We knew that we would be tired by the end of the hike and that we wouldn't want to deal with a thousand people at the train station, so we decided to start the hike from Monterosso, which would mean that the end of our hike would be in Corniglia.
It all started out like a normal morning walking down 383 steps to catch the on-time and correct train to Monterosso. It wasn't so bad, the morning air was cool and the sun was gracefully reaching through the sky.
We started the trail at sea level, at 10:30 AM and immediately began to climb ancient, rugged, crooked, steep (did I already say “steep?”) steps straight up. Only one side of the steps and path dropped through trees, bushes and rocks to sea. Sometimes the path was railed for safety, other times it was open. Most times the path was stable and other times the rocks moved under your feet. At one point the path was less than 12 inches wide. A few times during the hike (well, maybe more than a few) we questioned our rationale for choosing to start at Monterosso as we were presented with constant, extreme and difficult climbs. Corniglia is the highest town of them all so “Up” was the only possible direction. It took us four and a half hours to walk the total linear hike of 7.5 km, but there had to be another 3 km of “Up” added on top of that!
It was a great hike. The views were incredible and the weather was perfect. We kept up to people that had started the trail at the same time we did; so that made us feel pretty good We are home now, and a little, well, maybe a lot exhausted. Both of our bodies are feeling the effects of the hike each from our own perspective of god daughter and god mother. Each of us has decided that if either of us comes up with this hiking idea again that some serious discussions must occur! The funny thing about this hiking business is that people PAY to go on the trails! The pain is paid for!
It is our last day in Corniglia so we are dining out tonight. First we will walk to the highest spot in town, because it is there, and we haven't been!
It all started out like a normal morning walking down 383 steps to catch the on-time and correct train to Monterosso. It wasn't so bad, the morning air was cool and the sun was gracefully reaching through the sky.
We started the trail at sea level, at 10:30 AM and immediately began to climb ancient, rugged, crooked, steep (did I already say “steep?”) steps straight up. Only one side of the steps and path dropped through trees, bushes and rocks to sea. Sometimes the path was railed for safety, other times it was open. Most times the path was stable and other times the rocks moved under your feet. At one point the path was less than 12 inches wide. A few times during the hike (well, maybe more than a few) we questioned our rationale for choosing to start at Monterosso as we were presented with constant, extreme and difficult climbs. Corniglia is the highest town of them all so “Up” was the only possible direction. It took us four and a half hours to walk the total linear hike of 7.5 km, but there had to be another 3 km of “Up” added on top of that!
It was a great hike. The views were incredible and the weather was perfect. We kept up to people that had started the trail at the same time we did; so that made us feel pretty good We are home now, and a little, well, maybe a lot exhausted. Both of our bodies are feeling the effects of the hike each from our own perspective of god daughter and god mother. Each of us has decided that if either of us comes up with this hiking idea again that some serious discussions must occur! The funny thing about this hiking business is that people PAY to go on the trails! The pain is paid for!
It is our last day in Corniglia so we are dining out tonight. First we will walk to the highest spot in town, because it is there, and we haven't been!
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