Hikes in Urtaca

An out-and-back hike that takes you to Bocca San Pancraziu at 969 m via a well-marked trail offering a lovely view of the Gulf of Saint-Florent and beautiful vistas of Urtaca and the surrounding mountains.

Mountain villages such as Lama and Urtaca were founded when the inhabitants were forced to flee from the fertile valleys into the mountains to escape the Saracens. To ensure their daily survival, they laboriously built terraces for growing grains and vegetables. Sheep, goats, and cattle grazed in the mountains for most of the year. In the 16th century, Genoa issued an order to plant crops such as olives and sweet chestnuts. As a result, large, high-yielding olive groves sprang up on the terraces surrounding the villages. However, fires destroyed many of these orchards, and the population began to migrate away. The villages became deserted and were only rediscovered in recent times as tourist destinations or sites for vacation homes. From the main road, a steep, paved road leads up to the village center of Lama 01. There are plenty of parking spaces available in front of the church, which is shaded by a large plane tree. We walk into the village, past the Casa Comune, and climb the stone steps on the right up to the village center. It’s worth taking a little time to explore the old fortified village with its stone arches, courtyards, and gardens. To find the path to Urtaca, we follow the signs for “Piscine,” which lead us to the other side of the village and later northward into the open countryside. A sign reading “Urtaca” marks the paved path, which leads through a cast-iron gate and runs below the municipal outdoor swimming pool—though the pool itself is not visible. Then the route turns northwest and crosses small streams 02, while the maquis releases its essential oils into the warm air. Violets glow along the roadside next to delicate hyacinths. In the spring, with a little luck, you can find rare orchids here, while countless lizards frolic on the walls, basking in the first rays of the day’s sunshine. The trail runs almost flat and is well-marked through the maquis. After passing through a cattle gate—which must be kept securely closed—we come by a small chapel. After crossing two streams, the trail heads toward the Bocca di u Pianu 03 (433 m), which is not a pass in the strict sense but is marked by a small stone hut. The unobstructed view across the landscape extends all the way to the Central Corsican Mountains and the east coast. Now the trail winds gently and without much effort, partly under the shade of holm oaks, to Urtaca 04. In the small mountain village, the scent of fresh bread wafts from the bakery through the alleys. A tour of the village also includes a war memorial before we return to Lama 01 via the same path. This offers a different perspective, making the hike an enjoyable experience.

Sehr schöne Wanderung mit vielen Aussichtspunkten in Richtung Urtaca. Die Höhenangaben stimmen so nicht. Der Wanderweg führt mehr oder weniger die ganze Zeit bergauf. Auf 3/4 der Strecke ist eine Quelle. Nachdem man den oberen Pass erreicht hat, muss jeder selbst entscheiden wie weit er noch gehen möchte. Der markierte Weg endet am Pass. Aber es gibt viele Trampelpfade zu den Gipfeln in der Nähe. Badehose nicht vergessen! Am Ende wartet die Badegumpe von Urtaca. So zeitig am Tag wie möglich starten, damit man viel im Schatten laufen kann. Trotz Quelle auf dem Weg, viel trinken mitnehmen. Mind. 1L pro Erwachsener.