Garganian Splendour
Italy (Puglia) Stage 13 – Manfredonia to Vieste 62 Km (Tue 15 May 2018)
Weather: 10⁰C min – 19⁰C max, mostly cloudy
“It’s just a hill … get over it!” ~ Unknown
Everything I have read about Parco Nazionale del Gargano (“the Gargano”) is true. Apulia’s surprisingly unspoilt Gargano region, the ‘spur’ of the Italian boot, treated me today to a rich and varied landscape of limestone cliffs, fresh smelling pine forests and beautiful beaches. Formed somewhere between 70 and 180 million years ago, the promitory is predominantly composed of dolomite, limestone and sedimentary rock. Traces of human habitation date back to the Neolithic Age.
For most of the journey the road was smooth and wide, rising and falling as it negotiates the rugged coast-line, offering sensational panoramas down to the sparkling waters of the Adriatic. What blew me away was the different hues of the sea, depending on which direction I looked … from translucent green to azure to turquoise to emerald.
When I looked at my topographical map this morning I felt daunted by the 1,060 m ascent ahead if me. However, remembering what my mate Sharad always tells me, I just focussed on one pedal stroke at a time. Never at any stage was I tempted to look up at the summit, instead keeping my head down concentrating on a point about 2 m in front of me.
Just before I reached the main peak, I came across a great little restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Some pasta was just what I needed to sustain me for the final push to the top. It is amazing what Apulians can do with a simple dish of Orecchiette (a pasta named after their shape, which resembles a small ear). Add some olives, zucchini, capers, and a touch of oregano, and you have a simple but amazing meal.
My reward for reaching the summit (apart from more breathtaking views) was an exhilarating switchback descent, with just a couple of more undulations before I reached Vieste. My concentration was intense as I sped down the mountain at more than 40 kph, being very careful not to overshoot the hairpin bends and land in the Adriatic!
Vieste is an interesting but unpretentious old town which, like all Italian towns, only comes to life at night (very few restaurants open before 8 pm).
With just three more days of riding left, my tour of this incredible area of Italy is almost finished. Then Sicily here I come!
You are a good listener, mate. The photos are amazing. Stay safe mate
Once again you have taken some fantastic photos.
Keep riding the pastas will give you all the energy you need for those long lonely ride
Be safe!!
Stunning photos, Dad! Love the cow pic (a Jersey?). The Orecchiette looks absolutely delicious. From the sound of it, your descent must’ve been thrilling!
Don’t know what breed, but the cow had a look of contentment looking out over the view from its vantage point high on the cliff. I was careful not to frighten it because it might have ended up in the Adriatic!