A system and method of delineating GFP data. The GFP framer comprises a candidate generator for generating an array of core header candidates from a data word received on a data bus, a candidate processor for generating a plurality of candidate tours and a frame delineator for identifying a candidate tour as an active tour and delineating the boundaries of the GFP frames defined by the active tour. Each core header candidate defines a reference position of one of the plurality of candidate tours. Each of the plurality of candidate tour comprises a record of core header positions for a series of GFP frames from the data word.