Walking Montalto to Carpasio

Went walking up in the mountains and started early morning as one does not want to get stuck up there after dark, at least if you are not carrying the right gear.

Packed up a water bladder, pocket knife and some extra clothes, such as socks and long armed T-shirt and a warmer skullcap. Was wearing windproof jogging pants, flannel shirt and on top a wind proof jacket. On my feet Meindl hiking boots and woolie socks. Chucked in a few granola bars too.

Ligurian valleys

Set off in good spirits and the weather was good. As I usually do I started with a too optimistic pace and soon enough I was wheezing like freight train and sweat was dripping off my forehead. Of course then had to slow down, open jacket and take off my cap until my "engine" could cope. With the extra padding I'm carrying around as well as the pain I get these days when my heart beat goes up is not helping but hoping to shed the weight and that the pains go away as they came after I suffered covid a few weeks ago.

Church outside Glori

The trail from Montalto starts with a sign saying among many things "strada biologico" and "Glori" and "Carpasio". The trail is marked with white/red horizontal lines. As one starts keep on the right hand and choose the path going up rather than along the height where you are as these leads off to the olive groves on the slope. As you get more up you will pass some animal pens and if you are lucky you will see horses and donkeys in there. After the pens you pass some old stone buildings and you will know you are on the right track. 

Cats of Glori

Once you get higher you will get on a dirt road and be careful to follow the markers as they're far apart and few. You should be "back tracking", not on your trail but on an higher altitude and you will reach an old settlement that seems to have at least one building still in use. The times I have passed there it has been empty. After these houses you will ascend more and you get onto a plain with high trees and brush, most of the trees are old "castania" that have rotted in the middle and all you see is a huge  hollow treetrunk with younger sprouts coming up on the side. This path will lead you to an opening that has an old stone building at the top end, from here the path leads on left of it and again ascends along gravel. 

Glori village

Once you get on top of the ridge you will come to a crossing with signs to all 4 wind directions. From here you can get to Carpasio which is also a nice walk but having done that earlier (albeit I think I did crawl up another path that time) I wanted this time to choose the path to Glori that was straight on. Well, on I went and the path kept at same height or went lower, it zig zagged a bit and went around ridges, the trail was very picturesque and according to locals one of the best palces to find mushrooms on. Unfortunately the autumn had been very dry until now so I could not see any on the side, didn't venture off the path in search of them. At time some passed a few abandoned farms and I could still see the old "castania" trees. After awhile one could see the church of Glori, funny enough this one was a bit outside the village and the path in continued past it. 

Entrance to Glori from the mountain

By this time I had already shed my wind proof jacket and flannel shirt and was steaming on towards the centre of village. As it was noon and there was an open cafe I decided to stop for lunch and had a 2 pieces of pizza like thing called "sardinara". As I was served my sardinara a local cat came to have a look and quickly stole one of the pieces. He/ she was a sizeable mog with scars to show so I was not going to argue and maybe the cat needed it more than I did.

Trail as I think it happened

Having finished my lunch I continued my trek and took the road back to Montalto, Not a bad walk but the narrow shoulders and cars whizzing by like their life depended on them did not make it very enjoyable. Luckily the last kilometers I could veer off the road onto a shortcut leading straight up to Montalto through the olive groves. All in all I think I made around 14-15km.