decided to walk further. The weather forecast is pretty bad. Much more rain for a few days and cold. But in 1400 to 1600m and freezing temperatures and probably snow is not nice. So better to walk to lower altitudes.

    The next days there is no food supply and probably no phone reception often. I will need to save battery and get online rarely.

    24.500 steps - 16.5km - 1400hm+
    Les mer

  • H-Day 25 Nebrodie Park

    18. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Just a short note that I am still alive. I've lost lots of energy and the left lower leg is not that good.
    We've survived now 3 days of rain and just some hours ago the sun has appeared. The forecast is better, but not really that good.
    The clouds stick in the mountains and I am almost at the top ridge of these mountains. So it is a lot of fog. Wet air. Drizzle. Sometimes sun, but windy.
    It has so much rained. That water is everywhere.
    Wild boars can be seen all the time. And they dig on the trail, they dig the meadows, they dig in the forest... everywhere. That results in lots of mud on the path and lots of water pools. Water comes down everywhere.
    I must step into the pools and the shoes are wet all day long. This water is freezing cold too.
    For 2 hours I was hiking today in 5 to 20cm of snow. Without any real path. This cost me lots of energy and mind.
    I hope I do not get much snow again.

    Once, I have seen Etna completely white. This here was tough enough. So I guess I will not do the Etna loop. Still some time to think about it.

    But here, you are alone. You meet only pigs. Almost no shelter. Forest all the time. Sometimes tough to navigate. Hard to walk in the mud, especially up and down.

    Sleeping in the tarp would be terrible. But there is not much shelter. Until now I have had real luck. I've found a bus stop once, a stable and a simple shelter. It was good protecting against wind and rain. But not for the cold temperature.
    And the problem is that you are really wet of you stop. You get cold immediately. The dog also needs a lot time to get dry and shakes all the time. He is dirty too. So it is really the limit and no fun.
    I hope weather gets warmer.

    2 hiking days have been only 20km. But it was really enough. You get tired in these conditions and if you find shelter you take it. And rest.

    Thinking about if it was right to take the shelter so early, I must say yes. There was nothing on the way further close enough.

    Just now I've found this noble restaurant and drink a coffee and charge the phone and the watch. There is still nothing further.... And food gets less. There is probably only 1 or 2 small villages before Messina. Let's see how it works out.

    At least...I have no water problem....
    Les mer

  • H-Day 25_2

    18. april 2023, Italia ⋅ 🌙 5 °C

    We've reached the CAI Bivacco. I thought it is closed and we need to sleep outside. Lucky us it is open. Simple. But we are protected. And it got cold at 1400m.

    Longest day I think.,. I've realized that show running was easier for my lower leg than walking. So we've jogged a long part of strage 2 from the restaurant to the cabin.

    66.000 steps. - 50.5km
    Les mer

  • H-Day 26

    19. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    I can see Etna snow white. So we walk straight in Messina direction. Not really supermarkets on the way. But in Floresta I've got 2kg cat food for Lupo. So at least he must not be hungry on the way.

    Just some minutes ago, a Sicilian older man stopped with his car and started to talk. Finally I filled my bottle with a good red wine from this area. Very nice. I don't have much food, but at least some wine . Well, normally I get bread everywhere. So I should be fine
    Les mer

  • H-Day 26_2 San Basilio

    19. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    The day passed by faster then I thought. Nothing special and lots of dirt road walking. Not many elevation meters. Wind wheels. It switches between sunny and cloudy all the time with still fresh air. But walking in shorts was fine. And at these lower altitudes, much less water puddles and mud pools are present. Much easier to walk and much more comfortable. I am happy that I do not have to walk the path around Etna.

    So all in all we got really a lot further and I already could see the sea far away. On both sides. Messina and the ferry to Calabria comes closer.

    The first pair of socks are now for trash. The 3 days rain and running in them (loose in the wet shoes) created more holes. Time to get lighter.

    54900 steps - 42.7km
    Les mer

  • H-Day 27 Novara di Sicilia

    20. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    I've got up earlier today. It was really a warmer night in comparison to the last ones. Such a difference. The altitude and there better weather. In the morning no clouds at the sky. So i realized that the sunrise is distinct earlier in comparison to the beginning of the journey. About 5:30am i could pack my belongings together without light.

    At Novara you realize that not much is happening in this village right now. No idea how it is in main season. Same same as Floresta before. Just a little bit bigger. Quite a few tiny shops. Most have announced "typical food of the area" on there signs; just before the small entrance door. It was always better to leave the backpack with Lupo outside. Otherwise it is hard to turn around in the shop without damaging everything.

    The interesting actually is, that it doesn't matter about the title of the shop. Alimentari, Frutta e Vedura, ... The shop has always the same stuff inside. The Sortiment is almost identical. Strange.
    Most bars have had closed early in the morning. Have also not had these fresh baked cakes and croissants. Everything pretty simple.
    So this time I decided to buy food for cooking. Spaghetti No. 1. 3 min noodles. I hope this work out well. I have used lots of my gas for hearing the fire in the last bivacco.
    I also got some nice bones for Lupo.
    But all in all, food in these small villages cost definitely more than before, where i have not been so remote.

    ... Approximately 90km left to the ferry in Messina....to leave Sicily.
    Les mer

  • Nice overnight location

    20. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    With good water directly next to it. Right now only s but windy.

  • H-Day 27_2

    20. april 2023, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    We've stopped early. We have been lazy today and fought for awhile to find the right path. The gps trail was not correct and I have not seen the alternative marking. Cost is so much time and Lupo was really tired. So I've made no stress at night and tried to find a camping spot with less wind. Cause now it seems to me, we will walk tomorrow for a very long time on the ridge... Again with the wind wheels.

    35.800 steps - 25.3km
    Les mer