Companions on the Way

Day 11 (Morning) on the Via di Francesco

One of the American ladies was getting a lift to La Verna so over breakfast I arranged to walk with Mary. Without giving too much away we are of a similar age. Walking on my own is my default mode but this seemed a great opportunity to share with another pilgrim.

We set off and discovered we walk at a similar pace. It was lovely to share our stories and our experience of walking. After a gentle descent from our accommodation we walked though a little village and discovered the first obstacle of the day. A small river had swollen with recent rain so it was off with the shoes and roll up trousers to wade across.

Then it was the first of our steep climbs through the forest. There is something very different sharing a climb like this. One leads and encouges the other then you swap over. It is still difficult and challenging yet somehow if feels easier.

As always there is beauty to share too. Once on to the mountain ridge walking got a bit easier. We couldn’t walk side by side often but we often paused and caught up with each other.

We crossed a road and we entered a completely different kind of forest. This is the Foreste Sacra which is for us the approach to the Santuario de La Verna. It was a sudden transformation into an almost mystical landscape of ancient trees and moss covered rocks.

This is the kind of landscape of caves and clefts in the rock which Francis would seek out to pray.

There were occasional views before going back into the trees.

Eventually I looked up and saw the walls of the sanctuary above us.

There was still quite a climb to get there but finally we arrived at the lower gate.

Once we arrived we went our separate ways. This was companionship for a short time. It was precious but it was for a moment. It made a morning walk that much sweeter.