Tag Archives: Waypoints

Corsica 2011 – Viru valley (20th July)

Well, after a short cycling break I’ll return back to writing about Corsica. Weather wasn’t very good on our first day in Niolo. It was quite cold (approximately 13°C), very windy and it was raining. Despite that, we set out to a trip to Viru valley – a track from Klaus Wolfsperger’s guidebook.

Start/finish Main POI Distance Max. elevation Min. elevation Track record
Parking near Calasima Bergeries de Ballone 11 km 1442 m 1056 m GPX file

The hike starts near Calasima – which is, according to the aforementioned guidebook, highest-located Corsican village. We left our car at ten to eleven on a small parking space on the road to Viru valley – it is very easy to found: the tarmac road from Calasima changes here to the unpaved, gravel one.

Viru valley

Viru valley

Main target of our trip were "Bergeries de Ballone", that are located on famous GR20 route near Viru brook. At first we went to the west along the gravel road. After about 1.5 kilometers, it changed into a narrow forest path and gradually turned to the north-north-west. Even though the track was quite well marked, we still had some problems with orientation and I was quite happy to have my GPS with me. Read More (+ elevation diagram, waypoints, photos) »

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Corsica 2011 – Girolata (18th July)

On Monday we set out to the same starting point as the day before – to Bocca a Croce / Col de la Croix. Our plan was to go to village Girolata, along hiking route Tra Mare e Monti (well-known track, leading from Calenzana near Calvi to Cargèse near Golfe de Sagone). Girolata is the only village in Golfe de Girolata bay and it’s possible to get there only by boat or on foot.

Start/finish Main POI Distance Max. elevation Min. elevation Track record
Bocca a Croce Girolata 11.3 km 261 m 0 m GPX file

We left our car at quarter to eleven and started slowly descending down to the bay. The path was quite wide and well marked by orange color. Unlike during previous two trips, we met quite a lot of people on the track. Some were going just to Girolata like us, but most of them had big bags and were probably doing the whole Tra Mare e Monti hike. That inspired me to make a promise (to myself:-)), that if I have time I’ll try to go “Between the Sea and the Mountains” sometimes next summer.

Girolata (from Bocca Ghjanibarellu)

Girolata (from Bocca Ghjanibarellu)

After 2,4 kilometers long descent (during which I took a lot of photos of Punta Castellacciu, towering above blue sea of the bay), we got down to the sea, to beautiful Plage de Tuara. From the plage, there are two paths leading to Girolata – one goes along the coast and the other across 180 meters high hill Bocca Ghjanibarellu. Read More (+ elevation diagram, waypoints, photos) »

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Corsica 2011 – Punta Castellacciu (17th July)

For the 17th July we had planned trip to Punta Castellacciu – 585 meters high mountain that together with its little higher (and more famous) twin peak Monte Senino separates Golfe de Porto from Golfe de Girolata. Hike to its summit starts in Bocca a Croce / Col de la Croix, which is a (mountain) pass on D 81 road between Porto and Galéria.

Start/finish Main POI Distance Max. elevation Min. elevation Track record
Bocca a Croce Punta Castellacciu 4.3 km 585 m 253 m GPX file

I found information about the trip on this web – it is an (example) track from the Rother Walking Guide, that I mentioned in one of my previous blogposts.

Monte Senino and Punta Castellacciu

Monte Senino and Punta Castellacciu

Hike to Punta Castellacciu is not long (in fact maybe it’s the shortest one we made this year), but it’s very very steep. When I for the first time looked at the mountain from Bocca a Croce, I couldn’t believe that it’s possible to get to the top without climbing equipment. Fortunately, I was wrong… Read More (+ elevation diagram, waypoints, photos) »

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Corsica 2011 – Monte Stello (15th July)

For our first trip on Corsica, we planned a hike to Monte Stello, 1307 meters high mountain located on Cap Corse. I found the tip for this track in a great guidebook Corsica: The 70 finest coastal and mountain walks by Klaus Wolfsperger. However, we had a a little different version – Czech one from 2001, containing just 50 tracks, not 70. We’ve used this guide a lot during our holiday, even though we went to 2 or 3 other hikes, not contained in this guide (as I learnt few minutes ago, they are all contained in the extended guide with 70 tracks).

Start/finish Main POI Distance Max. elevation Min. elevation Track record
Olmeta-di-Capocorso Monte Stello 17.2 km 1307 m 265 m GPX file

The common hikes to Monte Stello begin on eastern coast, in villages of Silgaggio and Pozzo (the track described in guide), but since the sky over eastern coast was overcast, we decided for the track from western coast, from the village of Olmeta-di-Capocorso. Only problem was, we didn’t have a good map – I did have a GPS (Garmin Oregon 450) with OpenStreetMap topographic map of Corsica, but unfortunately this track wasn’t there.

Monte Stello, 1307 m ASL

Monte Stello, 1307 m ASL

At first I thought this wouldn’t be a problem, since I expected there would be marked trail leading there. However, at the crossroad near Olmeta church, there were three tracks marked – the first one to Nonza (1 h 30 min), another one to Marine de Negru (1 h 15 min) and the third one to Bocca San Lunardu (3 h) / Bastia (6 h). We decided for the last trail, since it (at least roughly) led in our direction). Read More (+ elevation diagram, waypoints, photos) »

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Sardinia 2010 – Monte Pino (27th July)

Despite the fact that we liked being on Sardinia, on our last full day on the island we were already quite tired. And so, for this day we planned a little easier trip, short walk to (and around) Monte Pino. As always, we learnt about this hike in our favourite guidebook “Sardinia: Rother Walking Guite”, written by Mithra Omidvar. In the 3rd Czech issue of the book (from year 2003), this track is listed under number 45.

Monster

Monster

Since today’s hike was shorter, we set out from camp a little later, at 9:40. At first we went to the south to Olbia, got on the ring around the town and went to the west. We got off the highway on the 2nd exit and continued in the direction to Tempio Pausania. Read More (+GPS trace, GPS waypoints, elevation diagram) »

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Sardinia 2010 – Perda Longa (25th July)

Perda Longa is a famous rock monolith, located in Ogliastra province near the town of Baunei. There are two ways you can use to get there: 1) a road leading there from SS 125 near Baunei; 2) a beautiful path going there along the coast from Santa Maria Navarrese. Naturally, for our hike we used the second one.

Perda Longa

Perda Longa

Our camp in Tancau we left at 8:50. Way to the starting point was very short, since our today’s trip started once again on the square in Santa Maria Navarrese. There we arrived at 9 o’clock and immediately set out for the hike. At first we went along the via Perda Longa road and after about 700 meters we got to the narrow path, leading us along the coast to the north. Read More (+GPS trace, GPS waypoints, elevation diagram) »

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Sardinia 2010 – Cala Goloritzé (24th July)

The eighth (is it spelled like that?) day on Sardinia – trip to Cala Goloritzé. It’s a beautiful cove (with even more beautiful beach) located in province Ogliastra not too far from the town of Baunei. Not surprisingly, we learnt about this hike in our favourite guidebook “Sardinia: Rother Walking Guite”, written by Mithra Omidvar. In the 3rd Czech issue of the book (from year 2003), this track is listed under number 31.

Cala Goloritzé (thanks to http://berlicky.blogspot.com/)

Cala Goloritzé (thanks to http://berlicky.blogspot.com/)

We set out from the camp at about half past eight. We went via Santa Maria Navaresse to Baunei, where we left SS 125 and turned right to a steep road, that led us up to the Golgo Plateau. There we just followed the signs “Cala Goloritzé” and soon we got to the “Su Porteddu” parking place (and camping and restaurant) – starting point of our hike. (The track described in the guidebook starts even before Su Porteddu, but by parking your car here you can avoid walking a few hundred meters along the dusty road.) Read More (+GPS trace, GPS waypoints, elevation diagram) »

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Sardinia 2010 – Monte Oro (23rd July)

On our seventh day on Sardinia we went for a trip to Monte Oro – 669 meters high mountain, rising above the village of Santa Maria Navarrese. Once again, we learnt about this hike in our favourite guidebook “Sardinia: Rother Walking Guite”, written by Mithra Omidvar. In the 3rd Czech issue of the book (from year 2003), this track is listed under number 28.

Il Pozzo, Santa Maria Navarrese

Il Pozzo, Santa Maria Navarrese

We left the camp in Tancau at quarter past eight – a little earlier then usually… Starting point of the hike to the “Golden mountain” is the upper village square in Santa Maria Navarrese, so getting there was very easy (it took us less than ten minutes). The square is very nice, we especially admired the painting on the wall of local pizzeria. Read More (+GPS trace, GPS waypoints, elevation diagram) »

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Sardinia 2010 – Cala Luna (21st July)

The fifth day on Sardinia and the trip to Cala Luna. Cala Luna (= “Moon Cove” in English) is a famous cove and beach located not far to the south from Cala Gonone. It’s not accessible by car and that’s why I had originally thought that there would not be too many people. Later I saw how naive that assumption was…

Cala Luna

Cala Luna

Today’s journey to the starting point was quite short, we set out from Cala Gonone camp at 9:26 and just after 25 minutes we got to the parking lot located at 45 m ASL above the Caletta Fuili cove. The way there is very straightforward – the only road leading to the south from Cala Gonone ends there… Read More (+GPS trace, GPS waypoints, elevation diagram) »

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Sardinia 2010 – Gola su Gorroppu (20th July)

For our fourth day on Sardinia we had planned a trip to Gola su Gorroppu – famous canyon on Riu Fiumineddu river. The hike there is described in a guidebook “Sardinia: Rother Walking Guite”, written by Mithra Omidvar. We used the 3rd Czech issue of the book (from year 2003), where is this track listed as number 35.

Oleanders and limestone boulders (Gola su Gorroppu)

Oleanders and limestone boulders (Gola su Gorroppu)

The track to Gorroppu canyon (btw. it’s the ONLY possible way how to get there) starts at Sa Barva bridge on the Fiumineddu river. Getting there wasn’t very difficult. We left Cala Gonone camp at 9:10, went up in the direction Dorgali, and behind the tunnel (connecting Cala Gonone road to SS 125) turned left. We didn’t stay very long on SS 125, but just after 1 km turned right, to fertile valley of the river Fiumineddu. The valley is very nice, full of vineyards and olive orchards… After a few more minutes we finally got to the Sa Barva bridge. Read More (+GPS trace, GPS waypoints, elevation diagram) »

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