This is a simple story about taking my teenage son for a long slow walk in the hills of Tuscany. Not your usual mother and son adventure I must admit. Ned, who suffers from debilitating epilepsy, has struggled to go to school for several years. His life has been full of doctor’s appointments, endless medication changes and hundreds of seizures. Walking seemed the perfect way for Ned to experience Italy, regain some health and fitness and have a break from the constraints and demands of city life. Our walk began at the end of Autumn, a beautiful time of year in Tuscany. The tourist season has slowed down, the olives are being picked and pressed, grapes have been harvested and the land is finally resting. And for people with epilepsy, the heat of the Tuscan summer has gone. Our long slow walk was a 400km journey from Lucca to Rome on the Via Francigena. The Via Francigena is an ancient pilgrims route starting in Canterbury, England. It winds down through France and Switzerland into Italy. We chose the last section with picturesque hill towns around every turn, plenty of pilgrim accommodation, wonderful food, and if needed, medical assistance. In medieval times pilgrims on their way to the Holy Site of Christianity - Rome, used the Via Francigena. This old road was also the main artery for trading and military activity through the ages. It was the perfect walk for us! Pilgrims on this journey historically carried a shell as an emblem; today’s pilgrim carries a ‘passport’, which is stamped at each stopover culminating in a signed certificate from the Vatican at the end of your journey. Having your card stamped proved to be a great motivator. My walking companion is Ned, who I am sure is like most teenagers, not
This is a simple story about taking my teenage son for a long slow walk in the hills of Tuscany. Not your usual mother and son adventure I must admit. Ned, who suffers from debilitating epilepsy, has struggled to go to school for several years. His life has been full of doctor’s appointments, endless medication changes and hundreds of seizures. Walking seemed the perfect way for Ned to experience Italy, regain some health and fitness and have a break from the constraints and demands of city life.
Our walk began at the end of Autumn, a beautiful time of year in Tuscany. The tourist season has slowed down, the olives are being picked and pressed, grapes have been harvested and the land is finally resting. And for people with epilepsy, the heat of the Tuscan summer has gone.
