Corsica - GR20

9th - 22nd September, 2000

Day 1, 4pm. Calenzana.
Day 1, 7pm. Monte Grosso at sunset, from about halfway to the Ortu di u Piobbu hut. [i]Lo giorno se n'andava , e l'aer bruno toglieva gli animai che sono in terra dalle fatiche loro, ed io sol uno m’apparecchiava a sostener la guerra sì del cammino e sì della pietate, che ritrarrà la mente che non erra.[/i]
Day 2, 8am. Leaving the Ortu di u Piobbu hut.
Day 2, 11am. The daunting prospect southwards from the Bocca Piccaia. ~ The next col (Bocca d'Avartoli) is the greenish ramp to the L of the middle-distance peak (Punta Innominata), while by the end of Day 3 I was on the Bocca Tumasginesca (aka Col Perdu) - on the R of the prominent centre-skyline peak (Punta Minuta).
Day 3, 10am. These little critters are everywhere, darting across your path.~ Dante, as usual, got it spot on :- . . . il ramarro, sotto la gran fersa de' dì canicular, cangiando siepe, folgore par se la via attraversa.
Day 3, 3pm. Capu Larghia from above Asco Stagnu. ~ Evidence of forest fire and regeneration.
Day 4, 7.30am. Punta Stranciacone ~ From my camp a little below the Bocca Tumasginesca (having failed to find a site on the col itself).
Day 4, 9am. In the Cirque de la Solitude. ~ The route from the col, not as alarming as it looks, goes roughly from the top right to the bottom left of the picture, then back across, effectively traversing the foot of the W face of the Minuta.
Day 4, 10am. Bergerie de Ballone, below the Ravin du Stranciacone.
Day 4, 11am. La Grande Barrière, with Paglia Orba on the L.
Day 4, 11.30am. A wind-pruned Laricio pine, with four of i Cinque Frati on the L.
Day 5, 1pm. Capu a u Tozzu. ~ Very easy going, for a change, after the Bocca San Pedru.
Day 5, 2pm. Lac du Ninu, a local beauty spot.
Day 5, 3pm. Slim pickings for the cattle on the Lac du Ninu pozzines.
Day 5, 3.30pm. Beeches by the headwaters of the Tavignanu, Monte Rotondu ahead.
Day 6, 6.30am. Dawn from the Brèche de Capitellu.
Day 6, 7am. A sunrise sky from the Brèche.
Day 6, 8am. East side of the Brèche de Capitellu.
Day 6, 8.30am. Lac du Capitellu.
Day 6, 3pm. Monte d'Oru from the Pinzi Corbini ridge.
Day 6, 3.30pm. Sheep grazing on the Punta di i Pinzi Corbini.
Day 6, 5pm. Bocca d'Oreccia and Monte d'Oru. The Onda hut is down a little on the L of the col.
Day 7, 8.30am. Among the fragrant alder above the Onda hut, looking back to the Pinzi Corbini and Monte Rotondu.
Day 7, 11am. Punta Migliarello from Monte d'Oru
Day 9, 10am. Bergerie d'Alzeta.
Day 9, 11am. Monte Renosu from somewhere in the Ghisoni forest.
Day 9, 11.30am. Random bit of path in the Ghisoni forest.
Day 10, mid-day. Pozzines near the Lacs de Rina.~ A bit off-route - intentionally (no, honestly - I had got bored with endless forest).
Day 10, 4pm. The Prati hut. ~ First tent there, but by no means the last.
Day 11, 7am. Early away from the Prati (far R).
Day 11, 7.30am. A Tyrrhenian sunrise, from the Punta della Cappella.
Day 11, 10am. Vicinity of Punta di Campitellu. ~ The path threads its way along this ridge at about 6000'.
Day 11, 1pm. Helichrysum frigidum, vicinity of Monte Formicolu. ~ An extaordinarily drought-resistant species of Everlasting, endemic to Corsica/Sardinia.
Day 11, 1.30pm. Shower clouds (rain ? - it rains in Corsica ?) from the Bocca di u Formicolu.
Day 11, 2pm. Approaching the Usciolu hut.~ Well, there was some rain but it didn't come to much.
Day 12, 10am. Down and dirty with a young freerange boar. ~ Plateau du Cuscione. The afternoon saw a traverse of the Incudina, with a steep descent to the Asinao hut, during which I was overtaken by several parties in an obvious hurry. I found out why later - they must have heard a weather forecast and were rushing to bag places in the hut. I was less well-informed. The trouble started after dark, with some distant lightning flashes away to the south-west. The storm came swiftly and inexorably up the Asinao valley, and broke with frightening force - rain in stair-rods, a ferocious wind, and lightning of an intensity such as I had never experienced before. In other circumstances I would have found it impressive and enjoyable, but in my little Akto, frequently flattened but resilient, it was far from funny.
Day 13, 11am. Aiguilles de Bavella.~ The storm had cleared by daybreak, though the wind continued to blow fiercely and this, combined with the sleepless night, meant a walk beneath the Aiguilles rather than the intended 'alpine variant' which winds its way around and along the ridge and is much to be recommended (apparently).
Day 13, 1pm. Notre Dame des Neiges and the Aiguilles de Bavella.
Day 14, 10am. Spiky scenery south of Bavella. ~ Punta di Bonifaciu, P. Buvone, P. di Ferru. The improbably slender little pinnacle towards the right is the Campanile di Sainte Lucie. It has been climbed, gingerly (70m., V+/VI).
Day 14, mid-day and I finally remember to use the self-timer.
Day 14, 12.30pm. ΘΑΛΑΣΣΑ ! ΘΑΛΑΣΣΑ ! First sight of the Golfe de Porto Vecchio.
Day 14, 1pm. Monte Bracciutu, near the Paliri hut.
Day 14, 2pm. Strawberry tree [Arbutus unedo]
Day 14, 3pm. Conca, journey's end.
Day 14 + 3, 7am. Sunrise, Pinareddu Bay and Îlot Roscana. ~ After a couple of nights at Conca, I had wandered on down to the coast and a deserted campsite. The habit of early rising was hard to break.