September 2020 Circeo Parco del Circeo

On Wednesday the sun is shining again and we finally go out onto the beach to see the sunrise.

The rest of  the morning is dedicated to enjoying the terrace, doing some washing and cooking. After lunch we drive to Terracina and have a longish walk along the beach and sea front. It's quite windy, but offset by the warm sun and while the beach is nothing special the views of the Giove Anxur Temple on the hill behind Terracina add colour.

On Thursday I start packing for departure the following day and also do some cleaning but by 11, everything is really under control and there is absolutely no wind, no people on the beach, a calm sea just lapping gently, how can I possibly resist....time for a 'swim'. Very very pleasant. Such a pity we were unlucky with the weather and it's the only one I managed, but I'm not complaining.....

One of the reasons we decided to visit the area was to go walking in the Circeo Park, a beautiful natural area covering a promontory by the sea and some of the lower lying areas behind the sand dunes nearby. Unfortunately, when we arrived we discovered that all the paths had been closed until 30th September because hikers had been getting lost and requiring rescue. Today is the first of October and our last full day in the area so it's the obvious destination. We park where parking finally becomes free in San Felice Circeo and that is up past the cemetery. From here the route takes us up steps and then along the main road for a couple of bends before heading up a path to the ridge where there are finally some nice views of the sea. It feels pleasantly warm in the sun after the damp woodland, and we aren't the only ones to appreciate the sun.

 Heading down slightly to the right we get to a parking area where another path takes us to the Mura ciclopiche, ancient walls built of enormous blocks of stone, 

and then to the cross from where there's a spectacular view of the coast to the south. 

Path 754 is indicated only for expert hikers, which seems excessive, so we continue on down all the same. In the end we can understand why. While there are no steep drops or dangerous places the going is quite steep and uncomfortable underfoot due to the limestone terrain of slippy dark earth and limestone rock pieces. We're wearing trail running trainers with a good sole but my hiking boots would have made the going a lot easier and safer. Anyway it makes a change to do a proper hike, however short, but it's quite a relief to arrive at Strada del Sole from where it's a short walk on the main road back to San Felice and the car. Back at the car we drive to the lighthouse for a last sunset.

A good way to end our holiday in the San Felice Circeo area.