At the sea - The Cinque Terre, Part 1

We already knew that the Paths between the five towns have been badly affected by adverse weather - just as they have around Barga, with the result that several of the lower paths are closed.  This leaves the higher level paths, but since the villages are down at the sea - there is a lot of climbing to be done.  As we were about to descend to our last town, a young American couple appeared on the way up, declaring cheerily - "there's one thousand one hundred and fourteen steps to go - we counted them!"  The descent was quite something - good knees required!

The steep terraced slopes bear vines which have been tended since Roman days.  The cultivation is very hard - termed "heroic" in one account I read.  In recent years, mini cog-railway lines have criss-crossed the slopes to give the farmers some much-needed help with the harvest.

The villages are very picturesque, and it is strange that each one has a small railway station in its midst!  Because summer brings a lot of tourists, even at this early stage in the year, there are good places to eat and drink, so we enjoyed the evenings we spent in Vernazza and in Manarola.

On the way to Vernazza

First view of Vernazza

Leaving Vernazza next morning

Everyone has a lemon tree.  There are fewer oranges, and we saw one grapefruit tree

Leaving Corniglia, just a lunch stop on the way to our next overnight stop at Manarola

Dwarfed by tree-heather in flower on the high path

What goes up must come down - the steps down to Manarola (rail of cog railway visible in the distance)

Manarola, with its terraces of vines and olives in the distance

Sunset, Manarola