This post covers my rest day in San Quirico d’Orcia (day 12) as well as my walk to Castiglione dʼOrcia (day 13). The relatively short walk was intended to shave some mileage off of a 20+mi day from San Quirico d’Orcia to Radicofani. It took me a bit out of the way and challenged me to a hefty climb, but on balance, it will make tomorrow’s walk at least 5 miles shorter.
The morning of my rest day was very rainy but it cleared up by late afternoon allowing me to eat a healthy dinner at the square in front of the Church of Madonna di Vitaleta and breakfast at the same place the next morning. I essentially hibernated in my room all day except for the evening meal.
The walk on Thursday (day 13) was characterized by steep descents 15% and a particularly steep climb up to Castiglione most of which I avoided by walking with the cars on the paved road. Staying here took me off the via Francigena anyway, so it didn’t really matter how I negotiated this last mile.
A rest stop at Bagno Vignon at about 10:00 made me aware that these little towns of no more than one or two thousand are being used by tour groups as a 3- or 4-day base camp from which to do day hikes and bus excursions, and then move on. One of the pics captures such a group, all English speaking.
