Category Archives: Travel

D1: Mare á mare, Corté to Manganu.

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Monday 15th August. Rain to start, sometimes heavy. Cleared later.

Start out at 07.30, despite the rain and see how it goes. It’s a very long day to start, but I’m fresh. A quick coffee at the campsite to start and the owner shrugged on looking at the rain. I said “cest la vie”. The rain wasn’t to last and eventually I gained the footbridge opposite a spring.

What is that cow doing? This is an odd one. I xe across a cow on the track engrossed in some bones. It seemed to be playing with a scapula. A big one, probably from a cow. What was it doing? It nuzzled it and turned it over. I had a few ideas, maybe it’s using it like a salthlick, or is it more like visiting a dead relative, like elephant’s graveyards?

Bridge leading to the Mare-mare route I needed to return to the GR20.

Refuge de Sega. This is a nice refuge, it serves Mare-á-mare Nord and some other trails. I had a lovely omelette which was oozing cheese. A good choice. I still had quite a way to walk but the scenery changes from forest soon to something more open.

Bolt action rifles. After Sega, I came across a much needed spring. A chance to sit and drink. Then 2 french guys walked past with a couple of dogs.

GR20, get to Corté first.

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Saturday, 13th, tops 34°C, heatwave.

Travel day 1; Manchester airport to Geneva to Bastia. If all goes to well, I will camp near Bastia, Camping D’espiranza. I’ve been there before, it’s few km from the airport. Currently, by bag weighs a little under 15kg not counting hand luggage. All up, 20kg max is the aim.

On bag check-in, I was told to get the rucksack wrapped so it would be safe. Then have it weighed, result – it’s a kilo overweight now. Nobody has asked for an additional payment though.

From Geneva, we flew over Mont Blanc in the evening light.

Travel day 2: get to Corté. The idea is to get onto Mare à Mare Nord and walk walk up to Manganu on the GR20. Bastia to Corte is a bit uncertain, but last time, I hitched and it worked with a very short wait. Once there, get provisions at the supermarket.
There is Bergerie de Sega half way up for a rest (4 hours). I expect a 9 hour walk, all with steady ascent.

Lucciana Cathedral on my journey to Corte early morning.

Later: I got there simply by using the train from Casamozza. This morning I woke before dawn and set off on foot to the station. it’s all gone well so far. I’m worried about the charge on my phone though.

GR221: Mallorca.

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33°C, still in strong sunshine.

Puig De Vente

7am start and back in Deiá at 4. Limestone makes for hard slow surfaces to walk on. There are broken areas of Kärst topography often in classic forms but usually quite broken. We were on approach shoes which meant we felt every pebble through the soles. Beefier walking shoes would be better. I didn’t miss the boots though.

This part of the island is mainly limestone and I was surprised to pass a layer of chalk on the way up. On top were the Clints and grykes of limestone pavements. (Grykes are the cuts between those slabs).

The descent was long slow and awkward. We had troubles routefinding in the woods. There were waymarkers but they were in the habit of running out. Surfaces were slippery on layers of olive leaves. They remain quite waxy when dead and dried. This is not a desperately popular route. The biggest problem was water. We both packed 4 litres each but that was nowhere near enough in full sun (at 33°C).

On limestone pavements.
  • Summits gained:
  • Puig de Pou, 945m
  • Puig de Vent, 1005m
  • Puig de Vendell, 932m,
  • Sa Galera 908m where we overlooked Deiá.

Anglezarke moor

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Kona Jake, 17°C, light cloud, light NW breeze.

Over the moor.

After work ride. I headed up the moor towards Winter Hill. The total distance is not great but many of the inclines are. The Jake is a good climber with the right gears, weight and stiffness. I gave the path across Spitlers Edge but stopped at the 2nd gate (No Bikes).

The paved section.

Backache.

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Corsica.

I wake absurdly early lately. Anyway, I felt the need for a nap at 11 this morning after getting up at 5am. My bedside reading is a guidebook for the GR20. Reading that fired me up too much for sleep so the rucksack got repacked instead.

We soon travel to Mallorca and I will take my boots and get some hill training.

Paddy Wagon

I’ve stopped running this week. After a couple of weeks with tightness around the lower back and pelvis, I pulled something on the last run. Since then, it’s been extremely tight, or at times, painful.

Ride between summer drizzle showers. Cycling doesn’t trouble this backache until I get off.nswinging my leg to dismount is harder than riding at a decent pace for a few hours. On the bike is actually a relief.

Busy day and an airshow.

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Early morning run.

Up early, as I do in high summer. This was the fastest yet, helped by using proper running shoes. Ideally, I’d like a.oair that are a big less squishy and more springy. I don’t need to build stamina this way, it’s all about building resilience in my legs.

Mig 15 over Southport Airshow.

Watched the airshow for a while. From the back garden, Hawker Hurricane, then at the seawall: Mig 15. Then ride through the brown and stopped to see a P51 Mustang. That was great, I loved the sound. It makes a whirring as well as the clattering rumble from the 27 litre engine. It looked fine in silver and red livery.

Towpath and gravel routes.

Sounds ideal this; spent the afternoon killing around on the grass in the garden. The deep cerulean blue sky was perfect and unblemished. Occasionally, it was cut by a vapour trail or a pair of buzzards. Eventually, I rode back home. This time, the route was mostly towpaths and then gravel. Near the end, I grew tired of the vibrations, especially the last 5 miles. I shall sleep deeply.