ITALY:2002
Vesuvius: like the surface of Mars
A trip to Vesuvius is well worth it. On the outskirts of Naples, it rises like a guardian angel..devil..overlooking the city and surrounding area. We went on a tourist coach trip, which was ideal as it plonked us right in the car park where our ascent on foot would begin. By the roadside on the trip up, you can see where the lava flows of the 1944 eruption caused so much havoc, although they can be seen better as you start the ascent on foot....see top row of photographs.
It's about a 20 min walk up a reasonably steep track. Well within the ability of most, DON'T wear open toe shoes or sandals, ..trainers are ideal. The nature of the material under your feet is a bit like coarse beach sand....it sort of slides under your feet and slows the ascent. Take a bottle of water, a sun hat and you'll be fine. Although cooler at the top, there is no need for additional clothing; the coolness nicely refreshes you after the climb.
You can have guide-led cross-volcano hiking tours, but we had no time. If we did return, we'd do it though. At the summit there is about a 300m track that takes you part of the way around the edge of the crater.
The view down the hole...er...crater....is amazing, as is the sight of smoke coming out of the rocks...you can see this in the centre photo of the bottom row above.
All around are wonderful hues of soil/sand/rocks.....many views reminding me of the view of the surface of the planet Mars in 1997 when the Pathfinder Rover sent us those amazing images.
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