Day 90 Sutri to Campagnano Di Roma – 29th August

Distance: 24.6 km – Elevation +200 m -230 m

Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 31 degrees

I had prepared breakfast for myself and the German pilgrim but she said she was not hungry and left to leave me to enjoy breakfast alone. I did not see her again. I left the apartment at 8.00 am and visited the delightful Chiesa di San Rocco on my way out of Sutri. A little while after my path crossed with two pilgrims who had started earlier that morning from Capranica. Tim was from England and Paul was from the USA and they had walked together from Canterbury – my first encounter with an English pilgrim and the first with pilgrims who had walked all the way from Canterbury. I walked with them for a while but they were fast walkers and soon disappeared into the distance. I continued on at my own pace through a beautiful rural landscape to the village of Monterosi where I found Tim and Paul enjoying a break in a roadside café so I joined them and then later Margaret and her daughter Thirsa arrived. After Monterosi the path continued through a rural landscape with olive groves and vineyards before reaching the nature reserve – Parco Valle del Treja – with its small Treja river and the Monte Gelato waterfalls. I tarried awhile here but it is a tourist spot and today it was crowded, so whilst I saw waterfalls they were not the main ones. There was a country restaurant at the site and I was tempted but decided it too would be crowded so I continued on through the rural landscape and arrived in Campagnano Di Roma. It had been a longish hot day with a few ups and downs and I struggled a little with the final climb into the village. I had again rented a small apartment and had agreed to meet the owner in the first bar in the village and after a quick lunch, I was taken to my abode for the night. Later I returned to the bar where I met Tim and Paul again. My visit to Campagnano coincided with the feast of its patron saint, John the Baptist. It was a festive night complete with a procession, led by the local clergy, and men carrying a statue of the Saint high above their heads followed by a band and local villagers. I saw Margaret and Thirsa with the villagers and they told me later, they had been invited to walk with the villagers and to partake in the meal after. I spent the evening with Tim and Paul. The main street had overhead decorations which shone brightly in the dark of the evening and the food stall lined street was full of residents and visitors to the town.  Before retiring for the night we shared a large takeaway pizza. With the festivities including live music destined to continue into the early hours, I returned to the apartment where I found another guest had arrived – a singer who would be leading the live music later.  I was tired and fortunately, my bedroom was shielded from the noise of the festival and I hoped for a night of undisturbed sleep.