Author Topic: Walking through Corsica.  (Read 3000 times)

vizzavona

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Walking through Corsica.
« on: 07:50:00, 22/07/17 »
I have never sent any images to the site before.  I could never get around the way to do it and have never been involved with any of the image gobbling sites....and from what I can read there is some trouble with using these for images.
Recently there was some posting regarding using a blog way of doing this. So I thought that I would have a go with one of these.
When we retired and were sent out to grass we decided to go to the L'ile de Beaute having had it recommended to us by our daughter who had walked the GR20 some years before.  We enjoyed the visit so much that we returned another five times to travel along some of the many other long distance routes on the Island and later into my 70's I went back to do the GR20 in the reverse direction from South to North.


 http://gaffr.blogspot.co.uk     
« Last Edit: 17:41:40, 22/07/17 by vizzavona »

Islandplodder

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Re: Walking though Corsica.
« Reply #1 on: 11:29:46, 22/07/17 »

Wow!
Great photos, looks awe inspiring!

glovepuppet

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Re: Walking through Corsica.
« Reply #2 on: 16:14:49, 23/07/17 »
our daughter who had walked the GR20 some years before.  We enjoyed the visit so much that we returned another five times to travel along some of the many other long distance routes on the Island and later into my 70's I went back to do the GR20 in the reverse direction from South to North.


 http://gaffr.blogspot.co.uk     


Hi Vizzavona - looking forward to reading your blog properly later. As someone who has also visited Corsica a few times and fallen in love with it too, I'm sure it'll be very interesting.


I wanted to ask thoughh how tough you found the GR20? We have walked the Mare a Mare Sud and a few days in the middle section of the Mare a mare Nord - do you have a comparison between the two for reference?


I'd love to do the GR20 sometime, but have slight concerns about our fitness and stamina to complete the walk safely, although we walk regularly and like mountain walking (Alps, Balkans, Tatras) when we can.


Cheers


GP  O0

vizzavona

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Re: Walking through Corsica.
« Reply #3 on: 20:27:48, 23/07/17 »
Hello,
Yes Corsica is a great island for walking tours.
The GR20 is full on with a loaded pack on day one coming to the high ground from Calinzana...around 1,600 mtrs. plus the distance....an early start when the air is cooler is to be sought after.  Additionally you have the two litres of water to include. We also came in from Calinzana a year later to travel the first three stages of the GR20. On this occasion it rained from half way until we reached the camping at Piobbu which gave us a cooler day in fact more like a home day out. We had two objectives for  this trip.  To reach Monti Cintu and then get down to Bastia and to reach the start of the MM Nord at Moriani.  Later, when I came in from Conca in the South, the first day was more relaxing and also a more gradual easing into walking with the big pack.
MM Nord is very rural walking in the early stages....near empty villages but with fine wee trails connecting.   Corte is a splendid town to stay for a couple of days.  The Tavignanu mule track up to refuge A Sega is a good day out and a choice of ways to get to Col di Vergio followed by two more days out to reach the sea at Cargese. These days are shared with the Mare e Monti Nord.  
We had another journey beginning in Calizana when we connected the M e M Nord and both the Mare e Monti Sud,  with a bus into Ajaccio to reach the start, and that led us onto the Mare a Mare Sud at Burgo to a finish in Porto Vecchio.  
The Mare a Mare Central was reached by the bus from Bastia for a start.  Pleasant in the Central area where you cross the GR20 at the Bocca Laparo.  
Of course there is a lighter way to travel in Corse if you elect to stay in the refuges that have to booked in advance or to hire one of the erected tents found at each refuge.  For us the carried tent is more flexible for the days where we will end up at for a camp and also at the end of a walk we usually have a couple of days in a coastal camping site so no need for hotel expenses etc.  

 

glovepuppet

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Re: Walking through Corsica.
« Reply #4 on: 07:29:17, 24/07/17 »
Thanks for your reply Vizzavona.  O0


I do hope that one day we will get the chance and feel fit enough to take on the GR20 - I'd love to do it! But, as you mention, there are several other marked LDP routes on the island, and we may need to content ourselves with those. TBH, I'd be perfectly happy to do the Mare a Mare Sud again - it's not too difficult, but it's glorious. I can still feel the sense of elation at soaking up the views from the Punta di a Vacca Morta now!


Last time we went, a few years back, we both ended up being ill. Nothing to do with the holiday - we had both picked up something horrible that sapped our energy and took a month to fully get over - but we were distracted from fully enjoying the section we did from Corte to Porto/Piana, so we'd also be delighted to do that route again too. In case it is of interest, my account of that trip is here: 


http://amblesandrambles.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/mare-mare-nord-corsica-1st-8th-may-2011.html


I'm sure we will find something to entice us back soon - it's just so beautiful!  :)


Cheers


GP  O0




   

vizzavona

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Re: Walking through Corsica.
« Reply #5 on: 10:04:26, 24/07/17 »
Hello GP,
I did reply in 2011 after looking at your post regarding your Corsica trips. Reading it again you highlight most of that is special about walking on the Island....the use of chestnuts in many products, the scents coming from the vast number of wildflowers, the food the animals etc.  I would add the wild figs and fruits available in Corse.
The great thing about walking the along the lower routes is that they can be done earlier and later than is the case on the GR20 where the season for walking is June through to the end of September on account of the weather at the higher levels. Mostly a four month season give or take a couple of weeks at each end in some years?
On the lower level routes it may be possible to walk in April, May and also October maybe even later?
Another restriction for most of us is the availability of the E-Jet services from GB that appear to have a short season of June to the end of August?
I agree that Capu d'Orto above Porto is a grand wee Mountain. We had to spent a night at the camping in Porto coming back from the M a M Nord on account of the bus service....one bus gets you to Porto and another the following day takes you on to Calvi.  However we got a look around the village and the splendid sight of the d'Orto, from the elevated campsite, with a wee spike of cloud drifting across at about 2/3 rds. level....caught on the wee  'image maker'.


glovepuppet

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Re: Walking through Corsica.
« Reply #6 on: 10:27:21, 24/07/17 »
Lack of flights is a bit of a limiting factor, but there are a few options on Sundays over the summer months, and I notice that Easyjet now fly Gatwick to Figari on Thursdays, so maybe options are improving.  O0

 

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