<commit_before>---
layout:            post
title:             "The GR20 in 10 days"
menutitle:         "The GR20 in 10 days"
category:          Features
author:            EM
tags:              features  
comments:          true
excerpt:           <NAME> takes us through her hike of the GR20 in Corsica.
cover:             /media/img/gr20/corsica_2.jpg
---


The GR20 is 180km, and when Googled is described as ‘the toughest long distance trail in Europe’. Starting in the northwest of Corsica and running over the mountainous spine of the island, and ending in the southeast. There are dozens of GR (or Grande Randonnée) footpaths all over France, Spain, and other parts of Europe. 

I knew none of this when asked if I would like to accompany my friend Neil on the trail. We were on a caving expedition in the Austrian Alps. He was about to embark on a five-day underground camp, but was already thinking about his next adventure. I’d been in the mountains of the Picos De Europa in Northern Spain the month before, so felt fairly fit. Neil had spent the past month climbing at altitude in France and Switzerland, but I might be able to just about keep up. He had no one to hike with anyway and I had nothing planned when back in the UK, so thought why not? I’d not hiked two days in a row since the Duke of Edinburgh weekend in Derbyshire aged thirteen, but how hard could it be? 

I booked my flights, slightly concerned that we seemed to have only allowed for twelve days hiking, when most people took 15 to 16. 

<figure>
<img src="{{ site.github.url }}/media/img/gr20/corsica_1.jpg" />
<figcaption>A lady kindly let us shelter under her porch during a storm. She even brought us coffee out!
</figcaption>
</figure>

Side notes: 

 - Instigating impromptu parties the night before sleeping on the floor of Gatwick Airport about to hike across an entire country is NOT recommended. 
 - Putting your new tent up for the first time, in a thunderstorm, only to discover the poles supplied are for a tent twice its size, is a bad idea.
 - Wearing short shorts makes it remarkably easy to hitch a ride to the start of the trail.  The locals are friendly and happy to help anyway.

<figure>
<img src="{{ site.github.url }}/media/img/gr20/corsica_2.jpg" /><commit_msg>Update article title.<commit_after>---
layout:            post
title:             "Hiking the GR20"
menutitle:         "Hiking the GR20"
category:          Features
author:            EM
tags:              features  
comments:          true
excerpt:           <NAME> takes us through her hike of the GR20 in Corsica.
cover:             /media/img/gr20/corsica_2.jpg
---


The GR20 is 180km, and when Googled is described as ‘the toughest long distance trail in Europe’. Starting in the northwest of Corsica and running over the mountainous spine of the island, and ending in the southeast. There are dozens of GR (or Grande Randonnée) footpaths all over France, Spain, and other parts of Europe. 

I knew none of this when asked if I would like to accompany my friend Neil on the trail. We were on a caving expedition in the Austrian Alps. He was about to embark on a five-day underground camp, but was already thinking about his next adventure. I’d been in the mountains of the Picos De Europa in Northern Spain the month before, so felt fairly fit. Neil had spent the past month climbing at altitude in France and Switzerland, but I might be able to just about keep up. He had no one to hike with anyway and I had nothing planned when back in the UK, so thought why not? I’d not hiked two days in a row since the Duke of Edinburgh weekend in Derbyshire aged thirteen, but how hard could it be? 

I booked my flights, slightly concerned that we seemed to have only allowed for twelve days hiking, when most people took 15 to 16. 

<figure>
<img src="{{ site.github.url }}/media/img/gr20/corsica_1.jpg" />
<figcaption>A lady kindly let us shelter under her porch during a storm. She even brought us coffee out!
</figcaption>
</figure>

Side notes: 

 - Instigating impromptu parties the night before sleeping on the floor of Gatwick Airport about to hike across an entire country is NOT recommended. 
 - Putting your new tent up for the first time, in a thunderstorm, only to discover the poles supplied are for a tent twice its size, is a bad idea.
 - Wearing short shorts makes it remarkably easy to hitch a ride to the start of the trail.  The locals are friendly and happy to help anyway.

<figure>
<img src="{{ site.github.url }}/media/img/gr20/corsica_2.jpg" />
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