Corsica - The GR20 (Part One)
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 11:03 pm
My wife, children and I had had family holidays in Corsica in the early 2000s and, having got up in the early hours of the morning on several occasions to climb some high mountains before rejoining everyone on the beach for the afternoon, I developed a hankering to do the GR20. I knew, however, that it would be difficult to find the two weeks or so needed to do this unless I somehow incorporated it into my work so three of us, Chris Battarbee, Steve Chalk and I, decided to run it as a (lengthy) Gold D of E training expedition for eight of our students. This seemed like a good idea so I went into organising mode...
Day 1 - Wednesday, 10th. July:
We decided that the best way to approach the island was by sea so, after looking at the train to Marseilles, we eventually flew to Nice and took the ferry. This worked well and, stopping only to buy propane and drink an expensive beer in a quayside cafe in Nice, we arrived in Ille Rouse by mid afternoon. There was then a bit of a hiatus as the taxis which I had organised didn't arrive for a couple of hours but early evening saw us into the gite campsite in Calenzana from where Steve, I and the lads headed into town and found a guy selling bargain pizzas out of a caravan. Chris, meanwhile, headed off to meet his (handily French) other half and start his holiday - during which he'd act as our supplier and, if needed, emergency driver. Day 2 - Thursday, 11th. July:
Despite training walks, we weren't certain how fit all the students were for the hill so, setting a pattern which would be repeated over the next two weeks, we were all on the move by 6.30.am., heading through the dark streets of Calenzana and out into the maquis. We weren't especially fast but refused to be intimidated by the fierce reputation of the GR20's first day, kept going and made the route's first major col, the Bocca a u Saltu, in good order. From there, a gently rising traverse gave both great views of Monte Grosso (1,937m) which I had climbed on a family holiday some years previously and, ultimately, easy access to the first refuge, the Ortu di u Piobbiu. We knew that we had to camp by the refuges so managed to dig out and find relatively flat platforms for our five tents and settled in for the afternoon. As there was plenty of daylight left, I also took the opportunity to wander up Monte Corona (2,151m) behind the refuge, being surprised to find (quite aggressive) cattle grazing at well over 1,800m.
Day 3 - Friday, 12th. July:
Despite the stages of the walk being short, we were with a bunch of students and so decided to stick to schedule - and today saw us hit the island's spectacular main watershed for the first time at the Bocca Piccaia. It was, if memory serves, a fairly sweaty climb but, again, an early start meant that we did most of it in shadow and, when we arrived, the views to the south were spectacular. From the pass we trundled steadily around the watershed above the head of the Cirque de Bonifatu before descending to the Refuge de Carozzu, arriving before midday. Day 4 - Saturday, 13th. July:
A lot of tosh is talked about the rigours of the GR20, never more so than about the Spasimata Slabs and, having crossed the excellent suspension bridge below the refuge in the half light of early morning, the walk up the slabs was easy - if spectacular. Above the slabs, a long climb led to a pass above the Lac de Muvrella before some contouring along the watershed led us to a col high above Haut Asco. Again, the day had been short (less than five miles and 1,000 metres of ascent) and, on reflection, we could have run days three and four together. We hadn't, though, wanted to underestimate what is often (hyperbolically) called "Europe's toughest trek" so we trundled down to what is a rather messy ski resort, met Chris who arrived with our food for the next few days and settled in for a rest day.
Day 5 - Sunday, 14th. July:
I gave the students the option of climbing Monte Cinto (2,706m) on their rest day but none of them were up for it so I did it solo, leaving 90 minutes or so before first light with Steve happy to man base camp. It was an enjoyable slog with some scrambling to get on to the summit ridge and I had the top to myself for about 40 minutes before a fairly large party arrived from the other side of the hill and I pushed off, getting back down in time for lunch. Annoyingly, though, I had failed to take a camera with me.
Day 6 - Monday, 15th. July:
As mentioned, the GR20 has an - it has to be said, undeserved - reputation for difficulty but, before it was taken off the official route as a result of the seven fatalities which occurred there in 2015, the Cirque de Solitude was the walk's most difficult section. Some of our students professed to finding it intimidating but, in good weather, its bark was certainly worse then its bite and it proved quite feasible to traverse the cirque without using either the cables / chains or the ladder that were in place at the time. It was, nevertheless, an exciting place to visit and a highlight of the trek. Emerging from the cirque at a high col, there was a lovely walk down to the Bergeries de Ballone where we camped. The students found that the bergeries sold refreshments and supplemented their diets before a large thunderstorm broke in the late afternoon. Day 7 - Tuesday, 16th. July:
This was a relatively easy day to our second re-supply meeting with Chris at the Col de Vergio. An initial traverse brought us to a cold stream before, with the rising sun on our backs, we climbed to the Bocca di Foggali which gave access to the Golo Valley. From there, we traversed past the Refuge de Ciotullu di I Mori and under the ramparts of Paglia Orba (which I had climbed previously on one of our family holidays) before heading down the valley. The infant Golo was, however, too much to resist in the heat and everyone went for a swim in its cold waters - much to the scorn of a passing muleteer. We headed down to the col and met Chris; Steve and I even visited a cafe near the col for a coffee where, I'm ashamed to say, I stole a teaspoon to replace Steve's plastic spork which I had broken at the Bergeries de Ballone.
Day 8 - Wednesday, 17th. July:
This was another relatively easy day with some beautiful walking. After an initial descent, we climbed through stands of laricio pine to a high ridge line (where we were buzzed by an intrusive helicopter which seemed to have a film crew on board) before descending to the beautiful pastures of the Lac de Nino We then made our way through some more broken woodland to a wide open meadow which was crossed before a final climb to the Refuge de Manganu. The only downside to the day was that the crowded area outside the refuge in which everyone was obliged to camp seemed to have been used as an open toilet by most of the trekkers; it wasn't a pleasant pitch.
Day 9 - Thursday, 18th. July:
Another fantastic day... and the high point of the route. We were away at our usual early hour and headed up to the Breche de Capitellu (at about 2,200 metre) at a steady pace, crossing it into the head of a spectacular valley, high above twin glacial lakes, the Lac di Capitellu and the Lac de Melo. The circuit of the ridges above the lakes was terrific walking before we gained the Bocca Muzella and descended to the Refuge de Petra Piana. Once there, we were pleased to have made an early start as the biggest storm of the trip rolled in, carpeting the landscape with an inch or two of hail. My plans for an afternoon ascent of Monte Rotondu (2,622 metres and Corsica's second highest mountain) had to be abandoned. Day 10 - Friday, 19th. July:
This was the easiest day of the trek and, entailing nothing more than a short wander along a pleasant ridge at moderate altitudes, it could easily have been combined with either the preceding or the following day. The previous evening's storm, however, had cleared the air and made for an atmospheric wander along the ridge while our usual departure time made for a very early arrival at our next camp ground, the Refuge l’Onda. Steve spent the extra time well, wandering around in his bare feet (schoolboy error) and cutting up one of them on a rusty metal spike embedded in the ground. No lasting damage was done...
Day 11 - Saturday, 20th. July:
Well rested, everyone made good time up to the col south of the refuge on the following morning. An obvious diversion to the summit of Monte D'Oro (2,389 metres) was in the plan but a combination of Steve's cut foot and the temptation of Vizzavona's fleshpots split the party. Steve took three of the students on down to the metropolis while I wandered up Monte d'Oro with the other five. The second option was the better deal! It was a fairly lengthy descent to Vizzavona from the summit but rising anticipation of luxuries and a life of ease faded as the heavens opened and the limited availability of anything much in Vizzavona became apparent; the only campsite seemed to be a half submerged gravel car park! At least, though, there was a coffee shop in which to shelter and Chris turned up to re-supply us again! Day 12 - Sunday, 21st. July:
A lot of people walk only the more spectacular, northern half of the GR20 and we were anticipating fewer fellow travellers as we headed south - and so it proved. This day, though, was a delight; after a climb out from the pass at Vizzavona, gentle traversing paths took us south along the eastern slopes of the main watershed ridge before a final climb took us to the Refuge d’E Capanelle, set amid the summer scruffiness of a ski station. I had been here eight or nine years previously when I climbed Monte Renoso with my family and it didn't seem to have changed at all.
Continued in Part Two: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=94807
Day 1 - Wednesday, 10th. July:
We decided that the best way to approach the island was by sea so, after looking at the train to Marseilles, we eventually flew to Nice and took the ferry. This worked well and, stopping only to buy propane and drink an expensive beer in a quayside cafe in Nice, we arrived in Ille Rouse by mid afternoon. There was then a bit of a hiatus as the taxis which I had organised didn't arrive for a couple of hours but early evening saw us into the gite campsite in Calenzana from where Steve, I and the lads headed into town and found a guy selling bargain pizzas out of a caravan. Chris, meanwhile, headed off to meet his (handily French) other half and start his holiday - during which he'd act as our supplier and, if needed, emergency driver. Day 2 - Thursday, 11th. July:
Despite training walks, we weren't certain how fit all the students were for the hill so, setting a pattern which would be repeated over the next two weeks, we were all on the move by 6.30.am., heading through the dark streets of Calenzana and out into the maquis. We weren't especially fast but refused to be intimidated by the fierce reputation of the GR20's first day, kept going and made the route's first major col, the Bocca a u Saltu, in good order. From there, a gently rising traverse gave both great views of Monte Grosso (1,937m) which I had climbed on a family holiday some years previously and, ultimately, easy access to the first refuge, the Ortu di u Piobbiu. We knew that we had to camp by the refuges so managed to dig out and find relatively flat platforms for our five tents and settled in for the afternoon. As there was plenty of daylight left, I also took the opportunity to wander up Monte Corona (2,151m) behind the refuge, being surprised to find (quite aggressive) cattle grazing at well over 1,800m.
Day 3 - Friday, 12th. July:
Despite the stages of the walk being short, we were with a bunch of students and so decided to stick to schedule - and today saw us hit the island's spectacular main watershed for the first time at the Bocca Piccaia. It was, if memory serves, a fairly sweaty climb but, again, an early start meant that we did most of it in shadow and, when we arrived, the views to the south were spectacular. From the pass we trundled steadily around the watershed above the head of the Cirque de Bonifatu before descending to the Refuge de Carozzu, arriving before midday. Day 4 - Saturday, 13th. July:
A lot of tosh is talked about the rigours of the GR20, never more so than about the Spasimata Slabs and, having crossed the excellent suspension bridge below the refuge in the half light of early morning, the walk up the slabs was easy - if spectacular. Above the slabs, a long climb led to a pass above the Lac de Muvrella before some contouring along the watershed led us to a col high above Haut Asco. Again, the day had been short (less than five miles and 1,000 metres of ascent) and, on reflection, we could have run days three and four together. We hadn't, though, wanted to underestimate what is often (hyperbolically) called "Europe's toughest trek" so we trundled down to what is a rather messy ski resort, met Chris who arrived with our food for the next few days and settled in for a rest day.
Day 5 - Sunday, 14th. July:
I gave the students the option of climbing Monte Cinto (2,706m) on their rest day but none of them were up for it so I did it solo, leaving 90 minutes or so before first light with Steve happy to man base camp. It was an enjoyable slog with some scrambling to get on to the summit ridge and I had the top to myself for about 40 minutes before a fairly large party arrived from the other side of the hill and I pushed off, getting back down in time for lunch. Annoyingly, though, I had failed to take a camera with me.
Day 6 - Monday, 15th. July:
As mentioned, the GR20 has an - it has to be said, undeserved - reputation for difficulty but, before it was taken off the official route as a result of the seven fatalities which occurred there in 2015, the Cirque de Solitude was the walk's most difficult section. Some of our students professed to finding it intimidating but, in good weather, its bark was certainly worse then its bite and it proved quite feasible to traverse the cirque without using either the cables / chains or the ladder that were in place at the time. It was, nevertheless, an exciting place to visit and a highlight of the trek. Emerging from the cirque at a high col, there was a lovely walk down to the Bergeries de Ballone where we camped. The students found that the bergeries sold refreshments and supplemented their diets before a large thunderstorm broke in the late afternoon. Day 7 - Tuesday, 16th. July:
This was a relatively easy day to our second re-supply meeting with Chris at the Col de Vergio. An initial traverse brought us to a cold stream before, with the rising sun on our backs, we climbed to the Bocca di Foggali which gave access to the Golo Valley. From there, we traversed past the Refuge de Ciotullu di I Mori and under the ramparts of Paglia Orba (which I had climbed previously on one of our family holidays) before heading down the valley. The infant Golo was, however, too much to resist in the heat and everyone went for a swim in its cold waters - much to the scorn of a passing muleteer. We headed down to the col and met Chris; Steve and I even visited a cafe near the col for a coffee where, I'm ashamed to say, I stole a teaspoon to replace Steve's plastic spork which I had broken at the Bergeries de Ballone.
Day 8 - Wednesday, 17th. July:
This was another relatively easy day with some beautiful walking. After an initial descent, we climbed through stands of laricio pine to a high ridge line (where we were buzzed by an intrusive helicopter which seemed to have a film crew on board) before descending to the beautiful pastures of the Lac de Nino We then made our way through some more broken woodland to a wide open meadow which was crossed before a final climb to the Refuge de Manganu. The only downside to the day was that the crowded area outside the refuge in which everyone was obliged to camp seemed to have been used as an open toilet by most of the trekkers; it wasn't a pleasant pitch.
Day 9 - Thursday, 18th. July:
Another fantastic day... and the high point of the route. We were away at our usual early hour and headed up to the Breche de Capitellu (at about 2,200 metre) at a steady pace, crossing it into the head of a spectacular valley, high above twin glacial lakes, the Lac di Capitellu and the Lac de Melo. The circuit of the ridges above the lakes was terrific walking before we gained the Bocca Muzella and descended to the Refuge de Petra Piana. Once there, we were pleased to have made an early start as the biggest storm of the trip rolled in, carpeting the landscape with an inch or two of hail. My plans for an afternoon ascent of Monte Rotondu (2,622 metres and Corsica's second highest mountain) had to be abandoned. Day 10 - Friday, 19th. July:
This was the easiest day of the trek and, entailing nothing more than a short wander along a pleasant ridge at moderate altitudes, it could easily have been combined with either the preceding or the following day. The previous evening's storm, however, had cleared the air and made for an atmospheric wander along the ridge while our usual departure time made for a very early arrival at our next camp ground, the Refuge l’Onda. Steve spent the extra time well, wandering around in his bare feet (schoolboy error) and cutting up one of them on a rusty metal spike embedded in the ground. No lasting damage was done...
Day 11 - Saturday, 20th. July:
Well rested, everyone made good time up to the col south of the refuge on the following morning. An obvious diversion to the summit of Monte D'Oro (2,389 metres) was in the plan but a combination of Steve's cut foot and the temptation of Vizzavona's fleshpots split the party. Steve took three of the students on down to the metropolis while I wandered up Monte d'Oro with the other five. The second option was the better deal! It was a fairly lengthy descent to Vizzavona from the summit but rising anticipation of luxuries and a life of ease faded as the heavens opened and the limited availability of anything much in Vizzavona became apparent; the only campsite seemed to be a half submerged gravel car park! At least, though, there was a coffee shop in which to shelter and Chris turned up to re-supply us again! Day 12 - Sunday, 21st. July:
A lot of people walk only the more spectacular, northern half of the GR20 and we were anticipating fewer fellow travellers as we headed south - and so it proved. This day, though, was a delight; after a climb out from the pass at Vizzavona, gentle traversing paths took us south along the eastern slopes of the main watershed ridge before a final climb took us to the Refuge d’E Capanelle, set amid the summer scruffiness of a ski station. I had been here eight or nine years previously when I climbed Monte Renoso with my family and it didn't seem to have changed at all.
Continued in Part Two: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=94807