The view to the right from the caravan window is the best:
sandy beach and headland with old watchtower, and then hilltop village just out
of camera. But- and this is an important but- you’ve got to make a mental
adjustment before looking at the photo, because it’s BLACK sand and rocks. It’s
all volcanic in this area so the first impression is that we are in
Nutty-Slack-On-Sea. For those readers from a different era, who didn’t
experience coal fires and coal deliveries, nutty slack was a type of poor
quality coal consisting of dust and small lumps.
The helpful campsite manager suggested the village on the
hill would be worth a visit. So up we went, to Forza d’Agro. A good road
zig-zagged to the elegant central square, where we parked. Easy at this time of
year but it must be a nightmare in season.
All the best old villages in Sicily have a ruined Norman
castle and here is the view as we look back from the steps up to Forza’s
castle. It’s locked, but never mind, it’s ruined anyway. You can see what a
good defensive position the village has, perched on its rock pinnacle 1400 feet
above the sea.
The village is a maze of steep, tight streets. These are generally
just about accessible with a small car or scooter. I think the car in the next
photo might be a bit optimistic if it’s going to negotiate the steps as well as
the narrow alley.
The views are exceptional from anywhere on the edge of the
village. Our campsite is visible, as is the mainland if it’s not too misty, and
far into the mountains which is the panorama in the next photo.
With the extensive and varied terrain of Sicily, it doesn’t
feel like an island. It’s actually 25% bigger than Wales, and is the largest
island in the Med. I’m starting to sound like the Sicilian Tourist Board, so let’s
go back down the hill to the caravan for a cup of tea.
No comments:
Post a Comment