Scottish weather in the Casentino

Today was a different day. Weather was worse and made more sobering by my drive of shame to the car hire place by the airport to report on my mishap - given that we were dropping the car off early the next morning. Or so we thought.

The car hire people - Firefly - were completely nonplussed and very matter of fact - photos were taken and lame excuses made in my rapidly improving Italian.

Then we were off over the Consuma pass to the Casentino's wild woods and wastes and humdrum towns once famous for woolen textiles made for the religious orders holed up in the high mountains far way from persecution.

We saw an interesting 1970s villa owned by a charming couple. It's main attractions for me was its beautiful southerly aspect, its vineyard, it abundance of space and tumble down allotment-type sheds, its location and views perched above a handy town. And its price. I got quite excited. The Principal less so.

Then we were up to a little settlement with its own castle to meet with Gianluca in the 'piazetta davanti al castello'. He came, we jumped in his car, renewed acquaintances and drove down a gravel road to look at an old but neatly restored stone house with lots of land - five hectares - and brilliant outbuildings - they literally all had PhDs :-).

Again up on the valley side it looked more west than south and had some big trees nearby to cast a rather, I tought, gloomy shade. Something didn't feel right to me and was not helped by the fact the owners had turned off the electricity so we saw all the house in the gloom that came through the dreich outside. By now we had soaking feet from padding around in wet grass. Still, it's possibly a contender.

Then Gianluca showed us a half-finished house, beautifully done with massive new chestnut wood main beams that could have built a Renaissance battle ship - as many did.

The wind howled through the windowless holes in the upstairs. We went on to look at another place in a state of ruination before calling it a day. The views were spectacular but the main part of the subdivided old 'casa colonico'   faced away from the vista and into the east. I took a few photos to show willing.

Later we drove back through the high valley that more-or-less follows Florence's Arno river to it hidden source. We did not see a car for miles and miles. Not surprisingly as it is a long and winding road of countless curves. 

On the way down the other side a giant tractor emerged out of the murk and latter two huge lorries. Then we pounded along the Sieve valley into the glaring lights of rus'h hour traffic before I suggested the scenic route'along tiny bumpy roads through the now almost entirely dark Chianti Ruffina vineyears. We went past little places like Doccia, Molino del Piano, and signs for Monteloro before the long long pull uphill before we gained the road that returned us, slightly property-punch-drunk to Fiesole.

By now the wind was really howling, turning the headlamp-lit, spectral olive trees inside out. Great gusts shook the car. The main piazza was soaked and barren as a few cars and the old faithful Number Seven autobus battled through the weather (extra).

We had an early night to be woken by guests crashing back and then a text at 1.00pm telling us that our 6.30am flight had been cancelled or delayed. We turned off the alarms set for 4.00am and went back to sleep.

Much later it transpired that the wind had made it impossible for all but the lightest planes to land at Florence's difficult runway. Our flight had been diverted to land at Bologna and passengers were supposed to have gone to the airport as scheduled and got the shuttle coach over the Apennines and then wait three hours. The messages from KLM were garbled and inconsistent and we managed to rebook on a flight six hours later.

We parted company in Amsterdam literally running - I had been moved into business class just before touchdown to be able to leave with the utmost urgency. I just made the Edinburgh flight and was very lucky indeed to be picked up by T at the terminal and driven home.  The sun shone on the castle and New Town.

For a trip of four days an awful lot seemed to happen and we ship out to Italy in just 12 days time.

Eek, as they say.