Mount Etna     “..just don’t you dare ignore me!”

The next day we decided to conquer Mount Etna!

We drove up to the North side first. At first the lower hilly slopes of Etna provide many opportunities for campsites and picnicking under the shade of the trees. As this was a local bank holiday, picnicking and camping were exactly in progress as we passed through. Further up the landscape was still barren from the last lava flow a few years ago. You can still see where the larva actually flowed.  

High up here, right up until 2001 this area was a thriving ski resort and would have been spectacular - now it was just charred and gorged, a wasteland waiting for nature to repair it. 

We then drove around to the more touristy South side, here you could get out and climb volcanic craters. This area is a little overrun with bars, cheap food snacking and souvenir shops. You have to ignore them.
We were too late to take the cable car to the top (and no amount of negotiating from Bob was gonna change that we found out!) but really you didn’t need to go to the top  to feel the enormous power of a volcanic mountain and the devastation it can wrought once it lets off steam.
Bob & Cathy climbed the arduous volcanic crater.
John & I took the easy volcanic crater. 

All in all, a fascinating place and a must see.

The following day we got up very early for our day trip to Lipari!