I started the day with breakfast at our B&B which included chestnut flour bread that we saw being made  in the pizza oven last night .

I set off on my own as my French friend Jean-Michel has a sore leg and has decided to catch the train to Lucca. This will take about 20 minutes compared to my 8 hours walking.

It was a long walk of around 32 km. There was a big mixture of dangerous busy roads , quiet country roads as well as quite a few tracks through the forest. At one stage , I came across a valley with a large number of trees fallen. Someone did tell me yesterday that there had been a huge storm last week. Luckily someone had cut the larger trees across the path with a chain saw, but I still had to do a lot of scrambling, especially squeezing through gaps between fallen branches with my backpack.

When I arrived in Lucca it was a bit of a shock to come across loads of tourists – I’ve been in quite little places for over a week. I now have quite a few extra blisters for my troubles, and one I had previously is now so big the patch won’t fit over it !

I’m taking a rest day tomorrow, and Saturday is a short 15km walk so hopefully this will put me in a much better position. Also I’m going to a laundromat tomorrow to do some proper washing rather than the nightly  was basin routine !

 

Chestnut Bread

 

Giant sized toilet role

 

Wisteria is in flower and is very common

 

and citrus fruit of all kinds !

 

The path is in here some where! trees fallen after a recent storm

 

Nice safe walking. along this path

 

A dangerous narrow road

 

Attractive countyside along the way

 

I entered Lucca through the San Donato Gate. Lucca boasts a full set of walls