Questions galore!
We're doing the gr20 from 22 Sept to 3 Oct and here are my questions:
1. Fitness - I'm female, 40, slim, healthy and quite active (gym 3 times a week, squash, badminton, swimming) but am concerned that I'm not fit enough for the trail. I also have a personal trainer who is focusing my programe on getting fit for the trail. With 27 days to go before we hit the trail I'm really upping my training and will be doing a couple of long day hikes (with some hills but nothing more), will do some hill running at lunchtimes and continue with gym and general fitness. Is this enough?
2. Footwear - i've had conflicting advice. Boots for ankle support, shoes for agileness. I like the idea of the flexibility of shoes, but is ankle support crucial?
3. Maps - which is the best one and where to buy it from?
4. With only 11 days I'm not sure that we will do the full trail, might only focus on the North. Yet we might venture south too. I'm flying into Bastia from the UK (only Sunday flights) but don't know where to fly back from. Is the best way of getting to Calvi from the UK to fly to Bastia? SHould I fly back from Ajuccia?
5. What is the weather likely to be like that time of year? It's difficult to know what to take in terms of clothing, will I need gloves for example?
6. Any tips on keeping weight down?
7. What's mobile phone reception like on the trail? Can you charge phones at the refuges? If not can you recommend a good lightweight solar charger?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Sandy
Posted: Thu, Aug 26, 2010, 6:04
1. Should be ok - but make sure you carry some loads on your day hikes
2. Some wear trainers, some wear boots. Trainers are not worn for their flexibility but more for their lightness.
3. Don't need a map of the route. Buy a guide book, which will have map sections in, tear off the cover and introductory bumph and only take the pages you need. A more useful map would be one of the whole island.
4. I fly UK to Marseilles,overnight boat to Corsica (Ile Rousse). Getting to the trail head from Bastia on a Sunday appears a headache.
5. Hot/cold/wet/dry. Gloves should be taken but may not be needed.
6. Don't carry so much
7 Reception good. Cannot recharge at refuges. Consider:
http://www.solartechnology.co.uk/shop/freeloader-pico.htm
Posted: Sat, Aug 28, 2010, 15:13
Just finished GR20 in 8 days, it was tough, especially under foot, we used x-trainers, were light weight, lots of scrambles, great views, have a "get off" the mountain plan if it looks like you can't do it. With your guide book you can gauge yourself time wise and see if its achievable. You have an option to finish at Bavella, saves a day. travel around the island can be slow.
no need to book (just watch at Refuge d'Asinao as very little camping space, lots of people at 5pm with no where to sleep) and the guardian's i believe don't want it either. It's impossible for you to know with the weather where you will be.
hikers got backed up either side of the Cirque for 2 days in bad thunder storms..this is why the booking system does not work. did not speak to anybody that had pre booked.
Dont stay in the 'Hotel' at castel di verghio, rats running around in the false ceiling,(you don't want WEILS Disease from their dropping's falling on you to inhale while you sleep) oh and the staff were rude.
Posted: Sun, Aug 29, 2010, 21:00
My 2 cents
1.Make sure to carry load on your day hiking
2.Take boots
3.Dont need a map, if you insist you can buy a 1:50K map but you won't need it (I had and didn't use)
4. Don't know
5. Be prepared for rain
6. Don't carry a tent, either sleep in the refugee or rent a tent
7. Reception good, no recharging in the refugee but in those next to the road or hotels. Anyway - make sure you turn off your cellular when not used and you will almost won't need to recharge it
Posted: Wed, Sep 1, 2010, 3:46
Posted: Tue, Sep 7, 2010, 13:45
I took lightweight boots, which were fine. Trainers with chunky soles would have been OK but you need to be able to scramble in them when the rock could be wet. I disagree about the Castel di Verghio. I found it to be fine.
I had no mobile reception all week (Vodaphone). My brother had reasonable reception (Virgin). If you do stay at Castel di Verghio, you can recharge there. Maybe at Haut Asco too.
There are a number of escape routes to the East:
1. Calvi via the Bergeries de Grotelle (but be prepared to walk the 15km along the road into Calvi as there's no public transport. If you're lucky, you'll be able to hitch)
2. Tattone via the Bergeries de Tolla
3. Vizavonna
All of these are on the bus route to Bastia. There's one afternoon bus every day. The train runs through all three too.
If you stay in Bastia, you can get the airport bus in the morning.
Posted: Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:29
Hi there, I just got back, went south to north in 13 days, did some summits too, it was great!
1. If you go to the gym regularly you should be fine.
2. I would suggest ankle boot and that is what most people wear. The trail is is most often walking over small/bigs rocks, tree roots, etc. so plenty of change to twist an ankle or so.
3. A small guide book with maps in it indeed. Most non french or german have that one with the blue cover ciccerone (http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=5365163)
4. Don't know about flights or getting from Bastia to Calvi. I took the morning bus from Bastia to Conca (18 Euro).
5. First two weeks of September I had only one thunderstorm, the rest was sunny, but the nights were cold! Hope it stays like that
6. A light backpack is crucial! Depending on your strength it would ideally be 8 - 12 kg. (try and put 15 litres of water in your pack and walk up and down the stairs for an hour, you'll feel it's to much!). So buy lightweight material (www.golite.com). No need to bring a gas cooker, there is an outside kitchen at all huts! Rent a tent at the huts.I didn't make reservations but could still sleep in the refuge a couple of times, and could otherwise always rent a tent, no problem. I did double some stages, so I didn't stay in a the regular stops, so I can't say for sure this would work at all huts, but would assume so.
7. I charged batteries a the refuge at Col de Vert, at the bergerie de Vaccaghia near Manganu and at Haut Asco.
Posted: Tue, Sep 14, 2010, 9:35
Thanks for all the advice!
One more thing. Will we still be able to get food/water from the refuges in the first week in October? We are planing on doing the trip unassisted and won't be prebooking anywhere, relying on getting provisions from the refuges and carrying our own tent. Is this do-able?
Posted: Thu, Sep 16, 2010, 20:24
Hmm, not sure, but I understood, and was told by one guard that there is a guard at the refuges till the end of September. So I guess no guard means no supplies to be bought at the refuges. Btw, the gr20 has a facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2420838713&v=info&ref=search
Posted: Fri, Sep 17, 2010, 10:51
Just to add my input. Did North to South in 13 days. The Paddy Dillon guidebook was very useful, we didn't use our maps so much, but they were useful for providing an overview of the route. I went as a couple, so it was nice to have our own tent and not have to worry about booking, but it would make less sense solo. Essentially I think there's a ton of variables in terms of weather and fitness and mindset that make everyone's experience quite different. If you do nothing else, keep pack weight as low as possible!
Also, if I can put in a good word for Hotel Castel di Verghio, we had a lovely time, our room was very clean, great shower, the staff were friendly (bit of French goes a long way) and efficient!
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Posted: Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 8:32