Sunflower Books: Landscapes of TUSCANY: WALKS AND CAR TOURS

Tuscany, 2nd edition (published 2 January 2006); updated 21/06/2011

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Updates for walks and car tours (drives) in Tuscany given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book and want to "upgrade" to the latest edition at half price, click here.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably in hard copy, by post, to Sunflower Books, PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU (or if you prefer, by e-mail, to mail@sunflowerbooks.co.uk).

General: It's twenty or so years since the first edition of the book came out. We were a lot friskier then. Do adjust the grading of the walks as necessary - we now find 'moderate' walks to be fairly tough! (Author, 5/11)

Buses: Italy, as here, has financial problems and is suffering cuts to bus services. Please check that bus services indicated in the book still exist! (Author, 5/11)

Walk 1: It now takes two buses to get to Bivigliano with a change at Pratolino. The bus driver will help telling you when to change, and the connection is usually fairly prompt and from the same bus-stop. As the bus now goes through the village of Bivigliano first, you can get off there instead of the terminus in the wide piazza. The bar for a morning coffee mentioned in the book has closed but there is one across the road... There is a new way mark at Via Poggio Chiarese for route 65. You follow CAI 18 still though the way marks are now less good. It is a right turn at the start of the route up, as in the book, followed by another right at a junction; then at 20mins the path turns left. (Ignore the route going straight up. You can get through that way but it a much less good path.) You arrive fairly comfortably and somewhat more quickly on this route to the ridge path. Stay with this clear ridge path; the meadow seems to have disappeared. Interestingly the bar at the monastery now closes for lunch! The sign for Via della Preghiera del Silenzio seems to have disappeared too. The route from the monastery is the wide gravel "road" passing under the ramparts of the buildings. It is the way of the Stations of the Cross, so count them as you descend... At 1hr45min the metal cross is now difficult to see but there is a new CAI signpost marking the way... The time from Mt Pratone to the receiving station is 5min, to the road it is 25min... From Monte Senario to Fiesole there are a new set of way marks for the walk called the Anello del Rinascimento, the Renaissance Ring. These are a helpful set of markings especially for the last lap. To avoid a long walk along the busy road follow these markings from when you leave the track from M. Pratone and join the metalled road. (3h50min in the book) 2mins along the road turn off left, following the lower path that runs along a terrace. The marked path passes through the woods and joins the dirt road to several summer homes. At Via Rio Toro go right down the hill on the road towards the main road for Fiesole, the route in the book. The back route for avoiding the main road is now marked by the Anello signage, starting at the junction for the "camping". (Author, 5/11)

Walk 2: page 48 2nd para: 'Turn left on this unsealed road for one minute. At a Y-junction,fork right and continue-----' I attempted this walk on 12th May 2008. Please note that as you fork right you are confronted with a new looking, 8 foot locked green double gates announcing that the route is private with no way through. I continued up the unsealed road for a few minutes to check for another right fork without success. I could see the intended route around the bowl of the valley so am sure I was at the correct location. We had to walk back to Maiano and then by roads to Settignano. (User, 6/08) [ The author replies: To be able to continue the walk in spite of the gates across the path (page 48, 2nd para): The next part of the walk is to Vincigliata. Continue down the unsealed road to the hamlet of Maiano. Just past the restaurant on the left a track joins the road at a very sharp angle. Turn left down towards the stream ( this is in fact part of the return route), cross the stream, pass a farm on the right and go on up to the paved road. Go left here and on up to Vinciliata. Just before the castle a track leads off right: take this under the walls (this track is marked in black on the map in the book); It then joins CAI 1 around the restored farm and chapel (bottom of page 48). Author, 6/08]. + This walk is taking a hammering - with path closures as the farms get more and more valuable and landowners want to keep walkers away. But it is still worth doing. At 1hr 10min turn right to walk down the unsealed road towards the Cave di Maiano hamlet with its quarry wall and open green space. Pass the restaurants and ice cream shop, take the next left unmade road downhill, cross the stream and keep on up, turning right on the road towards Vincigliata. Just under the castle walls is an unmade road off on the right, take that as it joins the original
walk at the 2hr mark. For the return walk follow the instructions to the 2h 35min mark, follow the main path; the turn-off up the "steeply uphill" has disappeared. At 2h48min. cross the stream. In fact the stream may well be dried up. Cross it anyway, turning right then immediately left up a steep bank following a tiny tributary. In a few minutes the land flattens out; tempting though it is to go left on the wide path continues straight ahead to meet a clear path. There go left and you will come out on the road to Vinciliata again. Retrace your steps as in the
book. At the Fattorie di Miano junction (3h15min) take the right hand road and cross it to the tiny chapel ahead. Turn off the road here and follow the track ahead then downhill past many large villas. The track meets the road running alongside a stream. Either take the road (3h40min) which crosses the stream and joins the main road uphill all the way to Fiesole, or continue downhill to the T junction by the entrance to the Youth Hostel drive. The 17 bus for the city stops here, of turn right here, walk to Piazza Edison to get the 7 bus up to Fiesole or the city. (Author, 5/11)

Walk 3: The signage to Cercina from the Via Bolognese is not too good. Coming from Florence pass the huge cemetery at Pian di S. Bartolo on the Via Bolognese, then it is the first road on the left. Follow it as it contours round the Terzole Valley. After the road crosses the stream turn right to Cercina... Via Fontaccia is now not rosemary lined, sadly. (Author, 3/11)

Walk 4: Short walk from Trebbio: access this walk by car from Tagliaferro as it is a better road surface. Tagliaferro is on the main road from San Piero to Firenze. The dirt road up to Trebbio is sign-posted and is the walking route for the long walk. At Trebbio, park in the field car park; no ponies sadly. The walk from Trebbio is much as it was except, after the water trough, (3h20min), the summit and the derelict farm, round the bend leave the track at a now, clear path descending steeply on the right. (Author, 5/11)

Walk 7: Here is an alternative return route for this walk - more gentle, longer, but missing out the circuit of Monte Procinto (which you could do on the way up). From the Refugio Alto Matanna retrace your steps to just above the fencing of the Refugio grounds. Leave the original path to go right onto path 109, CAI-marked but not numbered immediately, around the back of Monte Nona. This path climbs and contours, soon through woodlands. After about half an hour from the Refuge there is a boundary fence across the path (2h15min), but there is access for walkers. At 2h50min you meet a junction of paths: yours is the first left, CAI route 8: it takes you over the ridge, to begin your zigzagging descent down a stone mule track. When you CAI route 6 (3h05min), follow it to the left ­ it is your path back to your car, though there are several junctions on the way. At the junction with CAI 8 (3h10min), go left; at the junction with CAI 121 (3h13min) go right; at the junction with CAI 5bis (3h15min) go right. This is where you meet the path for the original descent, CAI 6, signposted for Stazzema. All these routes are shown on the map, but not highlights in colour. (Author)

Walk 9: We are experienced walkers and have used your guides in 5 or 6 places. We struggled and gave up after Vetteglia. We found the crucifx easily and the start of a rough cobbled track. However that track quickly became overgrown, we did not find a stone building and we came to a number of tracks but not the 3 way junction described. It being a wood we couldn't see an objective to aim for and thought the risks involved in guessing were quite high. Shame because the walk had started really well. (User, 6/09) [This walk is wonderful but that bit in the woods was so difficult to describe. The secret is to follow the sound of the water, but
it does not work in summer as the water is too low. I am surprised experienced walkers could not find the way. The route came from the commune, and was originally waymarked. A helpful hint may be: from the path below Vetteglia the river crossing is due north, though the paths do deviate to the left (west) before swinging back north. I have written to the Mayor to see if he can get the path remarked. Author, 6/09]

Walk 11: We found this walk little changed, just more strenuous than we remembered. The area is well way-marked. At 15mins, after crossing the road, there are in fact two paths ahead. Do take care NOT to take the path that follows the stream, tempting though it seems. Take the other path, heading steeply upwards. It is a good hour's climb to the summit, with many false dawns. We returned from the summit via Walk 2 which was very pleasant and easy to follow. (Author, 5/11)

Walk 12: Park in Caspri itself. As you enter the village there is a little paved car park on the right, next to a public green space, with shade and good views ­ a good place to eat a picnic. Otherwise not much has changed, except for:
1) At 35min the green gate posts is now a green bar-gate across the road. Before this, look for the grassy trail on the right, initially unmarked. Ignore the marked park slightly on up the road, signing for Mt. Cocollo.
2) At 45min. along the concrete road. As climbing this unshaded piece of road is a bit of an ordeal, it is easy to get your head down and march past the path off to the right. Keep your eyes skinned for the derelict house on the hill side. Once you see that the start of the steep shaley path is not far away.
3) At 2hr. follow the instructions in the book until the scrambling up the hill bit. If you want to reach the high point of the walk then scramble by all means, but we found it better to keep on the path as it veered left after the
saddle. This path follows the contour, is narrow but with great views, until it reaches the road. When you finally arrive at the communal rubbish bins turn left for an extra minute or two to the car park in the village.

Walk 13: We did walk today 20/6/2011 found it easy to follow but note: the interior of portico of church is sadly neglected, The yellow triangles are no more (we did find one but it had been split in two by the growth of the tree and was less obvious than the adjacent yellow lichen! The path along bank of Pisa has been resurfaced (still not sealed). (User, 6/11)

Walk 21: The overall height change from highest to lowest points is over 900 feet (as shown on the book's map). This means that anyone going in the reverse direction is going to have a rude surprise (as did we) and it is WRONG to say that if you walk one way, and there's no bus, "it is no hardship to walk back". (User, 11/08)

Walk 22: Start the walk....thermal springs. Facing the excavations, you can see steps leading down on the left side. These lead to a network of paths which descend the left hand side of the excavations. Follow a route down, coming out onto a wider track, parallel to the river, at the bottom. Go right along this track...... DERELICT QUARRY BUILDINGS [25 mins] , keep right on the main trail, heading up and over rocks , into the woods. This path ascends, meandering as it does so, for about ten minutes. There are several branches off the track: ignore these, following the main track up. Follow a path along the edge of a field. The muddy track winds past a farmhouse, where there is a junction off to the right: keep left here. Beyond more fields and woods..... (User, 6/08) + In paragraph 3, it is crucial that after passing the derelict buildings (last one is to your left), walkers do NOT, about 80 yards further on, head rightwards up the hill following the 4x4 track that has been bulldozed. Rather, they should carry on just gently leftwards, which takes them down a slope for a while, along a
narrower path - not recently used as a vehicle track. Waymarking is not good around this point, but we began a small cairn at the junction. (User, 11/08)

Walk 23: Start the walk in Castiglione d'Orcia [there are a number of small carparks]. Walk on the main road [SS323] towards Siena, to the ERG petrol station. Turn left onto VIA DELLA ROCCA and walk through the village. Ascend the hill at the far end of the village up to a restaurant with a bakery. Turn right just before the restaurant/bakery, and follow the path, which leads round to the hamlet of Rocca d'Orcia........ Now return to PODERE MULINA [Unsigned, but it is the last house you passed, with a swimming pool] and walk back about 200 yards past the farm. Ignore three tracks which rise up the hill between the vineyards, before taking the track by the tree with the Amiata Senese waymarking. The route undulates...... We followed this walk to the T junction at 1h 27mins and were greeted by 5 angry dogs coming out of a nearby house, forcing us to turn back. (User, 6/08) + On the same day this was received, we also had an update from the author: The path from Podere Mulina is now very overgrown but a better route is waymarked (see page 123, last paragraph) and substitute:
"Now return to Podere Mulina ( the last farm you passed), and take the path on a ledge heading off to the right (with the Amiata Senese way markings), just above a track to farm buildings. The route undulates more or less parallel with the river, although not in sight of it. It is a wonderfully quiet, "away from it all" woodland route. At the time of writing it was well waymarked. At the end of the ledge the path turns uphill, but in a short distance the path turns right and enters the woods. There are short waymarking posts in the ground to show the way. Take this path for about 6 minutes until it meets a track running uphill. Turn right on the track (initially downhill). This is the track noted in text at the 1h40min-point; keep on this track for at least 30 minutes, until you meet the track on the bend (at 2h20min mark in the book)." This route is simpler and quicker, but you miss the hill with the picnic spot. The track at 1h40min is marked in black on the map. If you want a shorter walk, turn left uphill here to Roccia d'Orcia. There is a junction above the first farm is a junction, where you take the right-hand track to pass a second farm, then walk on to the hamlet. (Author, 6/08)