A medium-length, mostly downhill and very easy stage, with which we say goodbye to the beautiful Limbara group. The highlights of the day are the Conchi (caves used by shepherds) and...Monte Bianco (1,150 m)!
The first part of the stage is a variation of the Sentiero Italia (which goes from Monti directly to Calangianus), preferred here to enjoy the beauty of Monte Limbara, one of the jewels of the Gallura hinterland.
This stage should be avoided in the middle summer months.
We leave Vallicciola and continue on a flat asphalt road; then we take the dirt road to the right and continue first slightly uphill, then on a flat stretch. We part from the dirt road and take a good path to the right, where we quickly lose height in the dense woods (about 250 m drop). At the end of the descent, we return to the dirt road and shortly afterwards take a wide path to the left on which we climb (about 100 m height difference); in this section we do not miss a short detour to some Conchi, half-caves used by shepherds as bivouacs.
So we reach the southern shoulder of Monte Bianco (1,150 m) with its beautiful granite towers; here we find the only water source of the stage. We continue on a gravel road; after passing the rifugio autogestito Li Conchi, we begin the long descent (about 500 m drop) towards Calangianus, all on a gravel road; after a few kilometres we come to an asphalt road, turn left and a little later return to a gravel road on the left. From here on we progress practically on flat ground in the shade of cork oaks. Near a car park, a few hundred metres further on, we find signs to the Tombe dei Giganti di Pascaredda (Tombs of the Giants of Pascaredda), well worth a detour. Back on the track, we continue on and shortly arrive at the town.
An instrument widespread throughout the island is the Sardinian guitar, mainly used to accompany Sardinian singing. It became established during Spanish rule and has been present on the island since the 16th century, as attested by a document recognising the order of “chitarrari”. Over the centuries, the instrument evolved and took on a character of its own. It was not until the 20th century that guitars with larger dimensions than the Iberian ones were attested: the size of the instrument allowed it to produce lower tones, ideal for accompanying vocals.
What distinguishes the Sardinian guitar from the classical guitar we know are the larger soundbox, the presence of metal strings instead of nylon strings and, above all, the tuning called sa sarda, which is usually lower than normal (a fourth lower).
The guitar is played by sonadores, who play the melodic line with the thumb while the other fingers continue the arpeggio. Throughout Sardinia there are different styles and genres based on different tunings. Among Sardinian guitarists, Paolo Angeli has taken the island's tradition all over the world; among his collaborations, the one with the famous guitarist Pat Metheny stands out.
The Calangianus’ Museo del Sughero (Cork Museum) is a small museum that tells the story of this important resource of Gallura.
Until the 1980s, Calangianus was a world reference point for cork production. Later, with the growth of production in other countries (especially Portugal), exports declined. Nevertheless, cork continues to be extracted from the bark of the cork oak in Calangianus from May to September - two thirds of the national cork is produced between Luras, Tempio Pausania and Calangianus.
It is a kind of second bark that this oak produces for protection against external threats. Peeling is done on plants with a circumference of more than 60 cm (measured at 1.30 m above the ground). The first extraction produces an inferior cork called cork or male cork; the following extractions, which take place every ten years, are the so-called soft cork. Cork extraction is a real art that requires a lot of experience; the activity is regulated by the forestry authorities.
Cork production in Sardinia can be traced back to the Nuragic period. A large part of the production is used to make bottle corks - the wealth of Calangianus is due to its production!
A traditional Sardinian dessert is Pardule, also known as Formaggelle.
These are small baskets of pastry filled with cream cheese or sheep’s milk ricotta and orange zest. They are traditionally eaten at Easter, but are now popular all year round.
B&B La Vecchia Posta, in Calangianus. Tel. +39340 491 8131
Affittacamere Gallurà, in Calangianus. Tel. +39328 802 8172
B&B La Jatta, in Calangianus. Tel. +39392 878 1144
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 Tempio Pausania, 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!
