| Day 1 Sartene |
| You arrive at the equestrian center of
Olva, in Sartène. The horses and the
equipment will be presented to you after
you had dinner with the entire group. You
spend the night in a lodging. |
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| Day 2 Sartene - Piumbatu |
| After breakfast, the guide explains
clearly how to harness your horse and to
attach the saddle bags. We leave the
stables and ride a path which is boarded
with blackberry bushes. You will find it
difficult to resist the temptation. We reach
the plain of Baracci and visit the villages
Fozzano and Santa Maria Figaniella. The
old paths “i chjassi” have been carefully
maintained and lead us from one village to
another. They are remnants of a busy
social life and economic activities which
have taken place throughout the centuries
and both man and animals still use them.
You are going to notice how every obstacle
has been carefully avoided to enable the
hikers and equestrians to pass. The path
we are going to follow today is tranquil and
we will probably encounter few people,
besides maybe the ghost of Colomba, who
was born in Fozzano.
At the foot of a huge red rock formation
which rises far above sea level, we cross
the pass of Giacomoni. We begin our
descent to the valley to bivouac near the
river. |
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| Day 3 Piumbatu – Cucuruzzu |
| We proceed our journey along green
oak and olive trees till we reach Altagène.
We continue our ride to the prehistoric site
Cucuruzzu which is completely hidden in
the middle of the forest. Those interested
can of course visit the site. We set up our
camp in a beautiful, vast meadow just
across the towering pinnacles of Bavella. |
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| Dady 4 Cucuruzzu – Chiralbella |
| As we move on, the flowers, herbs,
shrubs and weeds change constantly.
Every day offers us a new sight. We ride
along chestnut trees which must have
been around for centuries. The light which
shines through the leaves seems brighter
and we inhale the fresh high altitude air:
we approach the mountains. We pass the
beautiful Quenza with its granite houses.
This village is famous for its cold meat.
Moreover, the entire country considers it to
be a true delicacy. This is also our last stop
in the civilized world for we now move on
to the high altitude plains. After having
picnicked at the mountain river Vinaghjolu,
we continue our journey using the old
paths as our guides. Once we reach the
mountain meadows, everything changes.
We enter an area where animals are
enjoying their freedom; the grass beneath
their hooves is soft, there are small creeks
everywhere and it is as if the air from the
maintain peaks tingles. On this very spot,
where uncountable families met during the
summer with their cattle, beats the heart
of Corsica. We are going to see numerous
remains of old houses and sheep barns.
We spend the night in one of them in |
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| Day 5 Chiralbella – Mela |
| We ride the most part of this day
through the plateau of Cuscionu. It’s an
extraordinary place; quiet and unspoiled.
The south of this plain is boarded with
high mountain tops and those who view
this maintain chain from the sea, couldn’t
imagine the green magnificent plains
which stretch out here. You will appreciate
the beech forests and the small rivers
winding through this plateau. You also
can’t overlook the small cottages which
are built against the rocks that are
scattered in the grass. Chances are that
we see a herd of wild horses; an old
stallion with his mares and offspring
bathing in the sun. Life is exquisite here
for the animals: there is an abundance of
fresh and clear water, plenty of grass and
no man around… The soft soil is ideal to
gallop. The horses enjoy it just as much
as you will. We continue our journey
through a beech forest and arrive at a
shepherd’s barn on the way to Punta
Sistaghja where we are going to spend
the night. |
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| Day 6 Mela – Quarciulattu |
| We exchange the leafy canopy of the
beech forests for the needles of the pine
trees. The smell is different and the
sounds change as well: the rustle of the
leaves stops and you can discern a harsh
smell. We proceed till we reach the path
which extends high above the two valleys
alongside the mountain tops. We take a
break at lunchtime at the foot of peculiar
granite masses which were sculptured by
erosion and the wind. On the
mountainsides beneath us we can see
beautiful villages and all the way at the
bottom the sea is beckoning.
In the middle of the forest of Val di
Mala in Quarciulattu there is a very small
cabin where we are going to spend the
night. The horses are resting nearby and
those who want can of course spend the
night under the stars. To put your sleeping
bag under a tree and surrender yourself to
the night is a wonderful experience;
through the high pine trees you can see
parts of the sky, the air from the
mountains is nice and cool, you hear the
soft snorting of the horses and finally you
doze off. |
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| Day 7 Quarciulattu – Sartène |
| You hear close to nothing when riding
through the forest of Val di Mala. The pine
needles soften the sound of the hooves.
The smell of the harsh is lovely and we
cross small brooks while we can see in the
distance the glimmer of the sea. At noon,
we take a break in Vera, a deserted
village. Most inhabitants were wine farmers
and the broad gates of the houses where
the huge barrels were supposed to pass
through, remind us of that fact. There is a
little spring in the town square where the
horses can quench their thirst.
From this moment on, we will never
lose sight of the sea. The closer we come
to the bay, the bluer the water gets and
you can clearly sea the golden ribbon of
the beaches of the Valinco Bay. The sea is
the final destination of our journey.
We have dinner and sleep in a lodging. |
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| Day 8 Departure |
| After breakfast we have to say goodbye
to each other and the horses. And maybe
there is still some time left for a final swim
in the Mediterranean Sea. |
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| Dates |
| 08/08/2009, 15/08/2009, 05/09/2009 |
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| Prices |
| £780 per person based on twin share
Single supplement on request |
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| Additional Information |
| Participants
Maximum 12
Lodging
Sheepfolds & bivouacs
Meals
Cold meal for lunch, hot meal for diner
Formula
Wild trail with packhorse
Stages
5-7 hours, about 30 kms/day
Riding experience
The riders must control the 3 paces and take care of their Horse. Must be in good
physical condition and signals any medical treatment.
Conditions of stage
The price include
Full board (lodging and meals), horses’ equipment required for the trail and training.
The price does not include
Self assurance and personal expenses or international flights
Changes of itinerary
We have the right to change is circuit without warning because of the
weather, technical reason or other reason of safety.
Insurance
It is obligatory. We are able to give it on the spot (licence FFE 36 €).
-by plane, from big town to Ajaccio.
-by boat, from Nice, Marseille and Toulon to Ajaccio or Propriano.
-by road, In Ajaccio, take the RN 196 road towards Bonifacio (65 km for Propriano).
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