Se vuoi salvarti, fuggi, taci e ricerca la quiete
If you want to be saved, run away, be quiet, and seek silence
- Engraved on the gate at the hermitage of San Pietro in Vigneto
Left Gubbio bright and early and walked to the church on the spot where Saint Francis is said to have tamed the wolf.
From here we walked along the road to the former leper colony where he first began his ministry, then followed a footpath beside a stream among the well-tended gardens and vegetable plots of the aptly named village of Cipolleto (literally, onion garden). We stopped for provisions at Ponte di Sasso, which has a gas station, a grocery store, and - the biggest Harry Potter store in Italy! In addition to HP paraphernalia, the store sells medieval costumes, armour and swords (unsharpened, presumably). But unfortunately the shop didn't open until ten, so I was unable to purchase a crossbow to carry in case I meet any wolves untamed by Saint Francis!
After this interlude of civilisation we left the main road and climbed among famers' fields and a series of agriturismi, farm holiday establishments which also welcome pilgrims. One of them displayed a modern-day biker-man scarecrow.
It was quite warm by the time before we reached our destination for the day: the hermitage of San Pietro in Vigneto. Next to the chapel is a pilgrim hostel run by the Italian branch of the Confraternity of Saint James, the organisation concerned with pilgrims and pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela, the Italian branch of which is based in nearby Perugia. Here the two ospitaliere are busy preparing our dinner, to be served after the ritual washing of the pilgrims' feet!
Gubbio - San Pietro in Vigneto 17.5 km
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