with young children. Noel Rochford, who has written several Landscapes guides, found the Corsicans to be the friendliest people he encountered throughout his travels. But the landscapes enchanted him as well: "No other Mediterranean island can boast such a wealth of natural beauty. Beaches to suit every taste: from long stretches of glaring white sand to pink rocky coves. Real mountains climbers' terrain - that reach almost 3000m/9000ft. In these mountains you stumble upon a magnificent mixture of pine forests, beech woods, chestnut groves, and coppices of evergreen oaks. Streams bound down the mountainsides; rivers cascade through awe-inspiring gorges, leaving behind blue-green pools as clear as crystal. The pink granite hills and cliffs, normally conjured up only for an artist's canvas, are real indeed on Corsica." 10 car tours (and accompanying touring map), 55 long and short walks (each illustrated with a 1:50,000 topo map), 14 picnic suggestions. Free online update service with specific route change information on the publisher's website, maintained daily.