Sunday 11th September 2011
We left Refuge Ciuttulu di I Mori at 6am with a few pieces of bread and an apple in our bags from the previous evening. The first ridge section was flat and easy going, and provided a nice warm up for the day. We had estimated that the first stage of the day - from Refuge Ciuttulu di I Mori to Gite du Col de Vergio - would take us about an hour, but in the end it took us the better part of 2.5 hours, perhaps the only section of the whole GR20 which we didn't do quicker than the guidebook time. The descent from Refuge Ciuttulu di I Mori was fairly straightforward and follows a beautiful valley with many waterfalls on the way down. It is quite a long section however, and is worth planning for if you intend to link 2 or 3 stages together.We stopped at Gite du Col de Vergio where a coffee shop and small market provided options to re-stock. The food available in the market was quite good, if a bit pricy, and included fresh bread. The shop appeared to open at 8am each morning, but that might change depending on the day or season.
We fed up on bread, chocolate spread, and bananas, before starting the next stage to Refuge de Manganu at around 9am. Head down the road slightly and verge right in to the forest along wonderful singletrack. The first few kilometres were very fast and contoured around the hillside before beginning to climb up towards Capu a u Tozzu. At the col we came across a few wild horses.
At the Col close to U Tritore we came across these wild horses
Easy contouring followed by a long gentle descent leads to Lac de Nino, occupying a broad plateau at about 1600m. Lac de Nino is one of the most photographed section of the route, and was clearly popular with walkers who were arriving from a number of different directions. There is also a very useful water source available on the west bank of the Lake.
Tom looking down toward Lac de Nino
We skirted around the lake along flat, easy tracks, breaking out in to a jog at various points. The route remained relatively flat and fast all the way to Refuge de Manganu. The Refuge seemed pleasant, although we only stopped to eat and drink before moving on to the final stage of the day. It is worth filling up with water at the Refuge, as it may be the last opportunity prior to Refuge Petra Piana.
After Lac de Nino, Tom heading along flat, fast track towards Refuge de Manganu
Following Refuge de Manganu there is a steep and bouldery climb up to Bocca a le Porte at 2220 m, broken half way by a flatter section that provided an opportunity to recover. The climb itself was great, with the top section involving a lot of technical boulder hopping. The views from Bocca a le Porte are amongst the best on the whole route - to one side views over the west coast of Corsica, to the other side views down to Lac de Capitello and Lac de Melo.
In the Bocca a le Porte at 2220 m, with Lac de Capitello and Lac de Melo in the background
Dropping down from Bocca a le Porte and traversing the following ridge requires some scrambling, and we found that these were the sections where having a small pack payed dividends. We estimated that on scrambling and technical sections we were probably travelling about 3 times the speed of walkers carrying large packs.
The ridge following Bocca a le Porte was one of the most enjoyable section of the route, providing some exposure and spectacular views to either side. After the ridge, we skirted around to the left, around the base of the large buttress and up onto the Col de la Haute Route (Col de la GR20).
Steve close to one of the highest section on the route, the Col de la Haute Route (2206 m)
Following the Col de la Haute Route a quick contour along a scree slope followed by a short but painfully sharp descent led to the Refuge Petra Piana, our destination for the day.
Refuge Petra Piana was a pleasant surprise - a warm welcome and friendly atmosphere complemented by a spectacular setting. Together with Refuge Prati, this was our favorite hut of the trip. There are food and water supplies in the hut, so we bought some pasta and sauce and cooked dinner following a refreshing wash in a nearby plunge pool. As usual, we chose to drag the hut mattresses outside and sleep under the stars in our sleeping bags. This time, however, it proved a little chilly and we moved back inside between 4am and 6am.
Refuge Petra Piana, together with Refuge Prati (day 5), was our favorite of the trip
