A stage of good length and moderate elevation changes, but altogether quite gentle. We continue our crossing into the heart of the Gennargentu, crowned by the beauty of the monolith Monte Fumai (1,320 m).
A stage to avoid in the middle summer months.
The track on the ground is not always clear and is sometimes swallowed up by vegetation; rely on your intuition and watch the GPS track.
Risk of ticks.
Only water point just before the finish, take a good supply with you.
We leave the farmstead again and follow the dirt road downhill (about 150 m drop) until we reach the junction with the iron gate; from here we begin the climb to the eastern shoulder of Punta 'E S'Abile (1,554 m) on a faint path that is steep at first; gradually the path becomes clearer until we meet a dirt road on which we walk along the ridge in a gentle up and down.
Then the dirt road ends and we reach the summit of Monte Arbu (1,567 m) after a short but intense climb without any tracks on the ground; from there we continue along the ridge, avoiding a fence, and then leave the watershed and cross the southern slope (again without tracks) in a steady descent (about 200 m drop), passing through a forest where the risk of ticks is high. We reach the asphalt road, follow it briefly to the left and leave it shortly afterwards to take the track to the right.
We walk briskly up and down until we come to a small shepherd's hut. After that, the path is difficult to see on the ground (it is a good idea to look for the path via GPS so as not to get lost in the dense vegetation). Shortly after, we descend (about 100 m drop), on sight, until we reach the Riu Su Flumineddu stream, where the trees and water invite us to take a rest. We walk along the watercourse for a while and then start the last climb (about 100 m D+) on a precarious path until we reach the foot of Monte Fumai (1,316 m); we bypass it from the northwest and enter a holm oak forest, where we find the first well and finally reach the Montes barracks.
The nearby Orgosolo owes its name to the word org, which in ancient Greek meant “marshy-fertile territory”. It is one of the most representative municipalities of the island and in particular of the Barbagia sub-region.
Among the many events that have characterised the Nuoro town, the Pratobello revolt is one of the most emblematic. In May 1969, the national authorities warned the population that the pastures in Pratobello would be taken away from them to set up a military firing range. The local shepherds had no intention of moving their livestock and so on 19 June, 3,500 Orgolese peacefully occupied the locality, preventing the troops from settling there. After several days of non-violent occupation, the Italian army decided to withdraw.
The words of the then deputy Emilio Lussu echo in the walls of the village: the great Sardinian politician publicly expressed his solidarity with the people of Orgosolo, regretting not being at their side for health reasons.
The episode, which involved the entire community, imprinted the town's identity with a character of fierce opposition to power - which, in the years that followed, led to the development, in a singularly apolitical manner, of a feeling of internationalism and brotherhood towards oppressed populations, which is reflected in the beautiful murals that adorn the town.
Every year, on 29 June in Orgosolo, San Pariglia is held: an equestrian race in which two or more horsemen race on horseback, performing various acrobatics: two riders in the saddle hold a third rider standing on their shoulders; or during the race, the riders remove their saddle, showing it to the public - all done at a gallop. The event is repeated on other important holidays throughout the year.
The first person to make the village of Orgosolo known to the general Italian public was film director Vittorio De Seta.
First, in the 1950s, he made a short documentary on the shepherds of Orgosolo; then, in 1961, he made the film Banditi a Orgosolo - which was quite successful. In the film, Seta staged the transformation of a shepherd into a bandit due to fate.
In his long career, like other contemporaries such as Olmi or Pasolini, the director’s profound and poetic gaze managed to capture the ancient essence of an Italy now in the grip of fierce change under the effects of the economic boom. The images of the tuna slaughter in Trapani painted in Contadini del mare are extraordinary; again, in Un giorno in Barbagia, Seta documented the role of women in the Sardinian pastoral system: it is she who takes care of the house, the fields, making wood, while their husbands are out most of the time grazing their flocks.
The streets of the village of Orgosolo are adorned with dozens of murals with a distinctive style that mixes libertarian instances with Mexican-inspired murals.
In 1969, a year aDioniso, depicting Uncle Sam with a pair of scales. This little spark was reignited only in 1975, thanks to the idea of Francesco Del Casino, a Tuscan professor who taught at the Orgosolo secondary school. To mark the anniversary of the liberation from the Nazi fascists, he had his students make a series of murals along Corso Repubblica. From then on, the murals became the expression of a community and the banner of the Sardinian question. Over the years, the art of the murals has begun to attract tourists from all over the world and to find imitators in the other inland villages of Sardinia.
In Orgosolo, the processing of silkworms is traditional. You can hear the story of this ancient craft in the Casa Museo Baco da Seta (Casa Museo Tramas de Seda) from the voice of Maria Corda. Silkworm breeding and the introduction of the white mulberry in this area date back to the Jesuits around 1600.
Maria is the custodian of the Orgosolo silkworm, which is distinguished from the others by the exceptional length of its woven thread and its natural yellow colour.
For more information on times and tickets, visit LINK.
The fertile area between Orgosolo and Oliena is known for its wine production.
Besides the famous Cannonau, there is the Monica, a grape variety used to “cut” the Cannonau, as it is prone to oxidation. Despite its secondary role, Monica is a wine with an ancient tradition: it is said to have been introduced by Camaldolese monks in the 11th century, while others claim it was introduced by the Spanish.
It is a wine made from black berries, protected by the DOC monica di Sardegna.
Ruby red in colour, it is characterised by an intense and persistent taste and notes of red fruits.
Caserma e Foresteria Montes, in Ilodei Malu (you have to call in good time and ask for the possibility of an overnight stay, that is not a given) Tel. +390784 228288
The starting point is reachable by car.
The starting point is NOT reachable by bus.
The nearest location that can be reached by bus is Madonnina della Neve, starting from the city of Nuoro.
Here is the LINK to check the timetables.
The starting point is NOT reachable by train.
Va' Sentiero is a grassroot project, thanks to the spontaneous contribution oft housands of people.
Even the most complicated dream, a 7,000km uphill dream,
can be achieved... together.
Grazie!
