For the non-skiers at Lago Laceno near Avellino in Italy
I belong to a family of enthusiastic, occasional skiers who like nothing better than to plunge down cold, white mountains at speed. The problem is that I don’t share this joy.
In the Apennine Mountains in the south of Italy I discovered nobody seemed to mind. There were deckchairs, sunshine, and families who just wanted to be out and about – not up-there.
Vesuvius from the Castell dell’Ovo
We should have known better – nothing is obvious about Vesuvius.
The volcano has sat across the bay from us all summer – big, blue and balmy. It reclines like some artist’s prop, a balance to the curve of sea and islands, a backdrop for the scuttle of life on its slopes and down to the shore.
It looks benign, the perfect place for an afternoon stroll, perhaps even a villa or two.
The Phraser 