LAC DE L'ORIENTE +Added to my favoriteItem already present

Presentation

The Lac de l'Oriente (Lagu del'Oriente) is situated in the Haute-Corse to the north of Monte Rotondo. The river which flows out of the lake is the Lomento, which is a tributary of the Restonica via the Timozzo and which therefore lies in the hydrographic basin of the Tavignano river. Leave your car near a disused building in the hamlet of Chjeraghiola. From here you can follow a footpath which runs for around 10km to Grotelle. A wooden bridge leads to the right bank, where the path follows the river which is blocked occasionally by large round rocks. In places the rapids are deafening, but every so often they run into large calm pools with clear water ideal for a quick dip. After a kilometre, the path starts to climb through an area of holm oak trees and maquis planted with heather, mastic trees and broom. As the path turns a corner, the valley comes into view, with the Restonica wending its way through the bottom of the gorge surrounded by vegetation; in the distance, the peaks of Corsica's central mountain chain are still covered with snow. The path then descends to the Tuani campsite, crossing a small forest where the first Laricio pines can be seen. From here, walkers can choose to walk back on the road which offers beautiful views of the gorge and the Nucario potholes. The whole of the Restonica can be followed on foot, but there are also other routes which are less busy and which lead into side valleys and to many of the mountain peaks, lakes and passes. One of the most beautiful walks departs from the Timozzo bridge and heads to the Lac de l'Oriente via a mountain footpath which requires several hours of continuous climb. The small Timozzo mountain stream runs over mossy rocks and provides a sensation of welcome cool in the shade of the trees. Walkers quickly forget their fatigue once the lake comes into view, nestling in green surroundings dotted with large bulbous slabs. At an altitude of 2,622m, Monte Ritondu provides a backdrop to this natural amphitheatre surrounded by peaks shaped by the last period of glaciation. This shallow lake (1.80m) is dotted with deposits washed into the lake by mountain streams during floods. This irregular filling-in of the lake creates a network of canals and pools known as pozzines, a characteristic feature of the Corsican mountains.