Corsica - Sunflower Books

Noel Rochford, who has written several Landscapes guides, found the Corsicans to be the friendliest people he encountered throughout his travels. But the landscapes enchanted him as well: “No other Mediterranean island can boast such a wealth of natural beauty. Beaches to suit every taste: from long stretches of glaring white sand to pink rocky coves. Real mountains — climbers’ terrain — that reach almost 3000m/9000ft. In these mountains you stumble upon a magnificent mixture of pine forests, beech woods, chestnut groves, and coppices of evergreen oaks. Streams bound down the mountainsides; rivers cascade through awe-inspiring gorges, leaving behind blue-green pools as clear as crystal. The pink granite hills and cliffs, normally conjured up only for an artist’s canvas, are real indeed on Corsica.”

Best months for walking in Corsica: In May and June the countryside is enlivened with a tapestry of wild flowers and maquis in bloom. The hills are ablaze with colour and the air is intoxicatingly-scented by the maquis. This is possibly the best time to walk in Corsica, although September and October are also good choices.

TOURING
Ajaccio 1: THE PINK CLIFFS OF THE PORTO GULF AND THE SPELUNCA GORGE 10
Ajaccio 2: COUNTRY ROADS TO BASTELICA 14
Ajaccio 3: SOME HISTORY AND THE D69 17
Calvi 1: THE ISOLATED NIOLO BASIN AND THE BREATH-TAKING WESTERN GULFS 21
Calvi 2: THE ASCO VALLEY 26
Calvi 3: VILLAGES OF THE BALAGNE, AND THE TARTAGINE VALLEY 28
Bastia 1: SEASCAPES OF CAP CORSE 32
Bastia 2: THE ROCK POOLS OF THE RESTONICA 38
Bastia 3: LA CASTAGNICCIA’S CHESTNUT GROVES 40
Porto-Vecchio: THE OSPEDALE AND BAVELLA MASSIFS,AND A SUNSET OVER BONIFACIO 43

WALKS FROM AJACCIO
1 Pointe de la Parata · Anse de Minaccia · Pointe de la Parata 54
2 Rocher des Gozzi 57
3 Forêt Domaniale de Chiavari 59
4 Forêt Domaniale de Vizzavona 61
5 Bergeries de Tolla 63
6 Ponte di Noceta 66
7 From Venaco to Vivario 69
8 Santo-Pietro-di-Venaco circuit 71
9 Circuit from Poggio-di-Venaco 72
10 Evisa to Ota (Spelunca Gorge) 73
11 From Ota to Serriera 75
12 Cascades d’Aitone 77
13 Le Château-Fort 78
14 Les Calanche 79
15 Capu d’Orto 80

WALKS FROM CALVI
16 Calvi · Notre Dame de la Serra · La Revellata · Calvi 83
17 Capu di a Veta 84 18 Cateri · Occi · Lumio 87
19 From Sant’ Antonino to l’Ile-Rousse 90
20 Plage de l’Ostriconi 92
21 From Calenzana to Bonifatu 93
22 Bonifatu · Refuge de Carrozzu · Spasimata bridge · Bonifatu 95
23 Erbaghiolu circuit 97
24 From Bonifatu to Tuvarelli 98
25 Barghiana · Bocca di Capronale · Barghiana 101
26 From Galéria to Girolata 103

WALKS FROM BASTIA
27 Capandula circuit 107
28 Lavasina · Pozzo · Lavasina 108
29 Monte Stello 109
30 Corte · Gorges du Tavignano · Refuge de la Sega · Corte 111
31 Lac de Melo and Lac de Capitello 115
32 Gorges de la Restonica 117
33 Sentier du Littoral: from St-Florent to Punta Mortella 119
34 Monte San Petrone 121

WALKS FROM PORTO-VECCHIO
35 Foce Finosa and Refuge de Paliri 123
36 Trou de la Bombe 125
37 Cascade de Piscia di Gallo 127
38 Monte Calva and ‘the Diamond’ 129
39 Forêt de l’Ospédale 131
40 Bonifacio and Capo Pertusato 132