Corsica - any advice on day hikes or scrambles?

8 messages
21/03/2012 at 15:20

Hi,

I'm heading to Corscia, not intending to do the popular multiday GR20, rather for day hikes and ridge scrambling if possible. Does anyone have any experience of this and can they recommend any British Grade 1 or 2 standard scrambles in Corsica which are do-able from a valley base either hiking up and back in a day, or by using cable-cars etc? Done lots of scrambling on Skye Cuillin so expect Corsica will be similar.

Cheers

21/03/2012 at 15:37
There are hardly any cablecars in Corsica, and the few that exist are only used in the winter, so you can forget about them for access. As far as I'm aware, there aren't really any 'recognised' scrambling routes, but as so much of the island is rough and rocky, you should have no problem making things up as you go. The only rule is not to climb anything that you can't get back down! On the other hand, remember that anywhere that people don't walk regularly is likely to be choked with thick, dense and horribly thorny 'maquis'. My guess is that you'll have to aim for places that have well-trodden routes, then use those routes to pick out likely-looking buttresses and ridges and see howfar you get. One handy tip... the higher you climb... the less maquis there is... and the easier it is to find clean rock. Deep in the valleys, there's usually too much rampant vegetation.
22/03/2012 at 14:07

Paddy, many thanks for your detailed response and advice. No cable cars will mean long days and potentially on unrecognised routes.....I have also read that September  can be a bad weather month too.......

22/03/2012 at 14:30

I've done a very little bit of climbing over there - ages ago. Access was quite interesting/strenuous/a PITA due to some of the reasons outlined above - but may have more traffic to crags these days. The route finding was hard and the rock is hand-ripping stuff - great fun......even if we did not do too much; spent more time looking for routes than doing them.

The guide we used was by Guides des randonees Edisud - Randonees et Ascensions le Massif de Bavella, Corse (In French).

Might be worth checking if they have other guides published?

22/03/2012 at 16:09

Thanks for that Ed, sounds like the back end of beyond! Longer looking for routes than doing them....

Mmmm, might have to rethink our plans, but some of the photos on Google of the rocky ridges look amazing - it is maybe just a right pain in the butt getting to them due to poor access.

22/03/2012 at 17:24
Try UK climbing forum perhaps?
22/03/2012 at 17:42
Bavella isn't really the back of beyond once you realise that there's a bus service, daily except Sundays in September, from Ajaccio. The huge buttresses at Bavella are really for rock-climbers, and the main climbs seem to be indicated by numbered plaques. Not sure it would be my first choice for scrambling! The surrounding area is excellent to explore, though, with massive towers of rock poking above the forest.
12/04/2012 at 09:11
The Cap d'Orto looks to be ideal for you - http://www.summitpost.org/capo-d-orto/152247
I did this many years ago and although very hot it was magnificent, with very easy scrambling. Great day out.
HTH
Ben
Your say
email image
8 messages
Forum Jump  
Sign up to our weekly newsletter
Sign up to our twitter feed

Promotions