View inland from Italy's Adriatic coast

We have moved down from Le Marche province (and Emilia Romagna for the brief visit to Ravenna) into the more southerly province of Abruzzo, but yesterday's dull weather and occasional showers persist.

The pebble beach is uninviting, the flat, narrow coastal strip is uninspired. But in the middle distance can be discerned the early foothills of the Appenines, and on the horizon at left are mountains of the 1,400 km long Appenine range.

The Appenines ensure that travel from the Adriatic to the Tyrrhenian Sea is an arduous business. Geologically speaking, they are the scene of complicated interactions between the African and European tectonic plates. Earthquakes occur throughout the whole length of the chain, and major parts of it are volcanic: Mount Vesuvius, the Eolian Islands and Sicily's Mount Etna are all part of the same system.

But the Appenines also provide wonderful scenery and plentiful opportunities for walking, mountain climbing or skiing.