GR20 – One Of Europe's Toughest Treks

Lacing up her walking boots, Daisy Sillis finds camaraderie, adventure and a few blisters on the GR20 – one of europe’s toughest treks.

In days gone by travel inspiration was a very different ball game. It came from stories told at family gatherings on the arrival home of a loved one, a photo album passed around for everyone to admire. These days the source of your wanderlust is more likely to strike through social media.

Such was the case for me when, during an Instagram scroll, I noticed that my incredibly adventurous old housemate Barnaby was on the top of a mountain. It was this barren and isolated terrain that captured my attention more than avocado toast and cute office dogs. He was in Corsica on a cloud-tickling peak called Monte Cinto. The highest point of a hike called the GR20. Fast forward a year and I’m en route to the mountainous Mediterranean island myself. Goodbye concrete jungle, hello fresh air. This is my chance for a real adventure.

The island of Corsica is small, with the GR20 hike itself just 180 kilometres. As walks go, it’s not that far to traverse but it’s the inclines of up to 2706 metres that have seen it dubbed the hardest long-distance hike in Europe.

It’s here that I insert my disclaimer. I am no hiker. Pre-Corsica I’d never owned a tent. My Timberland boots were used only as a winter fashion statement. And that’s why I bring insurance to the GR20 in the form of my boyfriend, Joni.

Seeking refuge

Armed with our pocket-sized trekking guide (bless you, author Paddy Dillon), we set forth through the entrance of the GR20. With more than 20kg perched on the crevice of my lower back and eight litres of water attached by rocking bottles, we head out at dawn alongside an elderly Frenchman and three very prepared looking Europeans.