The farmers' ladders in parts of the south of Italy in the beautiful area of Massa Lubrense, are long, strong and narrow. Used in harvesting and pruning olive trees and lemon trees, they are made from castagna/chestnut tree wood, and traditionally the labourers climbed bare footed. If you look carefully at the attached photos you may be able to see how the climbers moved a leg around the ladder to provide security when high up. And you'll see at the foot of the ladder, one rung very close to the one above it... again, for safety reasons, to give the last step down a softer landing.
