Puglia - Daunia in September - Hiking from Manfredonia to Monte Sant'Angelo

The next day we get off to an early start because we want to hike from the Via Madonna delle Grazie in the Macchia area not far from where we are staying to Monte Sant'Angelo along the Scannamugliera trail. The path is well signed and on this September morning is also mercifully in the shade, at least at the beginning although the temperature has fallen considerably and there's a gusty wind from the north. Nevertheless we walk slowly, admiring the ancient and contorted olive tree trunks amid the parched landscape.

There's a difference of height of 600 metres but we're not in any hurry. The landscape of terraces and olives and blue sea in the background takes our minds off the effort and we make good progress. It gets cooler despite the effort as we go up and the wind gets stronger. The trail is carved into the rock in places. 

The path should theoretically also take us to a rock church but is fenced off for sheep pasture with a lock and it seems wiser not to insist. Instead we find interesting flowers

and the baked bare bones of a cow. Nearly at the top there is the ipogeo, or rock dwelling, of Santa Lucia, unfortunately now used as a sheep fold. A pity. Soon we are walking among the white buildings and many churches

of Monte Sant'Angelo. We first visited the town a couple of years ago, pre-Covid at about the same time of year, but it's much much quieter now. We go into the sanctuary and down to the grotta where mass is taking place but there are too many people in the enclosed space and we don't linger. Instead we wander around the village, get a couple of slices of focaccia to supplement the bread and cheese we brought with us and find a sheltered bench for our picnic. The wind up here is surprisingly cold and although I am warm enough in my light fleece people generally seem to be shivering.

Our bench is just above a high school and I notice a bearded young man and his friend waiting near the exit with some flowers half hidden between them. The bell rings and the lucky recipient comes out. How nice!

After lunch we wander some more mostly around the Junno quartiere

and finally stop for a coffee in a bar that's almost closing before heading back down. Going downhill is more tiring. The small stones on the path among the limestone rocks make it quite slippery and a little tiring on the feet and as we go down it gets hot too. It's a relief to get back to the car, but it was a very enjoyable day.