25km . up 973m down 996m and it feels like it.
The day begins as before with 500m straight up, but at least it’s early in the day. We spot another, dead this time alas, slow worm and learn that mating among slow worms is a vicious process. The two yesterday, one was biting the other, this one may have been a loser in the evolutionary battle.
Fairly soon we reach a little Tuscan hill village but this is only the first of two climbs through the woods on the second we spot 3wooly bear caterpillars and some cistus last seen in South Spain. Eventually we descend again to reach Ponsano Superiore a ridiculous village on an hill where reputably there is a shop and a bar, we fail to find it and spend time going though hobbit tunnels where it is difficult to tell the difference between the street and someone’s back yard.
Completing our descent we see the sea and an island and get a beer finally in the centre of Sarzana with an historic castle in it with magnificent machiolations.
Tim and Ray are nattering in the rear and miss a turn and so arrive a bit late at the ostello in Caniparola. But all well at the end of the day.