Over Petra Piana lies Monte Ritondu, the second highest mountain on Corsica. Even so, you cannot see the summit from the cabin. The areas around the mountain are of old said to be places with lots of bandits. Me, I'm going to the top to steal some view.
A field of grass on the way up to Monte Ritondu from Petra Piana.
After a breakfast consisting of tea and some really sweet slices of white bread with jam I leave the tent standing and start going from the cabin with only my little day pack on my back. As before the weather is nice at the start of the day. It's going up that matters and it doesn't take long time before you can look down at Petra Piana from a bird's eye-view. The camping area has a lot less tents now.
The cairns bring me up to a little pass. At the pass, I can finally look up to the summit of Monte Ritondu. A grey wall of stone that I have to ascend. Behind me I can see the ridge that the alpine variant to Refuge de l'Onda from Petra Piana goes over.
Lavu Bellebone.
I arrive at a lake with Ritondu reflecting in the surface, Lavu Bellebone. This water is frozen most of the year due to its location at 2321m. It's a fitting place for a break before I start on the last steep climb up towards the top.
View from Monte Ritondu. Paglia Orba towering to the left in the picture, Monte Cinto towering to the right closer to the center of the picture.
The path goes over scree and larger stones up towards Col du Fer de Lance. Lavu Bellebone lays left cold below me, on the other side of the water a large herd of goats are walking. Further on the path consists of more climbing than before. Nearly at the top, only some large boulders over me, I arrive at a small shelter that has been built at the top. Inside it's empty, and chilly.
Lavu Bellebone lies blue and cold beneath the summit.
The path is twisting around the top again before the last part is overcome by some easy climbing. Then I'm standing at the top of Corsica again, at 2622 meters. I'm at the top so early that the clouds haven't had the time to get here to hide the view, which is just great. To the north Paglia Orba and Monte Cinto is towering, it's a little hard to believe that you will look down at me from Monte Cinto. Far to the east I can see Corte with its characteristic castle at the top.
At the summit of Monte Ritondu, 2622m.
At the Bergeries de Vallone I got to know three boys from England and they've also hiked to the top. We stay at the summit for a time and enjoy the moment. Like me they've planned to go to Refuge de l'Onda afterwards.
On the way down again the herd of goats has had the time to walk to the spire that has the name Col du Fer de Lance. They stare stupidly at me when I'm coming climbing down from one of the ridges beneath the top. The sun is higher in the sky now when I'm on the way down and then lit up more of the surrounding countryside than on the way up.
A bird's eye-view of Refuge de Petra Piana.
Down by Petra Piana, people have already arrived from either Manganu or Onda. I shake my head a little bit; it really is some who stresses a lot to come as quickly as possible to the next place. The hike up to Monte Ritondu is maybe the finest summit bid so far, being the first time I could look uninterrupted out over Corsica with no clouds blocking the view.
<- Petra Pianal'Onda ->
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