Corsica - A Tasty Treat

Sherri and just another Corsican beach

Corsica is a place I have fancied visiting for years although it has always been a tricky spot to get too. Factoring in the rumours of crowds and roasting hot summer temperatures; these potential 'flies the ointment' have kept us away.
In the event coming with Easyjet (€20 each) and out of the main summer season season has solved the conundrum neatly.

The granite walls of central Corsica - stunning

It is warmer than we would prefer (up to 28C so far), but the island is a stunning place, and offers the easy option of a drive up into the fantastic granite mountains to escape the worst of the heat - on the Col de Bavella (4000') it has been about 8C cooler than on the coast.
The beaches are magnificent and largely deserted but it is the climbing that has been the great surprise, well bolted routes on perfect granite and with grades towards the softer end of the spectrum which is always nice. I have been over-indulging a bit - brilliant!
After a great week in the south-east we packed up and drove through the central mountains a to a new base near Calvi in the north-west corner of the island. It turns out that this area is even more spectacular, with granite mountains, superb white beaches and more excellent climbing - I think we will be back sooner rather than later.

Calvi at sunset - an amazing place

Autumn - Time for a Change

Graham on Nemes Pas Harry - E1 5b - Bamford

September rolls round, the leaves are starting to turn and there has even been a bit of chill in the air. Climbing on the grit has been a real pleasure, but despite this, it is time for us to think about heading off.
We didn't have anything booked until mid-October that being Santorini on the way to Kalymnos (£25 from Manchester) so we did a bit of discussing and I mentioned maybe we could fit in a 10 day slider to Corsica, a place I have always fancied visiting. Sherri admitted that after we discussed it a month ago she had already booked a couple of flights, but hadn't mentioned it as I appeared to go a bit 'cool' on the idea - at £20 each, it sounds like she made a good move. From Corsica we are headed to Chez Arran for 10 days before returning home to pack the bags for our annual visit to Kalymnos.

New wheels - Subaru Forester XT

Autumn is usually my time for car buying, a Subaru Forester this time. Not my usual style of vehicle but the price was right, it should do OK in the Ariege's snowy winter peaks, and as ever - a change is as good as a rest. It looks a bit agricultural but there is a 2.0L turbocharged power-plant under the bonnet churning out 250bhp - enough to embarrass more exotic machinery.