WHERE THE RIVER MEETS THE SEA
LAST WEEK WHEN THE EUROPEAN HEAT-WAVE EASED I TOOK TO THE HILLS ABOVE OUR ITALIAN HOME. I FOLLOWED THE PATH FROM TELLARO ABOVE THE COAST TO MONTEMARCELLO. IT GOES THROUGH THE PARCO REGIONALE AND IS CLEARLY MARKED WITH THE RED AND WHITE CLUB ALPINO ITALIANO SIGNS
LIGURIA IN NORTH-WEST ITALY
THE MONTEMARCELLO PENINSULA
PROFUMI FLUVIALI, ‘RIVER PERFUMES’ IN ITALIAN, GETS ITS NAME FROM THIS PART OF THE ITALIAN RIVIERA WHERE THE RIVER MAGRA FLOWS INTO THE SEA BELOW THE CINQUE TERRE. THIS LANDSCAPE INSPIRED POETS AND COMBINES STEEP MOUNTAINS, LUSH VEGETATION AND CLEAR BLUE SEA IN SHORT WALK
THE PATH RISES FROM SEA-LEVEL AT TELLARO UP ANCIENT STONE PATHS ALONG CLIFF-EDGES TO THE VILLAGE OF MONTEMARCELLO 266 M ABOVE SEA LEVEL. ALONG THE WAY THERE IS A PATH DOWN TO A WILD BEACH AT PUNTA CORVO WHICH CAN ONLY BE REACHED BY BOAT OR A STEEP HIKE, SO IS LOVELY AND EMPTY!
ON THE RIVER SIDE OF THE PENINSULA IS THE CONVENT OF THE SANTA CROCE. FOUNDED IN THE 12TH CENTURY ON THE SITE OF A ROMAN VILLA. DANTE VISITED THE CONVENT WHEN WRITING LA DIVINA COMMEDIA. IN THE 19TH CENTURY THE CONVENT WAS BOUGHT BY COUNT FABBRICOTTI AND CONVERTED INTO A PRIVATE CASTLE, OVERLOOKING HIS STONE QUARRIES. IN THE 1930S IT WAS BOUGHT BACK BY THE CHURCH AND IS NOW A CENTRE FOR SPIRITUAL RETREATS
IN ALL DIRECTIONS THE VIEWS ARE EXHILARATING. ACROSS THE RIVER IS THE BOUNDARY WITH TUSCANY, THE MARBLE QUARRIES OF CARRARA AND THE START OF THE PLAIN OF VERSILIA
AFTER 2 1/2 HOURS HIKING I TOOK THE BUS BACK DOWN TO LERICI. HOORAY FOR THE EXCELLENT ATC PUBLIC BUS SERVICE!! NEXT TIME I’LL SET ASIDE A FULL DAY AND GO FURTHER ON FOOT!
THE MARBLE QUARRIES OF CARRARA ACROSS THE SOUND OF THE MAGRA RIVER LOOK LIKE SNOW EVEN IN SUMMER