THIS IS WHAT WE CAME FOR....................................

20th.- 26th. September 2010 LIGURIAN LEISURE BREAK pt.1

A very pleasant 8 days spent on the Ligurian coast in very warm and sunny weather. The campsite ticks a lot of boxes but falls short of a top billing by being just too far for a stroll into town and the lack of a path on the road down to the beach. Being Italy, all the good bits of the beach are private concessions and the public bits are on the scrubby side. The campsite has an arrangement with one such operator and runs a shuttle bus to and fro. For 5€ you get the transport, changing huts, umbrella and 2 loungers which seems quite reasonable. We only did it once and that was the day the clouds came over in the afternoon along with a stiff breeze, necessitating a strategic withdrawal earlier than anticipated. Other afternoons were spent by the pool which was very nice. A couple of trips on the scooter, first to ZUCCARELLO, an old restored fortified village ....having climbed up the very steep path to the castle only to find it closed for further restoration...and secondly to CASTELVECCHIO DI ROCCA along a fairly hair-raising road to nowhere. We had climbed steadily but not seemingly spectacularly but suddenly the road was on the side of hillsides with no protection and very major perpendicular drops to the valleys below. I knew there was a problem from the grip being exerted by the Gf on the pillion but luckily traffic was very light (and careful) and we arrived in one piece. Lovely old mediaeval village with passageways and staircases carved into the rock and houses seemingly piled on top of each other.....the sky only glimpsed high above at irregular intervals. The next town along, ALBENGA, was also worth a visit but we missed out on the cathedral on account of it being shut between 12-3pm, this being Italy. The coast round here is very picturesque, area looks quite prosperous with lots of flower/herb/vegetable growing in huge greenhouses. Excellent supermarket within walking distance with a very drinkable Montepulciano D'Abbruzzo at 1€30 and 66cl bottles of Peroni at 0.95€. Campsite full until last couple of days when it started to empty as the town started to close down at end of season.....all beaches were 'free' from 27th sept.