[Headnote: CAPELLA.--TARTAGINE FOREST.]
From Belgodere, Route Forestière, No. 3, leads down to the small
port of Losari, 6 miles N. from Belgodere and 4½ E. from the Ile
Rousse. A continuation of the same route southward extends to the
bridge across the Tartagine, 2355 feet, 25 miles from the Ile
Rousse, in the great forest of Tartagine. It passes the Bocca
Campana, 2782 feet, 3¼ miles from Belgodere; the Bocca Croce, 3045
feet, the culminating part of the road, 7 miles from Belgodere; and
2½ miles farther, the hamlets of Olmi and Capella, 9 miles from
Speloncato; with ever-varying mountain and village scenes among
great forests; 20 m. from Belgodere is the Pont Tartagine in the
forest of that name. The forest of Tartagine, enclosed within the
high crests of the Capo Dente 6667 ft. on the west, and of Mt. Padro
on the east, measures 7166 acres, and contains principally the
_Pinus laricio_ and the _P. pinaster_, intermingled with ilexes or
evergreen oaks (p. 41).
"Olmi-Capella 2723 ft. is in an open airy situation, commanding fine
views of the mountains to the S. and S.W., and protected to some
extent on the N. and N.W. by the ridge which sweeps round to the
head of the Tartagine valley. This ridge, though in the
neighbourhood of the village only about 1000 ft. above the sloping
plateau on which it is built, rises to the W. into the peaks of
Monte Tolo 4370 ft., Monte San Parteo 5512 ft., Monte Cineraggia
5286 ft., Monte Grosso 6227 ft., Punta Radiche 6595 ft., Capo al
Dente 6667 ft., and Monte Corona 7031 ft. The N. slope of this ridge
is very steep, and commands most magnificent views of the Haute
Balagne and the sea beyond, whilst it is traversed by numerous
passes which afford charming scenery. Besides the _route
forestière_, which crosses the Col de Bocca Croce 3048 ft., and by
which the timber of the forest of Tartagine is conveyed to Ile
Rousse for shipment, several mule-paths connect Olmi Capella much
more directly with Ville and Speloncato by the Bocca Battaglia 3550
ft., and Bocca Croce d'Ovo 3629 feet; with Feliceto by the Bocca
Pianile 5033 ft.; with Zilia and Calvi by the Bocca di Cineraggia
4698 ft.; with Calenzana by the Bocca Bianca 6155 ft., with
Calenzana or the Val Ficarella by the Bocca di Tartagine 6093 ft.;
and with the head of the valley of Asco by the Bocca de l'Ondella
6086 ft."--F. F. Tuckett, Alpine Club.
[Headnote: PALASCA.]
miles from CALVI
miles to CORTÉ
{28¾}{32¼}
PALASCA, pop. 550. Situated lower down than the high road and the last
village on this side of the
{31½}{29½}
COL DE SAN COLOMBANO, 2625 feet above the sea. The view though more vast
is less distinct, presenting a succession of mountain-tops, between
which are dimly seen valleys with the sea in the distance. The diligence
now descends into the narrow, rocky vale of the Navaccia, an affluent of
the Tartagine, which enters the Golo a little above the important bridge
called the
[Headnote: PONTE ALLA LECCIA.]
{46¾}{14¼}
PONTE ALLA LECCIA. Inn at station. Here take rail for Corté (see p. 8)
or for Bastia, 29 miles N.E. (see p. 10). The Ponte Nuovo is distinctly
seen from the station. The two small houses near the railway bridge, on
the S. side of the Golo, were Paoli's headquarters during the battle
(see pp. 9 and 39).
{61}
CORTÉ, see page 8.
Ajaccio to Vico and Evisa.