Perda Liana Perda Liana, a natural monument, is a heel of rock that characterizes the landscape of this part of Ogliastra. In this excursion it is possible to admire also the massif of Gennargentu, the silver door of Sardinia. Route by car Point of departure is the town of Seui. From Cagliari in the north direction, go past Monastir and take the S.S. 128 in the Mandas direction, from here the S.S.198 in the direction of Sadali and Seui. Park your car at the railway station of Seui, that you can reach by going up from the petrol station situated at the entrance of the town towards Ussassai. Bike trail (ST) Go up for 1 km along the roads in the town that lead to the unmade road (A) that after 2.3 km leads to just before the small church of S.Sebastiano where you turn right (B) continuing to go down on the left until passing the river and going up again leaving the old mine of Corangiu behind you (C). The climb is steep along a stony path that, ignoring a turning on the right (D) climbs up with tight hairpin bends until passing a fence. The path continues to go up until "Arcu Tradalei" where, crossing a fence using a wooden ladder, you arrive at the X-shaped crossroads (E). Ignore the paths towards the right, taking the slope that climbs up on the left for about twenty metres. Turn left pedalling gently up to Genna Isili (F), where a wide unmade road begins that towards the right goes up to Arcu Peppi Loi (G) from where a spectacular panorama can be admired over the mountainous group of Gennargentu, that dominates all of Sardinia with the highest summit of P.ta La Marmora (1834). With a fast descent you arrive at Genna and Medau (H), turn left at the crossing with the asphalted road coming from the S.S. 198. After 900 metres the trail touches the village Nuragico di Ardasai and then winds along a long series of ups and downs that passes under the imposing jutting out of the heels of the Foresta Demaniale di Mont' Arbu, where Pitzu Margiani Pobusa (1324) catches your eye, while, in the distance the unmistakable shape of the isolated heel of "Perd'e Liana" (1293) stands out. The last asphalt stretch rises and takes you to the crossing with the unmade road that, turning right beyond a barrier (J), takes you within the area of Foresta Demaniale di Mont' Arbu. Go up until the Arc de Pirastru Trottu (K) after which a long and fast descent begins that after 5.4 km takes you to the C.ma F.le M. Falchi (L) Having covered two tight hairpin bends the unmade road begins to go back up, while on the left the impressive rocky walls of Perda Genni Acca rise (M). Here ignore a turning on the left continuing to climb gently for 2 km until a sharp bend on the left (N) in correspondence with which a path turns on the left in order to pass under the railway bridge of the Trenino Verde. Continue to go down passing a junction on the left (O), from here for 4.2 km go along a stretch of ups and downs that finishes at Genna Idissa where, after a hairpin bend going down on the left, you go up again until meeting the railway (P). Here ignore the turning on the left that precedes the railway tracks, in order to turn left into the path that is found a little after the same railway tracks. This is another stretch that rises for 1.6 km with a tight hairpin bend to the right that joins an asphalted road where, passing a gate, you turn left (Q). After some metres, keep right at the Y-shaped crossroads still on the asphalt and continue for some hundred metres until you notice a small path (R) that turns right and goes down with some hairpin bends and a surface that soon becomes very technical. You pass alongside a sheep pen, in order to reach the asphalt of the S.S. 198 (S), here turning right you go up for 2.4 km until Seui. Legend of nodal points map ST Railway station car park A Road for San Sebastiano B Church of S. Sebastiano C Corongiu mine D Y-shaped crossroads E Arco Tradalei F Genna Isili G Arco Peppi Loi H Entrance on SS 198 I Nuraghe Ardasai J Entrance to Mont' Arbu Foresters barracks K Arco su Pirastu Trottu L M.Falchi Foresters barracks M X-shaped crossroads N Turning for bridge O Junction on the left P Genna Idissa Q Crossing with asphalted road R Small path from right S Entrance on SS 198 Route proposed by Roberto Zedda: www.bikesardegna.it ... <detail>

The Pinnettos Across a wild Sardinia, where the traditions of the shepherds in their ancestral stone shelters, the "Pinnettos" still remain. Route by car Point of departure for the excursion is the Nicoletta Hotel in Santa Maria Navarrese. Bike Trail (ST) From the Nicoletta Hotel in S. M. Navarrese take the S.P.63 (B) and go up for 1.6 km to a large widening (C) on the panoramic road that takes you to loc. Su Rele. Before the asphalt ends, take an unmade cart track on the left (D), and leaving all the unmade roads on the left, after a stretch with ups and downs, a steep climb begins with some stretches over unmade ground, that make it difficult. At the end there is an iron gate (prevents the cattle from going on the private property, always close it). Continue straight on the cart track that continues across a hillside ignoring the side turnings, to a clearing (F), where you go along a stretch in asphalt of approximately 100 m joining the communal road that takes you to Pedra Longa, by taking the left until the crossing of the S.S. 125 (H). Continue on the right until the centre of Baunei (i) covering the main road until the last houses (J), where you take the right in the Golgo direction. Go straight on for 2 km ,climbing gently. At the crossroads with the signs that indicate Golgo (k) take the left beginning the rise towards the Supramonte di Baunei continuing on the asphalt for 1 km. Having arrived on the plateau and the gentle descent on asphalt begins, near a hairpin bend on the left (L), take the unmade road on the right, initially flat. After 800 m take the right (M) where a beautiful descent starts that after 1.8 km takes you to the foot of a slope (N) where you can enjoy beautiful panoramas. After 2.1 km you are on level ground near the Ginnirico Mount (O). Continue here for 3.1 km, leaving the crossing (P) and continuing for 0.8 km until the crossing on the left with the Piras sheep pen. The Piras sheep pen is a beautiful example of Pinnetto, an ancient shelter used by shepherds, where by contacting the Società Salinas you can experience a real traditional lunch. From the Piras sheep pen, turn back for 0.8 km to point (P), here turn right on a stony cart track, from here there is a technical descent, that after 1.8 km arrives at the interesting nuraghe of Coe Serra (S) Continue for 500 m and at the first crossing go right (T) then go left after 300 m (U), after 1 km go on the asphalt road, cover for 5.1 returning to point (K), then turn left where after 0.5 km a lookout allows you to admire the entire valley of North Ogliastra with the Gulf of Arbatax. Continue and after 500 m. turn right on single track (x) with a very disconnected stony surface, until passing a rudimentary wooden door (always close). Proceeding straight on along the descent you arrive near a new building. Cross the asphalted road (G) and join a narrow lane that for approximately 100 m is asphalted but has now deteriorated, continue on the road covered on the way until reaching the iron gate, leaving it on the right and continue until the end of the cart track, where after a wide space the single track begins all downhill except for a short uphill stretch which you need to do on foot. After 1.9 Km you come across the unmade cart track (D) where you turn right until the gate, pass it and after a short descent go left (A) down a long descent until the centre of S.M. Navarrese. Legend of nodal points map ST Nicoletta Hotel A Crossing with via Biriala B Entrance on SP 63 C Big widening D Unmade road E Y-shaped crossroads F Clearing G Turning for Pedra Longa H Entrance on SS 125 I Entrance to Balnei J Turning for Golgo K Crossroads with unmade road L Hairpin bend on the left M Crossing with reservior N Beginning of slope O Ginnirico Mount P Crossing with heap of stones Q Piras sheep pen R T-shaped crossroads S Nuraghe Co'e Serra T First crossing U Second crossing V Entrance on asphalt W Lookout X Turning on single track Y Crossroads with unmade road Trail proposed by Società Salinas: www.supramonteselvaggio.it, +39 340 5665739 ... <detail>

The Dunes of Piscinas The dunes of Piscinas, up to 80 metres high and covered in centennial junipers, constitute a real desert . A magical place, where you can admire the ancient mining settlements and try to observe the timid deer that still live here. Route by car The departure point is the village of Montevecchio. From Cagliari take the S.S. 131 in the north direction, at Sanluri follow the directions for S.Gavino, then to Guspini in order to arrive after 10 km in Montevecchio. Bike trail (ST) From the car park of the main square of Montevecchio head along the unmade road that leads towards Ingurtosu and Piscinas. After 1.6 km you pass under a reinforced concrete arch, then in front of the old Hotel Sartori (A) and the Laveria Sanna (B), from here the road begins to go down, with the artificial river basin of Donegani to the left (C). Continuing to go down you will pass the Amsicora well (D) and after 1.8 km that finish with a long rectilinear, you will arrive at the Casargiu well (E) Here turn right for the path that winds along the river Irvi, a river whose water has a reddish colour due to iron minerals. You will have to ford it more than twenty times, with the red water splashes that mark in an almost indelible way the people and the bikes. After 6 kilometres you reach the confluence with the river Piscinas (F), whose coloration tends to be white, here you join a wide unmade road coming from the right. Continue for approximately a kilometre until the pass of G.na Armidas (H) where the view is over the sand dunes of Is Arenas. Reaching the crossroads near the river Naracauli (I), turn left for an unmade road that rises and after 3.9 km leads to the dilapidated village of the mines of Naracauli. Turn back along the same road until the previous crossroads continuing straight on the left in order to reach the sea (K) Turn back along the same road until the crossroads on the river Naracauli (I), turn left passing for Genna Armidas again (H) until the crossroads on the river Piscinas (G) From here on the left, fording the river to join a slight rise that joins the asphalted coastal road that passes the crossing and leads after 5.2 km of slight descent to Portu Maga, a seaside resort (L). Pass the bar on the right, when the asphalt goes up again turn into an unmade path on the right heading towards an old group of houses opposite which you turn left (M) onto a gentle rise. Continue without turning until a short descent after which there is a bifurcation, keep to the right in order to go up towards "M.te is Gennas", following a steep hairpin bend and ignoring the smaller turnings until the crossing where, keeping to the right the unmade road smoothes towards some land with wire fencing. Open and close the fencing and cross the land, following the stretch of path that goes down towards the right with a hairpin bend, pass the other fencing after which you come out on a wide unmade road (R). From here on the left continue straight on the unmade road that, after approximately 2.9 km leads to the asphalted road that, towards the right, takes you back to Montevecchio. Option from point (M) Arriving at the group of old houses instead of turning left, go right finding the unmade road - on the map it almost mirrors the other - that rises more gradually. From here continue until point (R), from this point the road is the same. Legend of nodal points map ST Montevecchio square A Sartori Hotel B Laveria Sanna C Turning for Donegani river basin D Turning for Amsicora well E Casargiu well F River Piscinas confluence G Y-shaped crossroads H Genna Armidas pass I Crossing on the River Naracauli K Hotel Le Dune L Bar/ Restaurant M Old buildings N Junction from the left O Junction from the right P Clearing with crossroads Q Crossing for Is Gennas peak R X-shaped crossroads S Entrance on asphalted road Route proposed by Skedaddle Italia: naomi.lindfield@tiscali.it ... <detail>

The Giara plateau A plateau suspended in silence, populated by a particular breed of horses, the famous small horses of the giara that have found here, thanks to the natural isolation, the ideal conditions to conserve their particular typology. Route by car Point of departure is Tuili, a small village to the West of Barumini, famous for its "Su Nuraxi" complex. From Cagliari take the ss 131 in the Sassari-Oristano direction, go past the turning for Serrenti, continue for another 6 km until the clearly signed crossroads for Villamar-Barumini, turn and continue until Las Plassas, shortly before Barumini recognizable by its conical hill, here take the road for Tuili, 10 km away. Bike Trail (ST) From Tuili go towards the Giara and, just before the bridge (B), take the unmade road that follows the orographical right of the river. After 400 metres you will arrive at a crossing where you turn right passing on the stone bridge (C), going up on the asphalt; after 400m, in correspondence with a Y-shaped crossroad (D) turn left, after 100 m the asphalt ends and a steep unmade road begins that goes up towards the Giara among the olive trees. After 1.3 km you reach a crossroad, near a hairpin bend on the right (E), continue on the main road avoiding two turnings on the left. After a gate, the road goes down for a short stretch, then begins to go up again for 2.4 km until another gate that opens onto the plateau of the Giara. The path continues towards the Pauli Piccia pond (F), running alongside it for a short stretch and continuing for 400 m on a narrow lane that goes up to the circular court of Bruncu'e Sulas constructed with a dry wall(G). Here you are in the typical atmosphere of the Giara , immersed in an immense carpet of cysts and cork oaks. Continue for 400 m in the same direction (avoiding the road on the right) until a widening that is opposite Pauli Majori pond (H): to the right there are two roads, the one on the left runs alongside the pond arriving at a spring, whilst our route continues to the right. The road narrows to a path until it reaches a widening where you keep to the right and after 30 metres you take the path that bends to the right towards Crabili Ecciu (I), where there is the hut "su masoni" and the typical deer of this zone. Returning on the path, you continue for about twenty metres until you are on a cart track which bends to the left. After 150 m there is a first crossroad and keeping to the right, continue on the main path for 800 m until the T-shaped crossroads (J) where you turn right towards the rise of Zepparedda (K) passing a crossroad on the left and a second to the right. Zepparedda is the crater of the volcano that two million years ago poured the lava that today constitutes the basaltic cover of this plateau. Go back to the T-shaped crossroads, continue on the road that, passing a passage in the dry wall, reaches the wide glade of Pardu Longu (L), characterized by a stone structure to the right. After 500 metres you arrive at the crossroads of Serra Argiolas (M), and continue straight on. After 1.4 km you go past the crossroads for Pauli Bartili (N) continuing straight on for 1.7km until a Y-shaped crossroads (O): turn left and continue for 200 m until the Pauli s’Ala de Mengianu pond (P), return to the crossroads (O) and continue for 2.3 km until the turning for Genoni (Q),where you turn right at 90° onto a paved road boarded by low walls. Here the steep descent starts (then asphalted) towards Genoni. After 3.3 km of descent, near the bridge on the right, it is possible to drink at the Franceschina spring (R). Go up for 1.3 km until a Y-shaped crossroads with a fender strip (S) where you keep to the right, reaching the top of the slope until the crossing near a house with a dry wall (T), here on the left and after 200 m to the right (on the left you can see the village of Genoni), coming down for approximately 300 metres until a crossing where you turn right onto an unmade road that continues for 200 metres until the first turning on the left, entering the old ironclad road that was abandoned in 1943 and today is an unmade road (V). After 2 km you cross the asphalted road turning left towards Nuragus (W). After 1 km, before entering the residential area turn right on to the unmade road that passes under the telephone line (wooden poles) (X); reaching a crossing with a narrow asphalted lane (Y) continue straight on along the path in a constant and gentle descent of the old railway. The road continues, going down on to the nearby state road in correspondence with a spring; the unmade road begins again on the right after a few metres, with a gentle climb, you reach a tunnel (Z). After 1.3 km you cross the S.S. 197 at km 50.8, arriving at the station of Gesturi (AA). You cross the asphalt again, arriving at a large widening with a spring (AB). From here you take the unmade road dug in the rocks which reaches another widening, where you continue to go down a descent for 600 m until a crossroad (AC), where you continue straight on the unmade road that continues across a hillside, ignoring the one that comes down from the bottom of the valley. After 1 km you cross a tunnel (AD) and after having followed a wide hairpin bend towards the right, you reach a big crossing with the S.S. 197 to the right (AE). Continue straight following the telephone line, running alongside the edge of the A road. After 600 m, near the ruins of a trackman’s house on the left, you will notice up on the right the nuraghe Nuraceddeu (AF); the road continues for 500 metres alongside the A road, then turn after 1.1 km towards the inland until a large olive tree placed just before a crossing, where you turn right on to the large unmade road that takes you on to an asphalted one, at the entrance of the town of Barumini. Here the road branches off (AG), stay on the left until the Carabinieri barracks (AH) where you turn right, following the road signs towards the nuragic complex Su Nuraxi (AI), situated on a hill, 1 km outside the town on the road for Tuili. From here continue for another 2.5 km to Tuili (ST) Legend of nodal points map ST First bridge A Second bridge B Third bridge C Stone bridge D Y-shaped crossing E Hairpin bend to the right F Pauli Piccia Pond G Località Bruncu e Sulas H Pauli Majori Pond I Località Crabili Ecciu K Turning for Zepparedda J T-shaped crossroads L Loc. Perdu longu M Loc. Serra Argiolas N Turning for loc Pauli Baratili O Y-shaped crossroads P Pauli s' Ala de Mengianu Pond Q Turning for Genoni R Franceschina Spring S Crossroads with a fender strip T House with a wall U X-shaped crossroads V Old Railway W Crossing with Nuragus X Telephone line poles Y Old railway Z Tunnel AA Gesturi station AB Crossing with asphalted road AC Y-shaped crossroads AD Tunnel AE Crossing with ss 197 AF Nuraghe Nuraceddeu AG Road for Barumini AH Carabinieri Barracks AL Nuragic Complex "Su Nuraxi" ... <detail>

Il Castello di Medusa The discovery of a valley rich of memories of the past, where the ruins of the castle of Medusa rise, built presumably in the 5th century and still today wrapped in legend and mystery. Route by car Point of departure is the farmhouse Genna 'e Corte. From Cagliari take the 131 northbound, just before Sanluri take the 197 in the direction of Villamar Barumini - Laconi. On entering Laconi go up along the main road until you see the directions for the farmhouse, 9 km from the town. Trail by bike (ST) Leaving from Genna 'e Corte go down 500 m to the gate. Turn left covering the straight road until the crossroads, then turn left (AB), and follow the road that runs alongside the forest of cork oaks for approximately 2 km until the X-shaped crossroads (AA) where you must continue straight on joining the paved road. The ancient road for Castel Medusa continues with a series of hairpin bends for 6.1 km, when from the sharp bend you can notice from the other part of the ridge the mouths of the mines and opposite, on the rocky ridge, the ruins of the castle can be seen well (X). Continue in the direction of Asuni for 39 km until the X-shaped crossroads (T), after 500 m (S) you will be on the provincial road that joins Asuni and Nureci , turn left and continue climbing for 3.1 km, arriving at the crossing with the unmade road from the left (R) Join this unmade road and follow it for 1.5 km (P), keep to the right and continue for 1.2 km until the Y- shaped crossroads (O), here keep to the left and continue for 0.6 km until the crossroads (N), bend right and continue for 4.1 km until the T-shaped crossroads (J), cross it and continue for 500 metres arriving at the small church of S.Daniele (I). Go past the church and follow the unmade road cover keeping to the right, after the drinking trough join the asphalted road, turning towards the left (H). Cover this road of hairpin bends for approximately 7 km until the gate of the farmhouse in order to cover the last climb to your destination. Option from point (S) (s) here you go on the provincial road that joins Asuni and Nureci, turn left and continue covering the climb for approximately 5.5 km, arriving at the crossing with the A road 442. Turn left and go along the S.S. 442 for approximately 4.5 km, then turn left for the asphalted road that takes you to the San Daniele marshes. After approximately 2 km you will see an X-shaped crossroads, continue straight on and after a sharp bend there is a crossroad, turn right onto the unmade narrow lane of the small church of San Daniele (I) Go past the church and cover the unmade road keeping to the right, after the drinking trough join the asphalted road, turning towards the left (H). Follow this road of hairpin bends for approximately 7 km until the gate of the farmhouse in order to cover the last climb to your destination. Legend of nodal points map ST Genna 'e Corte AB Turning for Genna 'e Corte AA X-shaped crossroads Z Y-shaped crossroads Y Crossing on pass X Castello di Medusa W Bridge V Entrance on asphalted road U Path close to curve T 4-road crossroads S Turning for agricultural company R Entrance on asphalted road Q Dominariu marchese di Laconi P Turning on the left O Y-shaped crossrosds N Multi road crossroads M Entrance on unmade road L Funtana ortigiana K Y-shaped crossroads J T-shaped crossroads I S.Daniele church H Entrance on unmade road G Path in the woods F 5-road crossroads E Woody area D Hairpin bend to the right C Locality Bau Eassi B Y-shaped crossroads A X-shaped crossroads Trail proposed by Agriturismo Genna 'e Corte: www.gennaecorte.it, +39 3386100247 ... <detail>