Corsica – The Tough Way

The GR20 is one of Europe’s hardest and most beautiful multi-day hikes.

It is one of the most beautiful mountain trails in Europe. But right at that moment we were questioning why we had agreed to such an undertaking. The GR20 (Grande Randonnee, meaning ‘big excursion’ in French) is one of an extensive network of long-distance footpaths across the continent and beyond, with a reputation for being extremely demanding and one of the most difficult. We didn’t expect it to be a walk in the park – what’s a long-distance hike with­out a challenge? So with bags of confidence and four thru-hikes under our belts, we decided to make it our next hiking adventure. And just to really test our mettle (and because we had a tight schedule), we planned to complete the 16 stages in just 12 days.

After the logistics of getting to the French island of Corsica in the Mediterranean, travelling halfway across the island by bus, and setting off from the sleepy village of Conca in the south, we quickly found ourselves making friends and dropping into life on the trail. The rhythms of nature get you like that. We were instantly wowed by the alpine scenery and intoxicated with the scent of laricio pines and wild herbs growing in abundance along the trail. We were more than satisfied with goat’s cheese and saucisson becoming the mainstay of our diet for the next fortnight. Under the blazing sun, we were thankful for the numerous rock pools and cascading falls that we could cool off in after a hard day. But more than anything, and with every step we took, we were mesmerised by the range of light falling on the towering granite peaks that stretched off into the dis­tance, winding their way north.

But let’s not sugarcoat it. The trail is tough! Tackling the traverse of those granite peaks day after day is not for the faint-hearted. After several demanding sections in the early stages in the south, where we had to cross a knife-edge ridge and weave between gullies without looking down at the dizzying drops, we thought we were becoming masters at scrambling and our confidence for completing the trail was high. But none of that prepared me for today. The day where we nearly gave up.

We looked down the precipice in terror and thought, ‘What on earth are we doing here? We can’t do this. This is rock climbing without ropes and complete madness!’ We tried to picture a celebratory glass of Corsican wine waiting for us in Calenzana, our end point, to get us moving again. We were just a day away from victory having already hiked almost 100 miles across the island, but with trembling knees and clammy hands, our resolve was wavering. We were frozen to the spot, wondering which was the best way down.

It was day 11 on the GR20, our penultimate day on the trail, which meant facing the Spasimata Gorge. This was the sec­tion we had been dreading the most. It has a reputation, both in the guidebooks and on the trail, for being treacherous. The route crosses giant slabs at almost a 45° angle, with chains for support at the trickiest parts. Despite the chains, and the promise of assistance from my husband Wayne, the thought of crossing them set me into panic mode, especially after seeing hair-raising postcards of the Spasimata Slabs in every re-supply store along the way. South-bound thru-hikers did nothing to allay my fears either. Having accomplished their traverse of the slabs early on in their journey, they seemed to revel in greeting us as we crossed paths with their friendly warnings of what was to come. But having almost made it to the other end of the island, we couldn’t turn back now.

When you imagine two weeks in the Med, what generally comes to mind is gorgeous blue skies, golden sands and gentle waves lapping at your feet, while popping in a few olives and sipping on sangria. What we wouldn’t have given to be doing just that – it was our summer holiday after all!

Despite the red and white splashes of paint signalling which direction to go, the route was not clear.

It seemed easier to turn around and come down backwards, navigating the rocky pinnacles without having to look directly below. Our arms started to shake and our muscles were on fire as we gripped on to any handholds like a vice. What seemed like a lifetime later, we were immensely relieved to at last step down off the rocky rib on to a flat section.

After this little episode, we were verging on complete meltdown thinking about having to cross the Spasimata Slabs next. But by the time we reached them, Wayne’s confident and brusque attitude must have rubbed off. They were neither icy nor wet, hazards we had been worrying about for the last few days. With careful footing, the slabs are fairly straight-forward to walk across, causing us a lot less distress than earlier that morning. In fact, the GR20 does not even take you across the worst of the giant slabs, the ones that feature in all the pictures – they are on the opposite side of the valley.

Apart from fleeing a storm and having to don our wet weather gear hiking between the Refuge de Petra Piana and the Refuge de Manganu on day eight, today was the most eventful day on the trail. We were glad we had hiked the trail in the unconventional direction of south to north, leaving one of the most terrifying parts until last, as we had improved our fitness and stamina by then, so were more prepared for the harder sections in the north. We also think if we had faced the slabs on day two or three, we might have considered turning back and spending the rest of the week on a Corsican beach… but there was no turning back by day 11! In general, hiking south to north meant that some of the scrambling ascents, for example on scree, were far more enjoyable than they would have been if we had been coming down them.

All of our anxieties melted away after making our way across the Spasimata River on a metal suspension bridge, and reaching the Refuge de Carrozzu. After a celebratory soft drink bought from the little store, we set up camp in a secluded copse at the back of the refuge. It was our final night under the stars, the Spasimata slabs soon forgotten.

In contrast to the day before, where we had left camp in a subdued mood, on our last day we were both in high spirits and full of energy, more than ready to tackle any obstacle the trail threw at us. Technically after the Refuge de Carozzu there should be two stages left to complete the GR20. However, as we were on a tight schedule, we joined together the last two sections and took the low-level ‘yellow’ liaison route to Calen- zana, which was both shorter in distance and quicker in time, enabling us to walk the final section in a single day.

After leaving the serenity of the mountains it was a long downhill walk into the village. Both teasing yet spurring us on, the structures of Calenzana could be seen from quite some distance away. At least they were below us, so they looked a lot closer than any mountain refuge did when we were facing a long ascent. Snaking our way down the mountainside, we seemed to reach the village quickly, where it was time for celebrations. Rather than being sad that it was all over, we were all smiles as this long-distance hike came to an end. We were proud to have completed the GR20 across Corsica, me very relieved to have done so without injury or incident.

Although the GR20 is not considered ‘technically’ chal­lenging, it involves plenty of steep ascents and descents, scrambling and the occasional use of fixed chains and ladders, so be prepared to push the limits of your comfort zone. It is the first long-distance hike we’ve done where days or stages are measured in number of hours as opposed to mileage, as navigating the terrain can be so tough. A case in point is the Spasimata Gorge itself. The 3.5 miles from Haut Asco to Ref­uge de Carozzu over Bocca a i Stagni (2,010m), Bocca Muvrella (l,980m) and through the Spasimata Gorge, according to the guidebook, takes approximately 5.5 hours. Add in a couple of rest breaks and a half-hour lunch stop and this short distance took us seven hours and the best part of a day to complete.

After accomplishing the GR20, we came away with the view that it’s not easy, but if you follow all of the common sense rules related to long-distance hiking, then it’s not dan­gerous either. Be well prepared, do your research and know what to expect. The rewards are to experience a trail that leads ordinary walkers deep into the sort of terrain usually only visited by mountaineers, and to witness the most spec­tacular parts of this magical island in the Mediterranean. The scenery is incredible and the sense of solitude you feel out there on the trail more than makes up for a few scary moments. Plus there’s always that glass of Corsican wine waiting for you at the end.

Let’s Go – Corsica

The Challenge. Created to allow walkers to discover the beautiful and diverse interior of Corsica, the GR20 is a long and tough trek that requires a high level of fitness, lots of mountain walking experience and sure­footedness for the rocky landscape and mountain ridges. The 16-stage route, which crosses Corsica diagonally from north to south, is approximately 112 miles long. Expect to walk for an average of six to nine hours a day (not including stops), with considerable daily ascents and descents that can be rough underfoot.

When to Go. Due to heavy snowfall in winter, the main hiking season is late June to October. The weather in Corsica is generally dry from May to September, with plenty of daylight hours if you intend to double up some stages. Many hikers set their alarms for 4am to minimise walking during the hottest times of the day. But remember that the weather in the mountains can be unpredictable. Thunderstorms are common in summer afternoons, so carry wet weather gear similar to that needed for hiking in the UK. Temperatures in the mountains can also be significantly cooler than on the coast, falling below zero at night, as the environment is more alpine than Mediterranean.

Timescale. Fifteen or 16 days are ideal to complete the GR20, but 12 days is adequate if you are fit and can manage to double up on some stages. A sobering thought is that the French Foreign Legion stationed in Corsica usually do it in seven days as training! Bear in mind that limiting yourself to 12 days will not allow for a zero hiking day’ should you need it, for example in the case of bad weather, minor injury or fatigue and the need to spend a day resting. Think carefully about your itinerary and capabilities and be realistic about what you can achieve based on your hiking experience.

Where to Stay. Refuges and gîte d’etapes offer basic accommodation and food along the route. From June to September they are staffed by wardens [gardiens], who provide sup­plies and prepare a meal in the evening.

PNRC (Parc Naturel Regional de Corse) refuges are generally equipped with bunk beds and offer the use of a well-equipped kitchen, dining room and shower-toilet block. If you’re camping at the refuges you don’t need to book, but it’s advisable to if you want a dorm bed.

What to Take. What to take depends how light you want to travel. Staying in the refuges or hiring a tent at each one means you only have to carry sleeping gear. To travel even lighter you can buy food at every refuge, albeit for a heavily inflated price. The selection varies but all refuges usually have bread, saucisson, tinned fish, pasta and jars of tomato sauce.

Hiking kit we recommend includes a waterproof and windproof jacket for the changeable weather, ankle scree gaiters to keep stones out of your trail shoes, and walking poles for additional support on all the ascents and descents.

Safe in the Sun

As with most treks, hiking the GR20 will see you spending all day exposed to the elements, including sunshine. Here are the top tips for staying safe…

UPF: The Low Down. Our first line of defence against the sun is clothing, but not just any old clothing will do. When looking at outdoor clothing, pay attention to its Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF). Specifically designed to rate the sun protection of textiles, UPF is to clothing what SPF is to sunscreen. A UPF rating is based on the content, weight, colour and construction of the fabric and indicates just how much UV can pass through the garment. It’s advisable to opt for a garment with a UPF rating of at least 30 (blocking 96- 97.4% of UV rays) to ensure effective sun protection. A much-loved, well- worn T-shirt typically offers less UV protection than UPF5.

Lighten Up. The more skin you cover up the bet­ter, but covering up in a hot environ­ment does have drawbacks, such as overheating, so make sure garments not only offer UV protection but are breathable and well vented. Go for a hat that offers decent coverage, plus a long-sleeved top and airy trousers.

Midday? Stay Away. Try to avoid being out in the midday sun. Starting early and resting at the hottest part of the day will not only help protect you from the sun, it will also make your activity easier going.

Time to Reflect. UV light can reflect off surfaces such as water and snow, hitting your skin twice and increasing the intensity of the exposure. Counteract this by covering up as much as possible and using sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30. Malenoma skin cancer cells are most frequently found on the ears and the back of the hands and forearms; pay particular attention to these often neglected areas.