Day 14: Village de Bavella to Conca
The room at Auberge Bavelle was perfectly fine, even though the only window was in the entrance door. Since there was a shared balcony outside, you had to keep the blinds down to have any privacy. But I managed to shower and wash my clothes before heading up to the restaurant to have a beer. The waiter reminded me that dinner started at seven – in an hour, that is. I hadn't really intended to eat there, preferring to order a takeaway pizza at the restaurant next door instead. So, after my beer, I went and picked up a pizza and another beer there.
Full and satisfied, I was relaxing on the bed when there was a knock at the door. It was the waiter, wondering if I wasn't coming down to eat. I didn't quite understand what he meant by this. Well, it turned out that dinner and breakfast were included in the price🙄 And in the booking confirmation I received from them, I could now see this. It was indeed in French, but still easy to understand. I was full and couldn't face any more food, so I declined the dinner. Since I was going to check out early, I wouldn't be able to have breakfast either, so I asked if he could arrange a baguette with cheese and ham for me to take with me. This was no problem, and in a short time, he had sorted it out. Super service👍
At a quarter past six, I was ready to start my final stage. I wanted to get an early start to catch the bus to Porto Vecchio as early as possible. I couldn't find the bus schedule from Conca online but knew it ran regularly. I was looking forward to finishing the trip now, even though it will also feel strange to leave this bubble.
The sun is low on the horizon, and the haze around the island is blocking the sun's rays from breaking through properly. It is, however, noticeably warmer today than it has been previously.
The trail for the GR20 continues from the parking lot right behind the hotel. Here, the trail descends 200 meters in elevation to the bottom of a valley, only to climb back up 200 meters to the Foce Finosa pass (1208 m) on the other side. This is how it has often been on this trip. It usually goes down for a bit, only to go up just as much again. On this stage, this happens several times, even though the elevation is gradually decreasing.
After four kilometers, I arrive at Refuge d'i Paliri. Here, I stop for a couple of sodas and a coffee. Some French trail friends have spent the night here and are getting ready to depart. They say there is a bus from Conca to Porto Vecchio at half-past one. It is now half-past seven, and it should be fine to reach it. I don't stay long myself but continue as soon as I finish my coffee.
From the refuge, it continues down into a pine forest, and the path now winds around the mountain peak Punta Tafunata d’I Paliri for a bit, then climbs back up to another pass, Bocca di u Sordu (1040 m). The terrain opens up more now, making it possible to look down towards the coast to the south. I am now also meeting more hikers heading north. They have started early from Conca and have likely already felt the tough conditions in the mountains here.
Shortly after passing the ruins of the Bergeries de Capeddu, I come to the river Ruisseau de Punta Pinzuta. This is the only water source I have seen since Refuge d'i Paliri. There is also a waterfall here and some beautiful swimming holes. There are quite a few people sitting around these pools, but I don't see anyone swimming. There is a warning against drinking the water here, but I fill a bottle with water from the river anyway in case I run out. I will filter the water before drinking it regardless.
On such trips, I usually have three water bottles with me. One of the bottles is marked so that it stands out from the other two (on this trip, I have two blue and one red bottle). When I start the day, I fill all the bottles with clean water and start by drinking the red one first. If I later pass rivers where I am unsure of the water quality, I fill up the red bottle. Then I know that that water must be filtered before it is drunk. At camp, I clean it and fill it with clean water again. That way, I have better control over what I drink along the way. A simple and straightforward system.
From the river, it rises steeply in zigzag turns, passes through a notch in the mountain, and then descends gently down to a gorge. After passing the gorge, it goes up again for a little while until you reach the pass, Bocca d’Usciolu (587 m). Here, you have to pass through a narrow opening through the mountain ridge to continue. On the other side, the mountains end, and it is all downhill to Conca. It becomes almost a kind of door in and out of the mountain world on Corsica. This is a fairly well-known point on the GR20, and the opening is flooded with photos on social media.
It's a quarter past twelve when I arrive at Bar du GR20 in Conca, which is considered to be the official start and end point of the trip. The bus is already parked outside, and the driver is eating lunch. After buying a ticket for the bus, I sit down at a table and order a Coke Zero, a beer, and a hamburger.
The backpack has now been put down for the last time on this trip, and Corsica has been crossed. The GR20 definitely lived up to its reputation. It has been a trip of great contrasts. The start offered heavy and technically demanding climbing over snow-covered passes in the north, while longer and more grueling stages along green mountain ridges awaited in the south. There have been moments where leaden legs, heat, and steep climbs almost took the heart out of me, but it has still been a fantastic experience filled with powerful nature and a great sense of achievement.
Perhaps the most special thing about such a trip is the people you meet along the way. Of all those I greeted, it was especially Sam, Zhengwei, and Matthew who quickly became my regular "trail family." We followed each other through the tough days, and even though we had to say goodbye before the actual finish line, they made the trip infinitely better.
A long and unforgettable journey over Corsica's mountain ridge is over. Thanks for joining me!
