Out from Corte.
So, I get an intermission from GR20 and I'm being relegated from being a hiker to being a tourist again. However, I get my first hot shower since leaving Ajaccio four days ago. Corte is a very nice town, but you get to see what it has to offer during one full day. The highlight being the view from the top of the castle, which itself is located on a cliff on the top of the town.
Cut off from the GR20 my hiking gaze is set upon the two valleys that goes up to the mountains from Corte, the Restonica and Tavignanu valleys. On saturday (I arrived yesterday on friday) I decide to do a one day hike up to the Refuge de Sega, which is located in the Tavignanu valley. From Sega you can get to the GR20 by following a trail that goes up to the Refuge de Manganu. It's about five and a half hour up to the cabin, but I'll probably spend a shorter time since I'll walk with a lighter backpack.
The Tavignanu valley. The path is winding itself up through the valley with mountains on both sides.
The Tavignanu is a beautiful valley which follows the river that carries the same name, up towards the mountains high above. There are no roads in the valley, so if you want to see the valley your feet are your only way of transportation (going on horse could probably be arranged). I'm not alone with the idea of hiking up to Sega. A little way up in the valley I meet Mike and Zoe, a couple from Australia that also left Haut Asco yesterday, and we walk together the rest of the way up to the cabin. The trail is almost always going upwards, but it's easy and nice to walk on. Just before we arrive at the cabin it starts to rain. Dark and ominous clouds lie over the mountains and the GR20 further up.
Refuge de Sega.
The Refuge de Sega is located in a very nice spot alongside the river, which contains some really tempting pools. The inside of the cabin is much more spacious than has been in the cabins so far on my journey. We eat lunch on the terrace outside the cabin, a little cold after the walk in the rain. People have begun to come down from GR20. People were being sent down from Ciottulu di I Mori due to the possibility of snow we were told. There is thunder in the distance.
Little, black and yellow reptiles are scuttling over the path when we are starting the walk down towards Corte again. Where the sky is pitch-dark over Corte down below, there is now sun over us. By Punta Rossulini I take a bath in the pools beneath the bridge. I arrive at the mountain town with thunder breathing over my neck. I meet up again with Mike and Zoe for a drink in haute ville de Corte, while the thunder weather is released upon the town. The weather forecast has now extended the days of bad weather apparently. Truth be told, I'm a little bit frustrated by the news, despite having had a nice trip up the Tavignanu-valley.
A curious black and yellow little creature, that emerged when it rained.
Thunderstorm over Tavignanu.
I decide to use the extended break from GR20 to do 'a boucle des deux vallees'. It's a two-day hike that goes from Corte to Refuge de Sega through the Tavignanu-valley, for then to go over the Alzo-plateau to the Restonica-valley and down back to Corte again. This means I'll go up to Sega again. As a diversion from yesterday I take an alternative route towards the cabin after Punta Rossulini, this path goes on the right side of the river. As with yesterday it starts to rain just before I arrive at the cabin.
Punta Rossulinu. Nice pools in the Tavignanu-river that runs under the bridge.
I spend a nice evening at the cabin, while the rain is pouring down outside. Less nice is it at night when I awakes at two o'clock and has to go outside the safe confines of my tent. When I look out of the tent I see that there is almost a full dam or river underneath it. It's raining heavy and the soil is unable to keep up with all the water that is coming. The morning after the water is gone, but the tent is standing left soaked and dirty. Luckily it had stayed dry inside, I'd be able to keep the water outside. Above me, the clouds are drifting through the trees in mountainsides.
Raindrops are shining in the sunlight on my way up towards the Alzo-plateau. More of the weird black and yellow creatures are seen crawling on the path. Smoke rises from a tree, created by the warmth given from the sun. The ruins of a bergerie are passed. Over the Alzo-plateau the fog is coming gliding towards me and descends upon the landscape like a moist blanket, mythical beings are walking hidden from the eye in the mist. A fairy atmosphere. The Bergeries d'Alzo is quiet, doesn't seems to be anyone there now. I pass several other farms. The trail disappears into the clouds on the way down towards the Restonica-valley.
Bergeries d'Alzo in the mist.
Fog drifts in over the Alzo-plateau.
After walking a while autumn colors emerges from the mist and I can see the valley beneath me. I can see in up in the direction of Bergeries de Grotelle where the Restonica-valley goes, from there the valley goes further up towards Lac de Capitellu and Lac du Melo. GR20 lies above those twin lakes. Through the Restonica there is a road and I follow it down to Corte. I missed where the waymarks left the road, no sign marking where, so the rest of the walk is made on the asphalt. The waymarks disappeared quietly without a sound.
View up in the direction of the GR20. Inside the clouds at the end of the Restonica-valley lie Lac de Capitellu and Lac du Melo, deeper into the fog the GR20 goes between Manganu and Petra Piana.
Back in Corte after 'a boucle des deux vallees', which was a nice hike through the two beautiful valleys, I'm met with the news that the bad spell of weather will be extended further. The bathroom floor becomes the target of most of my fury when I spread the soaking wet tent all over it for drying. I decide to go back to Haut Asco the next day (tuesday 04.09) anyway. It's been nice to walk in the morning here so far, the bad weather has come in the afternoon.
The Restonica valley emerges from the clouds.
By Ponte-Leccia I meet up again with Mike and Zoe, it looks like we're having the same line of thoughts. The navette that goes up to Haut Asco doesn't leave until later in the day, so we get to explore the little place. They've got a disco bar here, which we inevitable ends up at. Where the disco are I can't actually tell. The sky is literally opening itself, rain is pouring down by the buckets.
Back to Corte after having walked down the Restonica valley.
It's grey and dull weather back at the old ski station, but it feels kind of good to be back. I've been five days away from the GR20 and I'm anxious to get going again. We'll see what the next day brings.
Corte. The old castle lies on the top of a rock and guards the old capital of Corsica.
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