Wednesday 5th October

We decided to visit Anversa where the Gole di Sagitario a gorge with a fast flowing river and a botanical and geological park. The drive there, mostly on the autostrada, was uneventful and we found the entrance to the park easily. We walked one of the trails along which there are plantings of local and also some rare plants. The river runs alongside the pathway. There was no one else there at all. The area is one where much ecological work is done and there are bird nesting boxes for woodpeckers and other species.

The Park area

Bird nesting boxes

Eventually we came to the end of one of the trails, there are many of them, and ascended towards the town. The climb proved too much and we went to the car and drove up and parked in the town square and walked via the narrow and steep streets to the restaurant La Gole Pizzeria which is on a hill overlooking the gorge. This seemed to be the center of activity in the town and many of the local construction workers were also having their lunch here. The gruff but kindly owner, waiter, coffee machine operator and general do everything but cook gave us a run down on the day’s specials. We elected to have an antipasto each and then we shared 6 arosticini (lamb skewers). At the end, he brought over some digestifs a yellow one a red one and a sort of orange colored one. They seemed to be made from local flowers and herbs. This was a more than ample meal for a very reasonable price.

Such typical village streets

Then we started out for home. We decide to avoid the autostrada and take the smaller roads back. This led us to Popoli where we saw a huge castle up on the hill and thought we might visit it. We drove up towards it but there were not many signs fore the castle which should have been a warning to us. We eventually drove down and impossibly narrow street and ended up at a dead end. Ascending some steps we thought we might be able top reach the castle this way but that proved to be wrong. So we had to get the car out back through this narrow street with me preceding it, but even then we managed to slightly damage the front bumper. Then we tried a different approach and drove quite a long way around the base of the hill and found a path which was signed up to the castle but it said this was quite a long hike and with time getting late we decide to give up and leave the castle at Popoli for another day. It does look a very impressive building and has great views so may be worth the extra effort one day.

Then it was back to Cugnoli and dinner during which we were disturbed by the antics of the cat who managed to jump up to the large door to the dining room and make a huge racket!!

Then it was off to bed so we could be up early for our trip to Assisi on Thursday and Friday