Morning dawns and many have already started walking when I wake up and goes to the cabin to eat breakfast. Inside, the breakfast is ready, a plate with my name on it. The breakfast is typical for the trip, light bread, jam, a hot beverage and maybe some orange juice. But in addition, the gardiens here has been so nice to include three big slices of cake. I sit down on the terrace and eat the meal while enjoying the view from the cabin.
A herd of goats descended from the mountain and invaded the Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu in the morning shortly after I left.
Down from the cabin, tents and backpacks are being packed together. Others are starting the walk towards Refuge du Carozzu. Some are walking towards Calenzana and for them the end of their adventure on the GR20. There are almost no clouds in the sky, all look set for a nice day. A lady screams hysterically when a loose horse gets too close. Quite mischievous, the horse had previously attacked the bag of food belonging to some other hikers earlier. While the horse ate pieces of plastic, small portions of coffee lay all over the ground.
After passing the water source for the cabin, which is located a little bit outside of the area, the path goes up and into the woods. Further ahead when I look back at the cabin, a large herd of goats has nearly surrounded the cabin. The path goes around the ridge above the cabin and then down through birch- and laricio-trees. I pass the ruins of a farm (Bergeries de la Mandriaccia) while the sun is shining on the peaks above and around me, and then I begin the climb up towards Bocca Piccaia. More goats are grassing in the mountainsides.
View from Punta Piccaia (well, almost) and down towards Bocca Piccaia. The GR20 is heading off up towards the ridge on the other side and then winds itself further along the ridge in the direction of Bocca Innuminata.
Up by Bocca Piccaia (1950m) the sun has overtaken me. The view is absolutely fantastic. On one side it goes steep down to the valley below, not that it wasn’t steep up to the pass either. A nice and convenient place for a break, other walkers are sitting everywhere. There is a little murmur among the people when I make my way up towards Punta Piccaia (2012m); my curiosity has gotten the better of me again. But it turns out to be a futile attempt, to get to the top from this side demands a lot more climbing than I’m ready for without proper equipment. However, the view from here is even more spectacular than from the pass below (Bocca Piccaia).
View down towards Bocca Piccaia, Punta Piccaia and far off Calvi. I made a summit bid for Punta Piccaia, but had to give in due to the extremely steep last part.
The trail continues along the ridge below Capu Ladroncellu (2145m), distinctly marked by the red and white paintings. You could easily come from Monte Corona and go over to Capu Ladroncellu and then get down to the path from there again. In the valley below, the forests of Bonifatu are visible around the mountainside. Monte Cinto is towering closer and closer for each step.
Spectacular mountainscape between Ortu di u Piobbu and Carozzu.
The path is following the ridge below Capu Ladroncellu.
After I have passed Capu Ladroncellu above, the trail between Bocca Piccaia and Bocca Innuminata is going from one side of the ridge to the other. The view changes from side to side, on each side you get rewarded with fantastic views of mountains and valleys. It’s a rollercoaster in mountain and stone. By Bocca d’Avartoli it is time for some food, the view tastes almost better than the food.
Down towards the ridge and Bocca d'Avartoli between Bocca Piccaia and Bocca Innuminata.
At Bocca Innuminata, at 1865m, I can look back and see the trail clearly against the mountainside and curling itself around the ridge and towards the pass where I’m at. From here it goes steep downhill to the Refuge de Carozzu. The path down to the cabin consists of scree and loose stones. I catch up on Laurits and Agnes on my way down, they had started early to get away from most of the heat during the day.
The Refuge de Carozzu is just like the previous cabin quite basic inside, but it has a very nice terrace outside. From the terrace there is a great view down towards Bonifatu. Places to pitch my tent by the way, is however not easy to find. Since I started later than others and again took my time during the walk, I arrived later than most of the other wanderers and the best (and most) spaces are taken. At last I find a spot inside the woods, but it’s definitely not on level ground (if rain comes it will be quite chaotic).
Bocca Innuminata, which is also known as Bocca Carozzu. Looking back I can see the trail where it goes down from the mountainside beneath Capu Ladroncellu, then winding itself along the ridge until it ends up at this pass that lies above the Refuge de Carozzu.
Unfortunately, not finding a place for the tent isn’t the only problem here. There is a shortage of water, and the number of walkers doesn’t make it easier. After standing one hour in the queue for the shower (one shower and people are using 10 minutes), I give up. Instead I fill my camelbak and bottle with water, and make my own shower out in the woods. Later, when I’m walking whistling by the queue, it doesn’t appear to have moved an inch. After one and a half hour later there was no water left.
Dinner at Carozzu, I eat dinner (pasta with dry sauce) together with the same group that I ate with at Ortu di u Piobbu: Bruno, Francoise, Veronique, Pascal and Brigitte.
The dinner is also affected by the lack of water; the pasta sauce is kind of very dry. It’s good to get a Pietra to quench the thirst by then. Despite the seemingly chaos at the place it turns out to be a nice evening. The sky turns fiery red when the sun goes down behind the mountains. The prayer flags are blowing in the wind. Darkness descends upon the cabin, from the woods you can hear voices from the various tents hidden beneath the trees.
The clouds are covering the hills above Bonifatu. Laricio-pines emerge from the mist.
The stage between Ortu di u Piobbu and Carozzu was an incredibly great walk where the trail wound itself on each side of the ridge with beautiful views to mountains and valleys on each side.
Evening at Refuge de Carozzu.
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