It is festival week in Monterosi and the children parade with colourful banners. At midnight we hear fireworks, motorbikes and hilarity and then at 4 o’ clock thunder and lightning, this is unfortunate as we are getting up at 5.30 because it is going to be a long hot day.
After walking through grass meadows we come to Monte Gelato Falls, a series of small waterfalls but no ice cream! A police lady is on duty and portaloos are ready for some event later in the day.
Oak woods are next and then the steep ascent into Campagnano Di Roma, another hilltop long street town. In a pleasant square with a dolphin fountain the first bar is full but we find a little old place with an English proprietor.
In the bread shop, cakes and pastries are being bought and beautifully wrapped up, maybe for Sunday visits to mama or nonna.
Later, we are sitting, perspiring under a tree at the edge of the road, when a man with a man bun, in an open top black Ford Mustang, slams on his brakes and comes to a halt beside us. Oh O what have we done wrong? But no, he just wants to discuss with us doing the Via Francigena and how it compares with Compostela which he has already done.
Up and down long hot roads with little shade we eventually come to an open area with a little stream, ringed with shady oaks. Families are picnicking and barbecuing in the heat.
It is now over 30 degrees and a man with a fridge run by a generator, containing cool beer gives Tony a couple of bottles which disappear down our greedy throats under the next shady tree.
We finally make it to our B and B for the night just outside Formello.