Via Frank and Gina - Day 5
Wednesday 25th September - Campagnano di Roma to La Giustiniana
After 3 nights of very homely B & B's, we didn't linger long over the mediocre breakfast fayre on offer at Hotel Benigni. Our primary focus was seeing if we could get some bus tickets for the 08.30 service to Formello, 7km down the road. With the help of Google Translate, we were sorted in no time, and at around 8.45 we boarded the bus. We were underway for our penultimate day. As usual, the weather forecast proved to be inaccurate, and there was no sign of the predicted rain. With consciences pricking severely (for about 10 seconds) we headed for Formello, along with our Woldemar and Barbara, the Germans who'd put us onto this scandalous shortcut!
Twenty minutes later we disembarked into sunny Formello, and set our directional App running. The Gerrie's were keen to push on so I pointed them in the right direction. Bizarrely they went the opposite way, chatted to a local by the gateway to the old heart of the village, then turned around and went where I had indicated. A few minutes later we headed off, but within a few seconds I could see that the App was saying go in the opposite direction. Scheiss, I had sent them the wrong way, and they were now too far gone for us to chase after them. I foresaw an awkward breakfast the following morning when we were likely to see them again. My only solace was that they also had the App, and surely they'd quickly realise "their" error.
We chose not to bother with coffee in Formello, and decided to push on. It was, of course, a lovely village super-glued onto the edge of a rocky outcrop, with all the usual trappings. Soon we were down in a lovely shaded valley below heading south along paths that were reminiscent of home. The trees were beginning to look a shade autumnal, and there were dairy cows in the lush green fields. This did not feel like Italy.
After a few kilometres I could see some floodlights in the distance. Out in the middle of nowhere seemed a weird place to have a town or village football pitch. As we got nearer to the pitch, my curiosity rose significantly. For I am a bit of an aficionado of what is known as "floodlight porn". The lights looked to be of a very high standard - way above a village team level. Once we got next to them, I could see a decent sized stand on one side of the pitch, and the signage above it solved the mystery. This was the training ground and academy stadium for SS Lazio, one of the top sides in Italy.
We then headed onto a lovely winding path through Parco di Veio. This fenced path seemed to bend and undulate for miles, often following the course of a rushing stream down below to our right. That water sounded so enticing as we moved in and out of the shade as the path veered left then right. Finally down a steep bank and we arrived at bridge crossing the stream with waterfalls above and below it. You could walk right up to the falls above the bridge, and we doused ourselves with lovely refreshing cold water. Sadly, that was it in terms of good walking for the day.
There was a long climb into Isolo di Farnese. The café shown on the map was closed, so we trudged on uphill, unprotected from the blazing sun, past loads of big gated properties. It had all the faceless charm of Gerrards Cross! Instead of just following the Via, we took a detour up to a main road where there was indicated to be a café. It turned out to be a very modern and plush place, but we didn't care. We indulged in the well-known combination of Coffees and Cokes. Irritatingly the place didn't have a stamp for our walking passport (Credential).
Within ten minutes we turned off the road into an estate of gated apartment blocks, and soon came upon our hotel. The place was a big old farmhouse that had, over time, become surrounded by newer properties. Nevertheless, behind it's gate there was a calm, and almost rural feel. It turned out that most of the other walkers we'd encountered over the past few days were staying there too.
La Rocchetta Resort
Dinner was taken at a restaurant down on the main road, near La Giustiniana station. The Germans were there. And yes they'd gone about a kilometre before realising they were heading the wrong way. However, Woldemar blamed Barbara, as she was insistent that "the App was taking them the right way". Poor Barbara, she wasn't really enjoying the walk much, in any case! The four women from Bedfordshire/North Bucks were there, as were two of the Kiwi's. It felt like a really good and sociable way to spend our last night before getting to journey's end in Rome. In a discussion as to why we do these daft walks, one of the Kiwi's, Kate, introduced us to the concept of "Types 1 & 2 fun". We liked the concept, and it underscored what we get from doing the long walks. "Type 1 fun" is the usual standard easy come fun and enjoyment. Whereas "Type 2 fun" is something we get pleasure from through hard graft, quite often we don't get the sense of enjoyment until we've finished it. Interesting. although I still think that "fun run" is an oxymoron!
Back at the hotel, we're feeling pretty cream-crackered after 5 days of back to back walking, and are considering adopting the Germans plan for the final day. Instead of doing just under 20km to get to the Vatican; the first 3 of which is back through shitty La Storta, we could get the train a couple of stops from La Giustiniana to Roma Monte Mario, leaving us with a nice 12k stroll in................
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