This week I took a short break with the family in
Portofino. As well as relaxing and doing some swimming, I managed to do a hike in
the Portofino National Park that I have been meaning to do for a couple of
years .
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| Portofino |
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| Portofino |
Due to the lack of parking Portofino does not get overcrowded
in the Summer and it is always fascinating to wander around its nooks and
crannies and look on with awe at the giant yachts of the super rich which anchor
here. It is also possible you might bump into Berlusconi who has a villa here.
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| Portofino |
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| Portofino |
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| Portofino |
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| Portofino |
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| Portofino |
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| Portofino |
We stay in a hotel
that considering the fame of the place is not extortionately expensive and the
beach is free, a rare thing in Italy.
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| Castello Brown Portofino |
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| Castello Brown Portofino |
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| Castello Brown Portofino |
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| Castello Brown Portofino |
For my hike I left very early in the morning to avoid the
summer heat on the stiff climb out of Portofino. My first destination was Vetta
di Portofino. This part takes you through Olive groves and then as you climb
higher Chestnut woods. It is a pleasant walk but nothing special.
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| Above Portofino |
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| Chestnut Woods Vetto di Portofino |
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| Pietre Strette, Parco Natuale di Portofino |
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| San Rocco from Vetta di Portofino |
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| Vetta di Portofino |
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| San Rocco |
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| Genoa from San Rocco |
From the Vetta I then descended back down to San Rocco perched
high above Camogli to find a bar to have breakfast. A big piece of Ligurian Foccaccia and a
coffee got me ready for the next leg of my walk towards San Fruttuoso.
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| San Rocco |
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| San Rocco |
Now the fun started. On the map a stretch of the footpath
between San Rocco and San Fruttuoso is marked as “EE” which on the Club Alpino
Italiano scale means that it is considered difficult . I asked at the bar how
the footpath was and along the way I asked a couple of walkers coming the other
way if the footpath was really that difficult. No they all told me. Just one little bit of a few metres where
there is even a chain parapet.
The first part of the path is easy up to the point where
you arrive at a complex of gun emplacements dating from the second world war. The emplacements were built after the Royal
Navy shelled Genoa . They were later modified by the Germans when they took over after the 8th of September .
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| Batterie, Parco Natuale di Portofino |
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| Batterie, Parco Natuale di Portofino |
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| Batterie, Parco Natuale di Portofino |
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| Batterie, Parco Natuale di Portofino |
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| Batterie, Parco Natuale di Portofino |
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| Batterie, Parco Natuale di Portofino |
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| Batterie, Parco Natuale di Portofino |
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| Batterie, Parco Natuale di Portofino |
I still had plenty of time so I decided to explore the
complex which is quite interesting with two massive concrete gun emplacements
still in place. I wondered how they came and went and brought supplies as the position is very
isolated.
Soon after the Emplacements the path becomes “EE” and one passes over a rock ledge with the
help of chains. If it is all like this I
thought it will be no problem nothing
worse than I have met in the Apennines.
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| Parco Natuale di Portofino |
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| Parco Natuale di Portofino |
Then I arrived at Passo del Baccio. This in English means
Pass of the kiss where legend has it that in a rather Romeo and Guilietta type
story two lovers whose parents refused to let them marry kissed here before launching
themselves off the cliff.
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| Passo Baccio,Parco Natuale di Portofino |
For several metres one must hang onto the chains fixed to
the rocks and edge ones way along the ledge. It is best not to look down. After getting up courage I took the plunge. Keeping
my eyes fixed on the wall in front carefully I edged my way along. Finally I
was on a normal footpath and I could afford to let my knees shake.
Done I thought, but as I carried on I found to my horror
that there were other tracts just like Passo Baccio.
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| Parco Natuale di Portofino |
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| Parco Natuale di Portofino |
Finally I arrived at Cala dell’ Oro where a 200 meter
climb up and over a mountain ridge to San Fruttuoso awaited me. It was time for
lunch. More splendid Foccacia and a refreshing tomato sandwich that I got prepared at the general store in San Rocco.
This last climb in the Italian summer heat was
exhausting. Luckily one is in a shady forest but it was hard work. I then descended down to the abbey at San
Fruttuoso.
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| San Fruttuoso, Portofino |
On arriving at the bay of San Fruttuoso the first thing I
did was to stop at the beach bar for a well deserved cold beer. I do not think
I have ever enjoyed a beer so much.
San Fruttuoso can only be reached by footpath or by sea.
I decided that I had walked enough for one day
and after checking the ferry times I visited the Abbey. As often is the
case with historic buildings the building in its setting was far more
interesting than the inside.
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| San Fruttuoso, Portofino |
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| San Fruttuoso, Portofino |
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| San Fruttuoso, Portofino |
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| San Fruttuoso, Portofino |
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| San Fruttuoso, Portofino |
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| San Fruttuoso, Portofino |
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| San Fruttuoso, Portofino |
It was now time to catch the ferry and as an added bonus
the fresh sea breeze dried my sweat
soaked shirt as on the spectacular cruise back to Portofino.
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| San Fruttuoso, Portofino |
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| Faro Portofino |
Was it worth it.? Yes I would say as the EE footpath is
also the most spectacular, being the only one of the network of footpaths to
pass through the lovely mà cchia
mediterrà nea and have a clear view of the sea.
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