The faces of Sardinia

taken from Camper journey in Sardinia from the coast to the summit of Gennargentu

We head towards Oliena. On the edge of Supramonte, in a geographical and historical nature area we find the Su Gogolone spring. It gushes from a limestone massif and is considered the most important spring in Sardinia with a flow of over 500 litres of water per second. We enter the nearby Resort Su Gologone where we book dinner and they allow us to stay overnight in the car park. Before dinner a demonstration of how bread is made; the women put the spianata in the oven, a disc of pastry that swells rapidly with the heat and is then taken out and cut along the circumference to be put back in the oven and become the crunchy Carasau bread. Dinner at the Resort restaurant is excellent, all based on typical specialities with the unmissable roast suckling pig while sipping good Cannonau. Monday 30/8 we move to the rest area/almost campsite Palmasera on the seafront of Cala Gonone.

By motorbike we reach the entrance of the path for the Gorropu Gorge, we walk for about 2 hours along the path that reaches the gorge and finally there it is, we approach up and down over big pale stones to enter this crack between the rocks up to 890 m high, we continue until the route becomes too difficult and you have to use ropes. The landscape is almost extraterrestrial, huge multiform white boulders with tall coloured rocks on the sides, a beautiful experience. Tuesday 31/8 we travel the panoramic road of Barbagia S125 towards Tortolì. On the road, besides the typical mountain landscape with bushes, plants, pines and a lot of rock, we meet cows, goats, horses, families of small spotted pigs. Along the route we buy local cheeses and here we are arriving at the Tanca di Orrì camper area, in front of us a splendid sea and the beach.

Wednesday 01/09 at 8 am we board the green train at the station of Tortolì. The "little train" because the railway is narrow-gauge and green because it travels through wild landscapes, woods, mountains reachable, sometimes, only by train. The railway built at the end of the 1800s was once used by the few local inhabitants, now it is only tourist, the total route from Arbatax to Mandas is km. 159, we, among the various choices, bought the ticket Tortolì/Niala with lunch and a walk excursion. The train journey already manages to give us many emotions, looking out of the window, small stations slip by, level crossings managed only with a chain put across when the train passes, an atmosphere of other times while the train whistles in the middle of the greenery and the mountains.

On arrival at Niala, before the bridge over the Rio San Gerolamo the guide waits for us and takes us up along paths among woods of holm oak, strawberry tree and heather up to the viewpoint of mount Irtzioni. A pleasant walk of about two hours that prepares us for a well-earned lunch. There is time for a short walk among little waterfalls and streams before taking the train back. The pleasant day ends at nine on arrival at the station. Thursday 2/9 we move towards Baunei and Golgo to go to Cala Goloritzè. The route, at a certain point, takes us onto a dirt road, passable also by camper up to the car park where you can stop and from which the walking route starts. The walk lasts a couple of hours among stones and rocks descending the mountain.

The view from above of the small inlet, the blue nuances of the water are breathtaking and when you arrive and dive into the water the tiredness of the long route disappears. The return however is quite tiring and almost completely uphill. Friday 3/9 we continue to Lake Flumendosa, we climb to Perda Liana, the peak that looks like a finger pointing to the sky, we take the ring path around the great rock, it is a pleasant walk. The view of the plateau thick with greenery, in absolute silence is indescribable. Nature will never cease to surprise me. In the evening we move to Tonara, stop at the Camping Sa Colonia, above the Hostel (euro 10 per day). The campsite is now closed but to spend the night the place is quiet and safe and at the restaurant inside we have an excellent pizza. We cannot leave the town of nougat without having bought some bars first.

Saturday 4/9 from Tonara we go to Lake Gusana. The day passes quietly parked at the side of the lake watching a group of canoes go by and waiting to see whether the fish would bite the rod of a fisherman on the shore. In the evening we go up to mount Spada to the farmhouse Separadorgiu at Bruncu Spina. On arrival we notice that they are renovating the structure so the place is a building site and there is obviously confusion but, the owner allows us to settle in a quiet corner and we remain enthusiastic about spending the night in the highest house in Sardinia. We spend the evening chatting with Raffaele, who explains to us the meaning of Separadorgiu, that is the separation of the heads of livestock, when the shepherds returned from the transhumance, before entering their properties they took back their heads of livestock that had been mixed with the others the whole time.

Before going to sleep he gives us the last instructions for the walk that awaits us tomorrow to Punta La Marmora mt. 1834. Sunday 5/9 the day is splendid, we put on our boots, slip on our backpacks and the walk begins along the ridge of the mountain. The cross is there in front of us, we see it still small but step by step we will reach it. The route is not too difficult, it is still mountain, you go up and down and admire the panorama, we are in the centre of Gennargentu yet you can see the sea in the distance, the rock of Pedra Liana, the little lake in the middle of the valley and so much thick and wild scrub all around us. After a couple of hours here we are under the great cross. Repaid for the effort, we drink a sip of water, take the ritual photos and set off on the way back.

Towards evening a walk through the streets of Fonni admiring the great murals that represent life of other times and on returning I write my emotions on the computer on our site Monday 6/9 we move towards the coast to S. Maria Navarrese – Camper Service Costa Orientale at Tancau (euro 15+3 energy): The place is on the seafront with services and showers, excellent. We meet our friends Mauro and Lina who are returning for the end of their holidays. We stay together a few days and, even if the weather begins to be unstable, we enjoy the beach and the sea of this beautiful inlet between Arbatax and Baunei wandering around by motorbike. We visit Arbatax and its red rocks and reach the rock of Pedralunga overlooking the sea, at Baunei.

The prickly pears that line the road tempt us to pick some and despite gloves and knife in the evening we find ourselves with the little spines on our hands, but the fruit is juicy and tasty. Friday 10/09 we say goodbye to our friends, they go home while we will stay a few more days. We move south to Quartu Sant'Elena, camping Pini e Mare (euro 17 per day) after the Poetto beach. The place is well equipped: many services, well shaded, close to the sea, however after the night we decide to move to Cagliari, camper area Cagliari Park (euro 16 per day without electricity). The area is guarded, it has no services, behind the sanctuary of the protectress of sailors La Madonna di Bonaria, very close to the city centre. Sunday 12/9 at Selargius we go to see a great folklore festival "Lo sposalizio Selargino".

The 50th edition of the wedding rite is celebrated as in times past, involving the whole town. Let's see