We have 14 days (net) for walking the GR-20 from Conca to Calvi. Can you suggest the how split the route to stages?
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 Cover the distance between Bocca di Verdi and Vizzavona in one long day. It's the best chance you'll have to complete the route in 14 days instead of the usual 15. Trying to combine any other two stages into a single day's walk will be very difficult.
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I found someone who posted the stages: - Calenzana - Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu
- Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu - Refuge de Carozzu
- Refuge de Carozzu - Haut Asco
- Haut Asco - Refuge de Ciottulu di I Mori
- Refuge de Ciottulu di I Mori - Refuge de Manganu
- Refuge de Manganu - Refuge de Petra-Piana
- Refuge de Petra-Piana - Vizzavona
- rest day - Vizzavona
- Vizzavona - Bocca de Verdi
- Bocca de Verdi - Bocca di Laparo
- Bocca di Laparo - Refuge d'Asinau
- Refuge d'Asinau - Conca
What do you think? Was he extra fit?
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Day 4 and Day 5 in that schedule would be very hard work. It's better to take three days to cover that distance. No wonder they took a 'rest day' at Vizzavona... something I would NEVER do! Day 12 is also a very long day, and I don't think you'd be able to do it if you were starting from Conca.
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Would you never walk such long days or would you never stop for a day in Vizzavona?  Well, if I walk stages 4&5 in 3 days and stage 12 in 2 days, I get 13 days + 1 rest days. Do you think it is doable?
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 Paddy's suggestion is a good one.
My top tip is don't double up stages early in the trek as it will knacker you unless you're super-fit. It takes 2 or 3 days to get into the swing of things.
Due to weather delays, we doubled up two stages in this way:
E'Capanelle to Refuge de Prati then pushed on to refuge d'Usciolu
It was a long day (11hrs) but we ate at the shop at Bocca de Verde and bought more food to eat at Refuge de Prati to refuel. We also stayed in E'Capanelle the previous night rather than camp, so we were full of energy the next morning after a huge dinner.
This was in 2004 so facilities might have changed a bit.
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I don't have a problem with walking long days, but on the GR20, it gets VERY difficult when you walk long days. The ground is VERY rough in a lot of places, and when you get tired, you spend all your time tripping over rocks. Someone once said to me - "When you get tired on the GR20, you even trip over things that aren't there!" I would NEVER take a rest day on ANY long-distance walk. I've walked as much as 70 days without taking a rest day, and in fact, it never even occurred to me to take a rest. I would prefer to walk for half a day and take half a day's rest, but only if I really had to. A lot of people who take a rest day at Vizzavona spend all day sitting outside the bar, which wouldn't appeal to me anyway. Anyway... it all depends on yourself. The GR20 has been covered twice in less than 36 hours!
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Rest days: I think that they are only good for the mind, if you need them.
After a few days on the trek your body becomes accustomed to the physical demands you are putting it through. Once you've adjusted then it's all in your head after that. If you're enjoying the walk then just carry on. You probably don't need a rest day unless you want to escape from the other walkers.
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When I first walked the GR20, I was rather bemused by a couple of Swiss guys on the trail. They were always looking at their watches, and every two hours... and I really mean EVERY two hours... they would stop and take a twenty minute break. They said that they HAD to do this because it was recommended to do it in a guidebook!
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When I first walked the GR20, I was rather bemused by a couple of Swiss guys on the trail. They were always looking at their watches, and every two hours... and I really mean EVERY two hours... they would stop and take a twenty minute break. They said that they HAD to do this because it was recommended to do it in a guidebook! I walked 'with' some French guys on the lovely stage to Pietra Piana who were just the same except they stopped for 10 minutes on the hour every hour. They seemed quite bemused that I just plodded on by at my own pace (assisted by Camelbak hydration) and only stopped on the last col which was peaceful and sunny to have a rest with feet in a melt-water stream. I think a case can be made for rest days where such a day can give your body time to repair blisters - 36 hours off your feet makes a big difference compared to 12 hours. I was getting swelling on one knee and a day's rest at Pietra Piana was all it needed to settle down so that I really enjoyed the following day over the Cretes (it was rather windy and pretty much all the French opted for the valley route rather than the airy ridge) rather than it just being a slog. I did see a couple of English guys who were nearly doubling up stages - doing one and a half, like stages 4 and 5, above. They were at di I Mori with tiny rucksacs (e.g. no tent or sleeping bag) and were already knackered with sore knees. Why not take your time and enjoy it?
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| Edited: 31/07/09 13:21 |
I just realized that I cannot combine Bocca di Verdi and Vizzavona. I want to walk through Monte Renoso so I'll go stop at d'e Capanelle Saar
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I found someone who posted the stages: - Calenzana - Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu
- Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu - Refuge de Carozzu
- Refuge de Carozzu - Haut Asco
- Haut Asco - Refuge de Ciottulu di I Mori
- Refuge de Ciottulu di I Mori - Refuge de Manganu
- Refuge de Manganu - Refuge de Petra-Piana
- Refuge de Petra-Piana - Vizzavona
- rest day - Vizzavona
- Vizzavona - Bocca de Verdi
- Bocca de Verdi - Bocca di Laparo
- Bocca di Laparo - Refuge d'Asinau
- Refuge d'Asinau - Conca
What do you think? Was he extra fit?
I think that what may be suitable stages going north to south may not hold true when going in the reverse direction. My recommendation is not to plan ahead. Weather, bad stomach , blisters, fitness (or lack of) , injuries , walking with other people can all contribute to how far you go in a day. When I was at Capanelle two parties Mount Renosa as a morning trip and then descended to Vizzavona
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