Day 57 Robbio to Garlasco – 27th July

Distance: 33.3 km – Elevation +40 m -70 m

Weather: Sunny/Cloudy. Temperature: High 30 degrees

I was up and about by 3.30 am and decided to start walking. So after paying for my keep via the donativo envelope provided and after a breakfast of croissants and coffee I was away from Robbio by 4.00 am. It was dark but the streets were well lit until I reached the village outskirts so a rare use of my head torch lit my way ahead. Temperatures and humidity were a little lower at this time of morning so I was able to walk at a good pace. Around 6.00 am just before Mortara the sun began to rise above the paddy fields and I realised that even in this difficult environment the beauty of this world in which we live was there for all to see. I arrived in Mortara just after 8.00 am – a distance from Robbio of 14 kilometres. I pressed on through endless paddy fields with temperatures and humidity rising and arrived in Tromello at 1.00 pm. Tromello was one of the rest-stops of Sigeric’s route. I found a small café open and stopped for a lunch break. I relaxed for a good hour before starting the final leg of my day’s journey. I was not finding the heat and humidity as oppressive as yesterday so by the time I arrived in Garlasco I had covered a distance of 36 kilometres. I had booked into the small family-run Hotel Il Pino. In the evening I took a stroll down the main street and found a bar open where I enjoyed a light meal and a glass of wine. The owner of the bar was interested to hear about my pilgrimage and told me that he visited the UK on many occasions and seemed proud to roll up his sleeve and show me his tattoo of the Union Jack.