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A walk through the middle of Corse using tent and hostels.

A walk through the middle of Corse using tent and hostels.


Postby gaffr » Sun Sep 25, 2011 12:56 pm

Date walked: 25/09/2011

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The French 'entre mer et montagne' topo guide lists five Grande Randonnee routes on the island and in a separate guide details the GR20. We hadn't been to the Mare e Mare Centre.
The route begins at Pont de l'Abatescu near to Ghisonaccia and finishes in Porticcio. After reaching the West coast we went roughly south east to Zonza which has a first class municipal campsite. We visited the classic traverse of the Bavella towers which is the so called alpine variant to the stage fourteen if you are travelling South on the GR20. On our way back to the ferry at Bastia we took in Monte Renosa and after not being able to reach the start for Monte san Petrone on account of a sealed off road up to the col de Prato, where a car rally was being held, we had to settle for Monte Sant' Angelu which was well worth the visit to the village of Loreto-di-Casinca which at 650 metres gives very fine views out to the east coast.
1MM Centre scan.jpg
2Catastajhu HPIM5415.jpg
The concrete building wouldn't have been out of place at a Hydro electric plant.
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HM emerging from the sleeping section of the building/bunker?...with steel door!
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The wee hut on the way up to the Bocca di Laparo.
4a HPIM5571.jpg
A satisfied Couleuvre after snatching a lizard for his lunch.
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Cozzano from the Bocca di Laparo
6 HPIM5431.jpg
Cozzano village with roads to Col de Verde and to Zicavo.
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Possibly one of the passion fruit family....a fine complicated wee flower.
9 HPIM5458.jpg
The cool terrace of the Quasquara hostel.
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Emerging onto the higher ground that we would traverse towards the Col St-George.
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First view of the west coast and Ajaccio which we would reach a day and a half later.
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The so-called strawberry tree.
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A waltz around the Bavella towers. Lots of folks about...like ourselves retired tamalou from euroland.
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Fine rock scenery among the towers.
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Help from a chain at one section.....I guess that there were some younger folks about too!
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Among the towers.
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Approaching Punta di u Pargulu, Tour IV.
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Lac de Bastani on the approach to Monte Renoso.
20  DSC00843.JPG
A friendly eurolander close to the top of Renoso.....we had a nice wee chat about the vast number of tops that we could see from here.
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HM gets the summit shot on Renoso.
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Lac de Bastani from the coire rim.
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The scruffy ski station cum gite/camping at Capanelle for folks on the GR20....the green roofed building is the unmanned refuge.
23a HPIM5573.jpg
Monte Sant'Angelu our last top of the trip.....getting closer to the ferry at Bastia.
23b HPIM5590.jpg
The camping three Kls from Bastia at Sable Rouge site South of the town ....you can get into town by train from the nearby halt...we chose to walk... into Bastia. Follow the busy road until a couple of hundred metres prior to the tunnel which takes all the traffic under the old town...there is a diagonal path leadng to the old town above the original harbour ...now a place for the boating fraternity.
24 HPIM5588.jpg
A flavour of the old town near to the original harbour. The ferry port is another kilometer or so into the town
Last edited by gaffr on Thu Aug 29, 2013 9:31 am, edited 2 times in total.
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gaffr
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Re: A walk through the middle of Corse using tent and hostels.

Postby David.Ferguson » Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:13 pm

Looks terrific gaffr,if only i could talk my wife into a more adventurous summer holiday.(of the outdoor type) :o

The west highland way in the lashing rain does not have the same appeal.

David.
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Re: A walk through the middle of Corse using tent and hostels.

Postby gaffr » Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:37 am

Yes Corsica is a very fine place to travel through the hills with a rucksack. I think that nowadays I need the sun's heat to warm me into walking mode and this year made a kindof last minute decision to go back when the weather here didn't improve into August. It is, I guess, like most of the mediterranean islands, a bit of a euro scoffer....not that I have been to any other island....but the island is really special. We went there after becoming OAP's and have returned after the classic traverse of the GR20 on a further three occasions. To be able to stretch out the time on the island we mostly camp and cook our own, but there are places where camping is not possible, so have the occasional overnight in a gite/hostel. Most of the folks that you meet are on multi day routes and don't be too surpised to come across travellers from Tasmania or from Argentina.....the word about the beautiful island has most certainly got spread all over the globe.....not many folks from GB though?
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Re: A walk through the middle of Corse using tent and hostels.

Postby fazerneil » Thu Oct 13, 2011 12:58 pm

great report gaffr, love the towers and chain section in the photos. Did you book ahead for hostels or find accommodation as and when needed? Looks like we may have found our next sun holiday!!
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Re: A walk through the middle of Corse using tent and hostel

Postby gaffr » Thu Oct 13, 2011 6:43 pm

In reply,
We didn't do any booking ahead on any of our visits but of course we always had the tent with us to use. As far as meals go, when needed, they were always willing to come up with something.
If you are interested in a visit to the island I recommend, if I may, a not very busy site 'Corsica for Hikers' and as I say not a lot happening therein but there are two real nuggets to be found, well I think so anyway. The Videos of Michele Costodero a very amusing Italian Man, I don't Know him, but he seems to think of Corse in the way that I do. Go to the Forum ( GR20) for Memories of a Trekker and for Return to Corsica. Everything from four years ago came flooding back during these films. He chose to do the journey in two parts with a North and a South Section which for folks with holidays from work etc. a logical way to do the high level route on the island ( I got the feeling that he had been along the GR20 in earlier years and was returning)....not like for us old guys who just stay on the island until we finish a route :D I cannot say more than that these are my favourite mountains. :)
www.Vimeo.com/15061401
www.Vimeo.com/29148378
Last edited by gaffr on Sun Apr 08, 2012 7:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A walk through the middle of Corse using tent and hostels.

Postby fazerneil » Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:54 pm

Thanks for the info, we will take a look, could be our first foreign walking holiday...excluding scotland and the hebrides :lol:
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