Steve woke me this morning. He was rather persistent at 7:20 am, like I was missing breakfast of something. The day was bright and sunny, I could hear the waves splashing against the rocks below my balcony, an express train was rumbling through the tunnel under Manarola. I guess Steve was right, I needed to get up and explore more of the Cinque Terre. Once Steve saw I was out of bed, he flew away, probably to peck at the patio door of his next client.
Leaving one sole in Corniglia, the other in Vernazza
7 May 2022
Look back at Corniglia from the Azure Trail.
The Azure Trail is mostly an easy upper trail connecting Corniglia to Vernazza. It is an easier climb because I start out at around 330 feet above sea level from Corniglia. The upper, or high trails, tend to be older, more in tune with nature, and closer to the farmers who originally built and continue to tend the rock walls and paths. It evidently gave them a constructive use for all the rocks that were removed from their terraces in order to grow their grapes.
The Cinque Terre has a way of distracting you from reality. Emphasized in the brochures about the area are the 377 steps that one must climb from the train station to reach Corniglia. However, once trekking the higher trails of the park, these 377 steps look like child’s play. The uneven stone steps, twists and turns, ups and downs, and narrow pathways found along the higher trails are the reality.
