‘We must go shopping. The fridge is getting empty and the prices are getting higher.’ Yes of course. Let’s go shopping while we can still afford to do so. But can we pay for the petrol?

Increasingly we are combining different trips to the outside world into a whole where business and pleasure can mix together and we can economise too. Yesterday was a case in point and it’s a great way to make a day of it when going to the local discount store and coalescing replenishing the larder with paying bills, pure sightseeing and walking in the delightful freedom of pure nature which now is recovering from the stultifying heat of the previous weeks.

After exceeding our budget at Penny Market (although it does happen to be the best value food place around here) we headed north up up the Serchio valley and turned off into the Turrite Cava valley where our route was almost blocked in one of two narrow entrance tunnels by a huge artic. heading for the local paper mill.

Fortunately the juggernaut didn’t get stuck and we managed to continue our escapade. We stopped for our lunch of baguette, brie and ham at an old mill which has been rescued from utter dilapidation and turned into a stopping place on a footpath for Monte Penna,

The river views from the mill’s little bridge seem rather vertiginous especially when its parapets are somewhat low!

Carrying on we wanted to see if we could reach an ancient Augustinian monastery which has been restored by a couple of artists over the last ten years.

We took the wrong turning and landed on some high pastures but the walk was still very refreshing.

At ‘I Romiti’ we entered a Marie Celeste atmosphere into the ancient monastery chapel now converted into an exhibition hall. We explored a little further and eventually met the owner in an atmospheric kitchen. He welcomed us to his amazing hermitage, now transformed into a cultural centre with the possibility of staying there and participating in art workshops and well-being courses.

At the entrance road to the Romiti ( ‘the hermits’) we met another intrepid person who is restoring the mill once used by the monks into full working order. Inside there were mill wheels dedicated to the grinding of chestnut and corn flour respectively.

Outside we met other locals of a furry and horned variety who also in their own special way are helping to preserve the old pastoral traditions of this gorgeous part of wild Tuscany, the Garfagnana.

Eventually we managed to escape from the seductive charms of the Turrite cava valley but not before coming across a delightful mediaeval pack-horse bridge tastefully restored in 2004.

So next time you head for your local discount store do explore the area around it, combineduty and pleasure save a bit of energy in the petrol you use and make it a great day out.