Daytrip to the Valnerina and beyond

Last autumn I went all the way to Castelleuci on a cold and drippy autumn day, and I stood, wind whipped, at the edge of the world among the cloud factories.

I’ve just gone again, but not so far this time. The weather this time was one of those early autumn days that are so perfect that even I can forget briefly that winter follows. We stopped at Norcia at last, but we did lots of things along the way. Not potato buying, mind you, that still has to be done on spite of my going specifically to buy potatoes.

We carried a mostly supermarket picnic along with some grapes from neighborhood vineyards. The season for this is so short that you really shouldn’t miss a single opportunity. The grapes will all be wine within two weeks, which is not a bad thing, but means no more delicious little black Sangiovese grapes for dessert. A supermarket totisseried chicken, a Frenchbread, some salami and the grapes: we needed not one thing more.

We were in the Valnerina before we stopped. It’s an area with water so pure you could probably drink it, and so clear that it looks a few inches deep even where big fish sleep. You can watch them. The signs explain that you can fish here with the correct license, but you must use a hook with no barb and return the fish you catch immediately to the water. I prefer not to think how it feels for a fish to be fought with and then dragged, over and over out of the water, barb or no barb. It’s probably better than being eaten, but then a fish has no concept of death.

A bit further on we stopped again to meet a cat my friend visits every time she passes. We gave him all the leftovers of our chicken and he was pleased, but not as pleased as he was to get petted and have his ears scratched. He was extraordinarily gentle for a real tomcat. Nearby this sign nudges the traveler in various directions, and in a few more feet there is a bike bar with this unusual series of protected pools full of carp and swans and ducks from all over the world.

When we reached Norcia I hung back to take this photo showing how the surrounding mountains of the Sibellini National Park hang over Norcia like giant babysitters. In the center this shot of the piazza in front of the theater is once again hemmed with mountains. These are not huge new mountains like the Rockies or the Alps, but older, softer, balding at the top and dotted with tiny fortified towns and monasteries. It’s the kind of place that harbors big game and rings with cataracts. At first it seems quiet until you realize that you never leave the sound of rushing water behind.

Of course I found a worthy foodie stop. La Vecchia Forneria Nursina at Via Mazzini 6, is a bean to bar chocolate maker. I bought some 99% pure chocolate to try in cooking, but I can’t report yet on what I think. I did taste a 55% bar and it had a really great toasty taste that reminds me of Valrhona dark. Valrhona costs a good but less, if you can find it. The trip to Paris, if you can’t, will make this a sad but cheaper choice, however. Be very careful about what the lady in white says. She isn’t above exaggerating to the point of lying to make theur product compare better. The young girl tries to hold her back, but eagerness wins. The youngster seems to be the boss, but strangely was running all over the store to avoid being photographed. I pointed out that it was a bit strange to ask to be published and then hide!

You’d think that Norcia might be off the beaten path, and it’s true that you’ll rarely find yourself passing by her, but a beaten path there certainly is. There once was a rail line between Spoleto and Norcia, but it was bombed for reasons unknown by the Germans during WWII. We saw them working on that line yesterday, making it into a beautifully finished path for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Let me tell you, if you get hungry or thirsty along the way, there are hundreds of oportunities to take care of that! Rebecca of Brigolante is planning to hike it this autumn, so when she publishes her walk I’ll point a link at her. Meantime, get out into your countryside, wherever it may be and enjoy your own day out among the mild and tasty.