Day 3 Stia: lots of forest and wonderful scents

Today I am wiser: I use the hiking guide later as bedtime reading and I ignore Google Maps. Today I trust GPS. And lo and behold, I master every inconsistency on the route. They say that most pilgrims start from La Verna because the signage is bad before that. I understand that. The local signage is also awful here. But I am learning.

Where nature rules

The peace and quiet of today is impressive. You don't see a single soul for many kilometers. No vehicles, no sounds from agriculture, nothing. The few houses often seem to be abandoned. A power line is half pulled down by climbing plants. The many twisted and hollow tree trunks from which shoots are forming again are bizarre. If you have a passion for nature photography, this is the right place for you.

You can try to capture the beauty of nature in a photo. The scent has to stay in my memory, unfortunately I can't preserve it. From the distant noises I can tell that I'm heading back into a lively area. I step out of the forest and see a picturesque place in front of me. A house with beautifully maintained surroundings, a sea of flowers on the meadow, an ancient tree population in between and a scent that you can't get enough of.

And always on the right path

If you don't want to keep looking at your phone screen (like me), you'll always get off track. But with GPS you can find your way back even through the thickest of thickets. So today I reach my accommodation at Christian time, which I had booked yesterday (having since learned better).