Most of the day is spent ambling up and down through the Tuscan Hills with gently rolling green fields and woods to delight the eye.
There are many estates with vines and olive trees neatly kept, which are set up for tastings and direct sales or agrotourisms offering places to stay.
The buildings are mellow brick colour and often feature a tower.
We manage a coffee in comfortable chairs on the terrace of one such establishment, it would seem to be a pleasant way to spend a few days drifting from place to place in lotus land.
We hear rather than see hoopoes but instead see bee eaters sitting on the wires and catch an occasional glimpse of their coloured plumage, while swallows are busy catching food for their nestlings.
The garish religious tat of Santuario di Panacole, commemorating an apparition of the Madonna to a mute shepherdess who miraculously gained the power of speech, is over run with mountain bikers when we pass by.
Eventually the towers of San Gimignano came into sight. There are 15 remaining of the original 70, tall square and unadorned they vie with each other to impress. Despite the tourist crowds the town is a charming maze of old houses.
We have a gelato from a shop that claims it is the best in the world, well it’s pretty good anyway.
The hostel is full so we walk onto a campsite where we get a cabin for the night at half price on account of being pilgrims.
Pretty much like my day really an 8km amble through the Yorkshire countryside but with only the whippet Elvis for company. My lodging maybe a bit superior.with daughter Rhona bit miss not seeing the gentle Tuscan hillsides,especially having done the difficult bits. I am well and recovered for those who are interested.
Of course we are interested, Tim, and very sorry you had to cut short what seems to be shaping up into an good, Italian, second leg experience.