Views from Vesuvius

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Mount Vesuvius from Naples. Vesuvius is the flat-topped mound on the right. The mound to the left is Mount Somma and is not an active volcano.

Contrary to its benign appearance, Vesuvius is regarded as a very dangerous volcano, partly due to the number of people settled nearby and also because vulcanologists believe that a major eruption is now overdue.

Looking into the crater of Vesuvius. No red-hot bubbling lava here.
A small cloud of sulphur can be seen on the right, rising from the floor of the crater.

Between the two large eruptions of 1631 and 1944, there were small eruptions roughly every 15 years, but there has been not a peep since 1944.

Apparently, the bigger the build up of gas below the crust, the greater the likelihood of a huge explosive event. However, the good news is that Vesuvius is being very closely monitored, and scientists believe that they will have between two and three weeks’ notice of such an incident. Time enough to move people out of the area.

Fortunately for us, there have been no indications of any forthcoming disturbance, so we were able to walk round the rim today in perfect safety.

From Vesuvius looking across the Bay of Naples.
From Vesuvius looking down. These are not clouds of sulphur, but cumulus clouds.

Having got the little Circumversuviana train as far as Ercolano (the modern town of Herculaneum) we then caught a bus (€10 return) to the car park on Mount Versuvius. A further €10 allowed us to walk up to the crater (half an hour’s steep climb).

The shiny rectangles on the ground are not areas of water, but polytunnels.
Dried lava from an old flow.

We’re really pleased we managed to do this today. Reading forums on Trip Adviser, a number of people seem to have got to the car park with the bus from Ercolano, for the path to the crater to be closed due to weather conditions.

Me. Made it!
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Published by tortoisesontour

My husband, Mark, and I have just sold our house and are taking a year out to have an adventure before we settle down to retirement. We decided on a journey through Italy as it has the perfect combination of good weather, interesting history, great wine and wonderful ice-cream! As we will be starting our journey in January, we are beginning in the very south of the country.

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2 thoughts on “Views from Vesuvius”

  1. I can remember being in awe of my Grandmother ( Trixie) when she was talking about her trip up the Volcano. I’m sure there was a photo capturing this but it has long gone! X

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  2. Wow. She was much more travelled than my grandmother (May). I think the only time she left Penarth was to come and visit us, or when she moved to Banbury after my grandfather (Doug) died. Do you know when Trixie went up Vesuvius? I wonder when visits resumed after the eruption in 1944.

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