- First it was a long walk from the end of the road so I could see that few people ever visit this site. I arrived at the site late. It starts at the cliff as the farmland opens up into a river valley - Artists reconstruction of the Norchia site. It's like the valley of the dead in Egypt
you can see the tower ruins of the medieval town on the opposite side of the canyon.
- I had a bout 1 hour before dark so first I explorered some tombs as I descended the valley
Sat - Norchia
- I'd camped in the bottom of the valley. I got washed in the river and then explored some more tombs.
- I then crossed the valley and upto the ruins of the church and castle in the medieval city
Sat - Walking across the firing range to La Rocca Abbey
- Reading my basic map I figured I had to follow the river a bit then cut direct north to La Rocca Abbey and then onto Tuscania. - I picked a track it crossed the river and then it came to a gate
..a sign said "No Access Military" OK what to do ? I didn't want to cross the river again. I check and there was a small pedestrian gate ..there was no sign but after 5 minutes I realised I was an old path, but due to the sound of canons in the distance I realised I was still in the military zone.
- If you see My Via Clodia walk map you can see my route
- I followed a path along the top of the river, bloody dangerous on the steep cliff. I passed a cave which was obviously full of wild pigs obviously safe in a military reserve. I left them alone. Despite a few wrong turns after 2 hours I found a road going to down and I could see La Rocca
I crossed an ancient Roman bridge and over barbed wire designed to stop people coming into the Military Zone. I walked up the path past more Etruscan ruins and up to the Abbey. It had a courtyard. No one was there except some building workers.
I walked around the outside and had just left the site so I was able to hitch a ride to the highway with the building workers who were going to Vetralla
