Scott Barronton (00:00)
You're listening to our Umbria mini episodes, short daily updates from our self-guided walking adventure through the heart of Italy with MACS Adventure. In each episode, we'll share the day's walking route, the distance we're covering, and the special moments, whether planned or spontaneous, that made that day memorable. Join us on the journey.
Scott Barronton (01:08)
today is day one of our walking day and we woke up to church bells in the town of Monte Falco, which is just completely charming and had our continental European breakfasts, meats and cheeses, some pastries and cakes and different things that they had for and fantastic coffee. And while we were having breakfast, they came and collected our bags to take those on to the next destination.
Yeah, and right now we're standing at one of the several overlooks in Montefalco We believe that we can see our next destination, which is about six miles today to Bevagna we think we see it, but there's a couple of towns, facing out in the head of us. So we'll see which one it ends up being.
Either way, it's a beautiful day today and we are so much looking forward to this walk. Once we get into Bevagna there are two Romanesque churches in the Piazza Silvestri that face one another. And that's one of the things we're kind of looking forward to being able to see, but there's going to be so much that we see along the way. And with Melissa, I imagine it's going to take us nearly the whole day to walk the six miles.
Since I have to stop every few feet and take pictures. Yeah, I'll have to curb that a little bit, but that's what I think I'm excited. I'm excited for the journey today. So this is new to us, something we haven't done, kind of getting out of the town and just walking along and seeing what we can see. We've got our app downloaded and follow along with the maps and I'm gonna put it in airplane mode so that I can make sure to conserve my battery for all my pictures.
So according to the MACS Adventure app, we're going to be doing a little bit of hiking along rural back roads. But we'll also walk through some fields that during the summer are covered in sunflowers. So if you're here in the right time in the season, you would get treated to all the sunflowers. But we'll also walk through many olive orchards and vineyards for the Sagrantino grapes.
And thankful for the meantime, it looks like we have brought the sun down at least for this first part of the day.
Scott Barronton (03:20)
Okay, so we have walked three and a half miles and it has been through just beautiful olive vineyards and grape vineyards and farms and just absolutely beautiful. I think we've stopped so many times to just take some pictures and we had noticed a winery on the way into Monte Falco yesterday and we actually came by it.
and were able to walk up to it they were open for tastings and we were able to get a selection of meat and cheeses for just a little enough, a little bite for lunch. the view looks out over their vineyards and the mountains. They also have olive oil that they produce. Yeah, it was great because when we got here, they weren't very busy. And so they seated us out.
their balcony where we have just this wonderful overlook of the vineyards and so we've enjoyed kind of a nice light lunch here with the local meats and cheeses pairing it with the Sagrantino wines that they produce here in this region
this was just a perfect MACS moment to kind of sit here take in listen to the birds chirping look out over the vineyards enjoy a couple of nice glasses of wine
and the meats and cheeses. And I don't know about you, Melissa, but I could probably take a little nap right here, but we still have about two and a half miles to go. And so we'll be into Bevagna shortly and we'll have the opportunity to explore further. Yeah. So we can't wait to see just what else we're going to encounter today, but so far it's just been so relaxing to just walk.
And the thing about it is, and I've mentioned this to a couple of times, is this is not something that I would ever venture out to do on my own. But because it's through the MACS Adventure and I have the app, and it's like, okay, we're supposed to be walking along this road. And so you just feel absolutely comfortable taking in gorgeous scenery. So it's just very relaxing. Yeah, the path they have sent us to Bevagna
is a nice path that goes through the farms, through those olive orchards and grape vineyards, as Melissa said. We've ran into a couple of cars and a few tractors, but that was it. And so even when we were on the roads, they're just roads that are used by local farmers So they're not busy roads.
Scott Barronton (06:02)
We have just arrived in Bevagna and made it to our hotel and gotten checked in. And so we wanted to share a little bit about, the last part of the, of the walk today. So we left the winery and the last stretch, was, it was pretty flat. Most of it was on a walking slash bike path. and so not any cars there.
we got passed by a few bikers, but just like water on one side, lots of just like birds chirping and just a pleasant, completely flat walk. I think we actually walked it probably, that stretch much faster than we did earlier in the day. Well, yeah, because we were actually thinking it might start raining at one point. And so we picked up our pace considerably. Thankfully it never rained and then it turned out to be just beautiful.
gorgeous sunny afternoon. Yeah, we had a little bit of clouds, but then by the time we reached Bevagna almost really blue skies again. So it is a city that also is surrounded by a wall, but more so in the valley. So there wasn't like a steep climb or anything like that until you got into the town. the MACS Adventure app took us to the the city center where there's a couple of churches.
and a big piazza. And so that was a nice surprise because they were actually having a wedding at one of the churches. the guests were starting to arrive and so that was just neat to see. And we got to our head into one of the other churches kind of across from it where the wedding wasn't taking place. And so then we just walked a little bit further. to our hotel
our hotel is right on the outskirts of Bevagna just on the edge of the city. And this is a really neat place. You can tell it's an old building that's been remodeled and we have like a whole apartment. So there's a living area with kitchen table and then we have, a separate area for where the bedroom is and the bathroom.
Very nice accommodations. Yeah. And this one's going to be a little different. So our breakfast this morning was more like a buffet style. And so then we just had to order a few things and he said that they would deliver it. And we agreed on a time as well before he got gone for the day. And so we are settled in and looking forward to spending a few hours before dinner, exploring the town of Bevagna
Scott Barronton (08:29)
So before we tuck in for the night, we wanted to just kind of recap the day and talk about what our first day walking with our MACS Adventure self-guided walk was really like. we started many weeks ago preparing for this trip and doing some longer walks And so I think we were
We were ready for the walk. Plus we had walked like 12 miles one day in Berlin, before coming here. But, I will say is that my feet are really tired. but I think that's, that's normal. walked a little over 10 and a half miles today. And so, I'm looking forward to getting a little bit of rest and putting my feet up for a little while.
before we head out again tomorrow. Yeah, and I think we should add too. So part of that, was six miles on the walk. We walked a little bit around Montefalco before we left this morning. And then after we got here and sat down for a minute, then we wanted to go explore Bevagna a little bit too. And so that added to, a little bit of the walking and the number of steps, although those two things were at a...
more leisurely pace, although I feel like we took the walk at a pretty leisurely pace too. I would say definitely, I mean, it's been pretty warm, but mainly because the sun has been out. So a little bit like definitely needed some layers as well. And I was also glad that I chose to do like a sturdy hiking boot. You know, even though we're not doing like super hiking, but just a little bit of the train, we had a little bit of
a slope down, a little bit of rocks and, you know, part of it was on path. But I was glad to have that support on my ankle, personally. And Scott, you just have some more like hiking ruck shoes. I was glad that I made that choice. so we want to share a little bit about dinner. So last night, we had had
dinner at our hotel because I had a restaurant, the place we're staying at tonight does not have a restaurant. And so we were looking around for a couple of different places that were recommended. One of them that came highly recommended unfortunately has been closed now. And so we found actually a Michelin star rated restaurant, but, and, got a reservation. had to contact and give reservation, unfortunately not realizing until after the fact that it was not like right here in
So it's not far away, but if you don't have a car, it's not super close. Yeah, and you don't want to be walking on these roads at night. And so we needed to take a taxi. And what we've come to learn is that there are not very many taxis around here. Matter of fact, they have to come from another town to this area. And it's the same company that's been moving our bags that we had the transport with.
The person at the hotel actually called the guy. So we didn't really kind of put that together. He called the guy and organized that for us. But then after dinner, trying to reach them and not being able to get to somebody and not answering and kind of like, and the people at restaurant are like, well, those are the only people. So we actually ended up reaching out to MACS Adventure.
their information in the app, talked to their lovely person, Allie, and she got right on it and got us four more numbers for us to try with the taxi. so thankfully the first number they answered and he organized somebody. So very thankful for that support in that MACS Adventure app. So we could get transportation back to the hotel.
So we're now back at the hotel and we're about to tuck in for the night. but we did want to talk a little bit about tomorrow. tomorrow will be one of our longer walks. It's going to be 10 miles and we're going to Spello this is going to be a lot of traveling through farmlands as I was looking through the map today. So we're really excited about that. but right now I think we're ready to.
get our feet propped up and maybe read a little bit before bed and turn in for the night.
Scott Barronton (12:45)
Well that's it for today's Umbria update. We'll be back tomorrow with another snapshot from the trail. More miles, more scenery, and hopefully another MACS moment or two. Until then, thanks for following along.
