June 2, 2022 — Stages 11b & 12 combined — Relais San Petru to Uscaliolu — 10mi / 4,250'
Morning walk on well graded trail uphill to the Prati refuge and then beautiful hiking beyond Prati with clouds forming on the lee side of the ridge. Walking through beech forest at Bocca a Meta, the air was thick with insect life. Not pests, just alive.
We then came down to the col there where the Mare a Mare Sud crosses the GR20 and I stopped to read the informational sign there, discovering the town down the valley below of Guitera-les-Bains, which has the best natural hot springs in Corsica. It was just then that I smelled the maquis for the first time on this trip. Up until then I had expected and hoped for this magical scent, but had not yet had it sweep over me as it had when I was here with Kirsha one winter some years ago. Someone I spoke with confirmed that the season to experience the maquis is early spring, and so it hasn’t been everywhere as we are a bit late. At this place though, the scent of wild thyme was strong, and I sat amidst it for a while, and then showed Anthony, at which point we found wild arugula (rocket) growing with the thyme, and ate some on the spot.
As I was carrying on from the col, ahead of Anthony for the moment, I came upon another person, and we dropped quickly into conversation. This turned out to be Goulven le Goff, making his was south on the GR20 (at the moment), self supported and wild camping (backpacking, not staying in refuges).
Goulven walked with us to the Uscaliolu refuge, and we had him as a guest on the podcast before he continued on to wherever he camped.
This refuge was situated in a rocky gully, not quite as pleasant as many of the others, hot and lots of flies with sort of a youth hostel atmosphere. We slept again in rented tents. Good pasta dinner but it wasn't quite enough to eat.
Strava GPS: https://www.strava.com/activities/7253114268