Page 14 - Wish Stream Year of 2016

Exercise CORSICAN ASCENT CADET
Ex CORSICAN ASCENT CADET saw seven Of cer Cadets attempt the arduous south- ern half of the famous GR20 over Easter
leave. The GR20 is a footpath that crosses the Mediterranean island of Corsica running approx- imately north-south. The trail is usually consid- ered as two parts: the northern part and the southern part, between Vizzavona and Conca. The trail was described by outdoor writer Paddy Dillon as “one of the top trails in the world”.
After months of meticulous planning, on 16 April 2016 we departed RMAS on our way to Gatwick Airport, bound for the southern French city of Nice. After stocking up on last minute provisions in Nice, we departed once again, this time on a seven-hour ferry journey to the Corsican city of Bastia. Early the next morning, we caught a train to Vizzavona, our start point
reaching just under 2000m at its highest point. We stopped at E Capenelle for the night. The lodge was closed for the season, but a room was left open for walkers, which was greatly appreciated by all!
On the second day we planned to trek from E Capenelle to Refuge d’Usciolu (1727m). After descending for several hours, we eventually reached Bocca di Verde Refuge (1289m) at midday where we stopped for lunch. The trail at this point was wooded and crossed several streams and waterfalls. From here we continued on the trail until we reached Refuge di Prati. At this point, we had ascended beyond the tree line, and there was noticeably more snow on the ground. An hour beyond Refuge di Prati, the track passed along the side of a narrow ridge.
for the expeditionary phase!
The rst day of walking took us to the ski lodge/resort of E Cap- enelle (1525m). The trail follows a wooded track and is largely uphill,
The track at this point was covered by snow several feet thick.
The track at this point was covered by snow several feet thick. The snow was very unstable, and at risk of col- lapse. OCdts Chapman and Nowell (mountain leader) heroically scouted ahead, traversing along the ridge itself. After returning to the group to
Enjoying a well-deserved break after a hard days walking
12 SANDHURST