We awake early to the sound of departing pilgrims and by 6.30 we realise we are alone, but we catch up with them all throughout the day.
Setting off up muddy tracks in the rain we are fearful of how the day will turn out but things start to improve.
Buonconvento, a small walled town is the site of our second breakfast. From there we ascend onto a pleasant ridge and meander past vineyards and olive trees with familiar Tuscan countryside on each side and we find Fred resting besides a castello.
The long lines of poplars remain irresistible to the photographic urge, despite having taken many such pictures already.
We proceed along a ridge with claps of thunder and heavy rain to either side of us but somehow never on us.
The final ascent of several hundred metres brings us into San Quirico just as a downpour ensues. It is a pretty historical town with an ancient church and connections with Barbarossa, the Holy Roman Emperor, who stayed here but not, I imagine,crammed into a small room with six bunks and a load of wet pilgrim washing.