24.9 km today.
3.3 km/h average today.
7 hours 28 mins walking time.
147 km this trip.
3362 km from start.
0 metres minimum height.
36 metres maximum height.
82 metres ascent.
122 metres descent.
Track Log: Logged.
Travel: Train, Train.
7.80 Euros.
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2012-04-07-000-Savona-to-Arenzano.gpx
2012-04-07-000-Savona-to-Arenzano.kml
This was a nice day with long sections of converted railway, including tunnels and good main road footpaths. Lots of Easter visitors.
The 06:07 Ventimiglia train from Genova Piazza Principe departed on time. Neil got out at Savona.
This was a nice walk through popular seaside towns and villages. In Savona it was too early to get bread. The early morning was cool and the town was only just waking up. Vegetable shops and stalls were just setting up. In the next town (Albisola), a supermarket was open and joy; wholemeal bread and blue cheese plus a bonus slice of pizza. It was the Easter weekend after all.
As the day warmed up, it got warm and busy. In Celle Ligure and Varraze, it got so busy that the sea front became difficult to negotiate. There were too many old ladies, roller bladers, children on scooters, dogs and just people having fun and chatting. So the grumpy old fart abandoned the attempt and went one street inland where there were only shoppers.
Later it clouded over and got windy. This cleared all but the hardy and progress was easier. Much of the day was on the converted railway. When the line was upgraded, it tunneled through the hills for speed leaving the winding coastal track free. Instead of building all over it or letting it go to ruin, it is now a real attraction for the area with many cyclists and walkers of all ages and fitness levels. The whole day's route was safe for walkers.
It was a short train ride back to Genova, getting back to base mid afternoon. Today, for the first time, the hotel is noisy with Easter revelers.
Today may have been a turning point over whether to cross Italy by the shortest route or head south to see more of the sights. The prospect of heading inland was looming. Sunday should have been decision day. So far the whole route from Portugal has been coastal with a few exceptions like northern Spain and two sections of France where the coast was more than one day's walk away. The original plan was to go all round the coast of Italy. The problem with this was simply life expectancy. It would take too long. So the decision: head south and ignore life expectancy. Also it's too cold up north! It it comes to the worst, get a ferry to Albania or Greece and leave out the Adriatic side of Italy and the countries down to Albania.
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