The GR20 Corsica. Paddy Dillon

through the village is the little restaurant A Stazzona, closely followed by Le GR20 bar restaurant, which has obviously been named to catch the attention of trekkers! The Bar Picciu Glacier and Restaurant Pizzeria Prince Pierre are found before the church. L’ Alivu and the Bar Restaurant Le Calenzana lie along a road to the left of the church, while Le Royal and L’ Ecclesia are to the right of the church, opposite the bell tower. To sample local meat, cakes, honey or wine, simply follow little signs to the appropriate outlets. A Proxi grocery stands beside the post office, behind the town hall, or Hôtel de Ville. L’ Atelier du Village stocks local produce further uphill. Eat a hearty meal and enjoy as much fresh produce as possible before leaving Calenzana.

      Transport A bus service between Calvi and Calenzana is operated by Beaux Voyages, tel [phone] or 04 95 65 08 26, www.corsicar.com. It runs once a day in July and August, then schooldays only for the rest of the year. There are no buses between Calvi Airport and Calvi, or from the airport to Calenzana, but taxis meet incoming flights. In Calvi, taxis are usually found on the Place de la Porteuse d’Eau, near the railway station. If there are no taxis at the airport or railway station, then phone Radio Taxis Calvais, tel [phone]. Those following the GR20 in reverse, who need to leave Calenzana at the end, should call Calenzana Taxis, tel [phone] or 06 08 16 53 65. The village taxi stand is beside the Hôtel Bel Horizon, opposite the church.

      Walk up through Calenzana from the gîte d’étape and campsite, passing the Spar shop at 255m (835ft). Follow the road up through the village to reach Le GR20 bar restaurant. It’s possible to turn right and short-cut up the backstreet of A Torra to reach the Place Saint Antoine. However, stay on the main road to continue past the Bar Picciu Glacier and Pizzeria Prince Pierre to reach the Hôtel Bel Horizon and the Église St Blaise in the middle of the village, to follow the ‘official’ route.

      Turn right along a narrow street signposted as the GR20, which soon climbs a broad flight of steps into a palm-shaded car park. Turn right beside the town hall, or Hôtel de Ville, down another flight of steps. Pass between the post office and Proxi grocery, climbing another flight of steps, as signposted for the GR20 and L’ Atelier du Village. A narrow, winding path rises to a junction. Turn right at the Place Commune, then turn left to continue through the Place Saint Antoine along paved streets.

      Pass the Oratoire St Antoine de Padoue and, as you do, offer a little prayer to the patron saint of lost things that you remembered to pack everything you needed for the trek! Pass a signpost beside a stone-built well and follow a cobbled path up from the village. This runs through a deep groove overhung by trees, passing through a small gate. The path rises from the trees and reaches an area of bare granite at Lavupargu, turning right to follow a low drystone wall further uphill.

      Dense growths of sticky leaved cistus press in on both sides as the path climbs up an eroded groove in the bedrock, and there are ruined drystone walls on either side. There is a view back to Calenzana, as well as to the neighbouring village of Moncale, while Calvi and Lumio are seen near the coast as the path climbs further. The slope is exposed to the sun and bears the charred remains of trees destroyed by a big fire in 1982. The area has seen smaller blazes in subsequent years.

      Pass a stand of tall, charred laricio pines on the broom-covered slope, then later a water source spills on the left, before some charred chestnut trees. The path rises fairly gently, passing a couple more chestnut trees and a few pines, zigzagging up to a signpost at a junction of paths at 550m (1805ft). (There is a worn patch on the hillside, about an hour from Calenzana, where trekkers can’t resist dropping their packs and taking a break.) The GR20 heads up to the left, marked by red and white paint flashes. The Tra Mare e Monti heads off to the right, marked by orange paint flashes.

      At this point a choice must be made between the high-level route and the low-level variant. See the next section, Stage 1B, for a description of the low-level variant.

      An hour after leaving Calenzana, the GR20 and the Tra Mare e Monti part company at a junction on the hillside

      Go left to follow the GR20 and zigzag up past a couple of monstrous boulders beneath the rocky peaks of Capu di u Ravalente. The path crosses a rocky gap at 625m (2050ft) where small boulders make good seats. If you haven’t already learnt from painful experience, don’t sit down on the maquis, which here is a mixture of cistus and spiny broom. Take a last look back to Calenzana before it passes from view.

      The path is quite rugged as it descends a short way from the gap, passing beneath an overhanging rock with holm oaks growing in crevices. The surface is easier underfoot as the path contours along an old terrace high on the slope. Straggly barbed wire fencing runs alongside to the right, and the maquis is an exotic mix of aromatic species. The path rises to a few chestnut trees that draw moisture from a seasonal stream, the Ruisseau de Sambuccu, and it is clear that they have suffered a severe burning in the past. Bergeries can be seen on the valley sides, and the bongling bells of cattle or goats grazing in the maquis may be heard. The low-level track leading to Bonifatu can also be seen. Hopefully you won’t be wishing you were on it at this late stage!

      As it leaves the chestnut trees, the path is in an eroded rocky groove, but it levels out as it runs across the slope. The barbed wire fence is still visible on the right. Another stream called the Ruisseau d’Arghioa is crossed where tall laricio pines grow, and the path on either side of the watercourse is quite rocky. This is a fine place to fill up with water early in the summer, but it quickly dries away, leaving this whole stage waterless. Above the stream there is a pleasant grassy ledge at Arghioa, overlooking the valley from an altitude of 800m (2625ft). Those who reach this point within 1hr 30mins of leaving the GR20/TMM trail junction are doing fairly well.

      A zigzag path leads up past young pines and heather scrub on a steep and stony slope. The path is well graded and well marked at all the crucial turnings, although there are a couple of other paths that lead away on either side. Note the clumps of hellebores growing profusely in places. There is a rocky stretch where the path crosses a streambed at a higher level, then it swings right near a rocky pinnacle. There are more zigzags and a few tight squeezes where young pines and tall heather grow thickly between tall laricio pines on the higher slopes. Another series of zigzags leads above young pines and spiny broom scrub to reach a grassy gap, the Bocca a u Saltu, at 1250m (4100ft). Trekkers should reach this point 1hr 30mins after leaving Arghioa. There is a small drystone windbreak shelter to the left and the rocky spires of Capu Ghiovu to the right. Monte Corona is seen rising beyond the next gap.

      Watch carefully as the GR20 markers lead away from the gap. The path runs downhill around the base of a cliff, then rises gently between tall laricio pines. A bouldery zigzag path climbs up to a rocky slope, then a series of short scrambles must be completed. Watch carefully for the markers, which always indicate the easiest course. The pitches are very short and there are plenty of holds, but those carrying a full pack on their first full day will find getting their balance right more of a problem. There is very little sense of exposure because of the tall trees alongside, and there is often good shade as the slope faces north. Looking around, it is often possible to spot long-horned mouflon grazing along some of the ledges.

      Impressive rock scenery on the slopes of Capu Ghiovu features some short stretches of scrambling

      There is another easy stretch of path and another bouldery ascent, then more scrambling on a more open slope of rock. A short cable marks the point where the route straddles a rock ridge and enters a gully, and there may be a drop of water here early in the summer. After more uphill scrambling, the path drops to pass beneath a spire of rock pierced with a hole, then crosses a bouldery slope. There are a couple of rocky notches to cross, with some grotesque outcrops of rock high above, and plenty of prostrate juniper and clumps of hellebore on the ground. An eroded groove leads up to another gap, the Bocca a u Bassiguellu, which has patches of grass and scrub at 1486m (4875ft). The scrambling from one bocca to the next should take 1hr 30mins, depending on how much caution is exercised.

      Turn left to follow the path gently