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Connected by a mere mule track to the rest of the island (90min on foot from the nearest road), the tiny fishing haven of GIROLATA , immediately west of Scandola, has a dreamlike quality that's highlighted by the vivid red of the surrounding rocks. A short stretch of stony beach and a few houses are dominated by a stately watchtower, built by the Genoese later in the seventeenth century in the form of a small castle on a bluff overlooking the cove. For most of the year, this is one of the most idyllic spots on the island, with only the odd yacht and party of hikers to threaten the settlement's tranquillity. From June through September, though, daily boat trips from Porto and Calvi ensure the village is packed during the middle of the day, so if you want to make the most of the scenery and peace and quiet, walk here and stay a night in one of the gites . The head of the Girolata trail is at Bocca a Crocce (Col de la Croix), on the Calvi-Porto road, from where a clear path plunges downhill through dense maquis and forest to a flotsam-covered cove known as Cala di Tuara (30min). The more rewarding of the two tracks that wind onwards to Girolata is the more gentle one running left around the headland, but if you feel like stretching your legs, follow the second, more direct route uphill to a pass. In Girolata, La Cabane du Berger , behind the beach, offers inexpensive accommodation in eucalyptus-shaded cabins (tel 04.95.20.16.98; under 160F/?24 dorm bed or 160-220F/?24-34 with half-board); meals are served in their quirky beachside restaurant, but the food isn't up to much, so make the most of the self-catering kitchen. If this place is full, try the equally pleasant Le Cormorant gite at the north end of the cove (tel 04.95.20.20.15; under 160F/?24), whose beds are in four- to six-person dormitories.
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