GR20 with company
Hiking journal: GR20 Summer of 2020
day 0: Stuttgart to Calenzana
So much has happened the past months. So little has happened. Weeks that felt like a life time. Weeks that held us hostage in a state of what, when and how. Baffled and uncertain.
But here I am. Following a trail again. Today in the rhythm of a shaking and rattling train on the tracks from Bastia to Calvi. Tomorrow climbing, panting and sweating in the mountains of Corsica.
I’m on my way to the start of the GR20 in Calenzana. The “most demanding trail in Europe”. I’m joined by my cousin Matthias. We have 14 days on this beautiful island. 8 to do the 16 sections of the trail and another 4 to even out or hikers-tan line on a beach somewhere on the island.
It feels so good to be reunited with my backpack again. There are still some things I’d like to optimize but it has become a pretty good setup so far.
We arrive at the camping in Calenzana pretty late. Most of the other hikers have already retired to their tents. We will leave early tomorrow and we will go further than most of them. It feels like sneaking in and it’s a strange thought that in all those tents there are people who are about to experience the same adventure as we do but who will remain unknown and unseen.
It’s the first time I sleep in the zPacks tent again since New Zealand. So many happy memories. So many positive feelings.
It is a very good first night. Even though some rats from the close by sewer did their thing and stole a capsicum and an avocado I forgot in the outer pouch of my backpack.
day 1: Calenzana to Refuge de Caruzzo
We got up at 6 am but it already feels like it’s a too late start. The sun already is burning down in us mercilessly. Tomorrow we will try an earlier start. But either way it will take us a few days to adapt to the climate.
The Maquis — the smell of Corsica — is omnipresent and invigorating but I can feel my brain shut down in the midday heat. In combination with the very challenging and technical terrain it all remains a mental struggle.
Late in the evening we arrive at Refuge de Caruzzo. The refuge is crowded. The bunk beds and the tents for rent are sold out. The spot to pitch our own tent costs 8 € a person. We find a nice spot between some trees, where the smell of the sanitary facilities isn’t too strong and where the ground is almost level. The ground is very rocky and the Y shape stakes have to work hard. Some other stakes would have been better.
The dinner is a typical three course meal. Soup with lentils, pasta and a piece of chocolate cake for dessert. It isn’t a culinary experience but it’s plenty.
Exhausted and tired we go to bed.
day 2: Refuge de Caruzzo to Refuge de Tighiettu
We get up at 5:30 am and leave after a small breakfast with coffee and toast at the shelter. Today will also be very challenging and very exhausting. It is very hot from dusk till dawn.
On the way we start a little standoffish bromance with two french guys that look like military and could easily get cast as superheroes for yet another Marvel series. Alternating we drive us up the hills. It’s a friendly but serious competition with unspoken rules. We can see that it bothers them a lot that we’re such tenacious competitors. It takes us the same time to reach Refuge de Tighiettu. And even though they added some extra miles to go on top of Monte Cinto, they are actually worn down about us being as fast as them.
The dinner at the refuge is very delicious. The spot for the tent is crooked and gusty. A very grueling third night.
day 3: Refuge de Tighiettu to Castel de Vergio
We get up at 5:30 am. Exhausted and tired by the turbulent night. It takes us longer than the days before to pack up everything and get going.
It is a short day today. The terrain of both sections from Refuge de Tighiettu to Refuge de Ciutullu di i Mori and from there to Castel de Vergio are quite easy and we arrive at our destination at noon. Our two competitors continue for a third section. Something we probably could have done too. But we decide to stay.
There are many other groups and couples on the trail. But for some reasons it is very hard to socialize.
The most obvious one — corona. Even though there are always many people on the trails and at the shelters, most keep their distance and stay within their group.
Another reason is that most French seem to be very insecure about communicating with people who don’t speak French as their native language. They rather ignore you than try to communicate. Which is very unpleasant since I try my best to reactive my French from school and I understand quite a lot — even a whispered little side blow like “I don’t understand how you can visit a country without speaking the language” from a French lady next to me at a dining table.
Another reason is probably a social dynamic issue. In the mixed groups, there is a lot of flirting and posturing going on. For the guys, we are two other dudes who could screw up their game. And for the women, we are just two other idiots who can screw up their trip.
day 4: Castel de Vergio to Refuge de Petra Piana
Even though we are right on schedule it feels like we’ve skipped a day. We both regret a bit that we didn’t try a triple section yesterday, especially now that we see how pleasant that section is.
It is absolutely beautiful and enjoyable. We stop for coffee at a little bergerie before we arrive at the Refuge de Manganuu. Afterwards we climb up beautiful mountains with picture-perfect ravines. Probably one of the most beautiful parts of this trail.
The dinner at Petra Piana is strange but delicious. Lentils basically straight from the can with two pieces of fried bacon as an entrée. A piece of Corsican goat cheese with plain toast as main course. Two pieces of canned peaches for dessert.
A beautiful sunset and a clear and sparkling night sky with almost no moonlight on top for free. Halftime.
day 5: Refuge de Petra Piana to Vizzavona
After a decent breakfast at sunrise we start into another hard day of heat and struggle.
After some physical set backs in the past months I hold a strict regiment of stretching and massaging after every exercise. The trail is especially hard on my knees and my joints need some time to get used to the stress again. But so far I feel very good. No problem with my tendons either.
My shoes though really have to suffer. The rugged granite of the Corsican mountains shred their soles to dust. After this trail they also will become a memento for yet another hiking adventure. Time’s running fast for shoes on trails like these.
The track to Vizzavona is basically just crawling down rocks and ravines. It’s very annoying. Especially since there is very little shade and the sun again shows no mercy.
The pools of the Cascade des Anglaises gift a little morality boost and refreshment. But with the next section already on my mind this whole day remains a mental challenge.
day 6: Vizzavona to Refuge de Prati
It would be a very long, a very hard and a very hot day. But thanks to a little mental preparation the day before — it also was very nice, very entertaining and very satisfying.
In general the tracks in the southern part of the trail are a little easier and less technical. But they still have a lot of elevation and it’s absolutely not a walk in the park like some on the way have suggested.
We approach this double section with a stoic mindset. It is what it is. And it helps a lot. Refuge de Prati is a nice reward for our persistence. It lies beautifully on a shadeless but grassy hillside. Horses, Mules and dogs stroll around. We find a very nice spot for our tent and prepare for dinner.
We don’t carry a lot of supplies. Even though it is not cheap we’ve decided to buy lunch, dinner and breakfast at the refuges. Most of the time it is worth it. There are many Corsican specialties that really can make a day. Like a nice sandwich with Corsican cheese or a delicious omelette with Corsican charcuterie.
day 7: Refuge de Prati to Refuge d‘Asinao
The double section today was even harder than the last one. A lot of elevation and very little shade and wind. And there is another thing that bothers us a lot the past days.
The GR20 seems to have a little environment sensitivity problem. There is toilet paper lying around everywhere alongside the trails. People shitting close to — or even right next to the trails. Orange peels and other improperly disposed trash everywhere. It is very annoying and very unnecessary.
We took a break at a very nice spot next to a river with some cool, green moss to lie on and some nice shade to rest. Here we had a very refreshing lunch break. We bought some supplies at Refuge d‘Usciolu earlier that day. A tomato, some cheese and bread and two oranges. Sweat and dust, food and drink and sweat again.
Refreshed und motivated we started into the last part of the day. A long climb followed by a very long descent to the refuge.
We arrived pretty late. I could hear the call for dinner from miles away. Luckily we weren’t too late. Soup with lentils, cheese and bread and pudding for desert.
Last night in the trail.
day 8: Refuge d‘Asinao to Conca
The last double section of the trail. Day eight of a beautiful adventure in the Corsican mountains with exceptional good conditions. Again there was nothing satisfying about reaching the end of a trail. If anything it’s strange and irritating. Maybe that’s what „the journey is the reward“ means. There is no extra reward waiting for you at the end. Just a warm bottle of expired orangina and somehow the urge to continue.
