A medium-length stage, mainly on carriage roads and with long shady stretches through coniferous forests; in the last part the forests give way to pastures, vineyards and cork plantations.
A stage to avoid in the middle summer months.
At the end of the first descent on a road, you pass a barely visible and very steep path that leads down to the Riu Mannudda; the ford itself could cause problems during high water in the rainy season.
We leave the barracks and begin to lose altitude on a carriage road on the western slope of Punta Salvuadas Mountain (about 200 m drop). Below this peak, the carriage road turns into a little-used path where tall grass, bushes and brambles can make tracking difficult. We must be very careful on this second descent (about 200 m drop), which is very steep and slippery, down to the Riu Mannudda - which can easily be forded in summer (it is good to take the season into consideration due to the torrential nature of the river).
This river offers beautiful natural pools where you can swim. If you are lucky, you can also admire the water lilies in bloom (an endemic species in this area). The path continues uphill on the other side of the river (about 100 m height difference) until it meets a road again, which we take to the left. We continue in the shade of the conifers and encounter beehives belonging to the forestry company (Forestas) in several places.
The path continues on a slight slope; we cross a small bridge and a little later keep to the right at a fork to continue uphill (about 100 m height difference) until we reach a new fork where we turn left. Continue along this lane and at another fork keep right towards Sorgente Pedra Bianca. We reach an open forest bivouac equipped with benches and a table, a cooker with a gas bottle and a large fireplace; a little further on there is a spring. We go back and follow the track, always keeping to the right, until we reach a gate, which we pass via a ladder.
The landscape changes completely: we leave the wood behind us and in front of us are pastures and low Mediterranean scrub, with the rocks and ledges typical of the Gallura landscape. We follow the carriage road and cross some vineyards until we reach the area of Stazzo sos Sambinoz; gradually the carriage road narrows into a path until it descends to a small ford. From here, the path goes uphill and downhill again towards Riu de Crasta. From here on, the path is very flat and we are mostly in the shade of cork oaks. Then the road becomes asphalted and goes gently downhill to the small village of Monti.
A hero of ancient Sardinia was Amsicora, a Sardinian-Punic general who led the revolt against the Romans in 215 BC. He was a large landowner (some believe he was of Berber descent) who, during the time of Hannibal’s victories, led the coastal towns of Sardinia to revolt against the Roman yoke, uniting the Sardi Pelliti with the Iliensi tribes who had always been in struggle against Rome.
Amsicora’s revolt, supported by the arrival of Carthaginian troops under Hasdrubal, was crushed by the Roman army a few miles from Cagliari. Despite the defeat, the figure of Amsicora has remained a symbol of Sardinian culture and many sites on the island are dedicated to the mythical hero - including the Amsicora Stadium in Cagliari, which gives its name to the district.
A sud del borgo di Monte si trova la piscina naturale S'elighe, uno specchio d'acqua incastonato tra la vegetazione e i sassi granitici tipici della Gallura. Tra i massi cade un’incantevole cascata: un bagno è d'obbligo!
South of the village of Monte is the natural swimming pool of S'elighe, an expanse of water surrounded by vegetation and granite rocks typical of Gallura. An enchanting waterfall falls between the boulders: a swim is a must!
The most representative wine of Gallura is certainly the Vermentino.
The Vermentino di Gallura DOCG denomination includes many varieties, from the upscale to the sparkling version, including the passito and the wine made from late-harvest grapes. The breezy climate between the sea and the rocky terrain produces a fragrant, intense and persistent wine with a good alcohol content and a nice minerality.
Vermentino is a white grape variety grown up to 500 metres above sea level: some believe it was already cultivated in the Nuragic period, others claim it was introduced during Spanish rule. The latest analyses point to a Middle Eastern origin of this grape variety.
B&B Villa Mario Monti, in Monti. Tel. +39349 597 3889
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 Alà dei Sardi, starting from the city of Olbia.
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!
