Climbing in Sardegna, Italy
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
Sardegna is one of the most beautiful Islands opposite of Rome and about 9 Ferry Hours away from Livorno, where we took off on a lovely morning in Autumn. News had been brumming on the many new climbing areas that were supposed to be good. And there’s nothing stopping us from having a fantastic holiday climbing and beaching! There are numerous crags all over the island for climbing of all sorts – if you’re looking for Overhangs, alpine, or Slabs, climbing on the shore, or just bouldering Sardegna is the place to go. Believe me – you won’t get bored there! So there we were going off and bringing lots of Fight Gravity Impulse along, and hoping that it works. I’m going to give you here a short idea how the most of the new areas are – (new? anything that’s been bolted after ‘96) as there are enough articles in the Internet on Sardegna. ..
We arrived in Olbia on a Saturday night, still early enough to get our first bottle of Canonnau – Our Welcome Drink! We headed first for Cala Gonone, stayed at the one and only Camp ground there and shared the place with some 400 other people who all decided on Cala Gonone as well. There were a good mix from Bikers, Mountain Bikers, Climbers, Hikers and those who just wants to have a holiday. Cala Gonone is great for those who have a family. You can reach the beach in 15 minutes by foot or 5 mins with the bicycle. The Campsite facilities aren’t too bad, the showers are good and warm, it’s clean and well, you don’t have much of a choice anyway, being the only Campsite around. The prices are quite expensive in the high season and only more reasonable after September. They are opened till the end of October. Tel.: 0784.96243 – 0784.93165. There are numerous Hotels all along the Port, so if you’re coming in the colder months, you could look up there.
There is a Guide Book on Cala Gonone from Corrado Conca costing 10,50 Euro and you can get them at the Bookstore or at the climbing Store. This Guide book was printed in Nov. 2000 and since then there’s about countless new routes in each sector – so keep your eyes opened.
Our first crag led us to Cordula Fuili, the crag with those tufas and long inviting routes! This isn’t anything new but the wall is incredible! You park your car at the very end of the road, walk down the stairs and go thru’ that valley for some 10mins. At a certain point when the path starts to make a sharp left bend to the otherside and you see the red walls of Sector Pederiva on your upper right, you know that it’s only another 10 mins up
the steep trek. This crag offers you athletic routes on a slightly overhanging wall. You’ll find routes with tufas, holes and ledges here. Grades go from 6a to 8a. There’s no doubt that the crag is polished and it’s definately not getting better year after year. But they are all athletic, sometimes bouldery and long. The only thing that bothered us was the heat and the sun that shine on the wall on the most part of the day. After 3pm it gets shady, but if you’re not getting any wind then, it’s going to be torture. For those of you looking for a great warm up, try”Il volo di Icaro 6c+ ***” and “Cappucetto Rosso 7a**”. “L’anno che verra 7c+” is in the shade till about 11am then you’ll have to keep yourself busy till after 5pm when it gets a little cooler.
There are still many other sectors in the valley, routes for almost every taste. Just a little beyond the sector Viggiani, there’s a new overhang that offer 4 very deserving routes. From right to left: “Cico 7a”,”Zergo 6b+”, “Zorro 7c”, “Zeda Piras 7c+”. The Wall faces West and there’s absolutely no wind…. so it’s BBQ time! If you’d like to climb by the seaside – do so but check the bolts before you start!
For those of you looking for something that gives you a hint of the flair in Tonsai Beach, head for Cala Luna. Most of the walls there are all bolted. You’ll get a perfect thrill of climbing directly on the beach and having those neck breaking 7c Routes looking down on you. Then when you get hungry, you could get something to eat at the snack bar behind – just like Krabi! Some of the Bolts are rusty, so beware. Don’t think that the beach ends right where most of the people huddle up at the 2nd largest cave. If the tide is up, just pass or boulder around the stomach and go on to the next bay. You’ll find about 30 routes altogether in Cala Luna- all around 7cs- most of them on tufas and very, very overhanging! The huge vertical wall on the left is also bolted and has easier routes to offer.
Well, we found our way to Cala Luna the hard way. We took the path that led us there in 2hrs!!! We thought that it would be an hour’s stroll, but it came to be quite a torture walking there and that Luna Beach was just not turning up. It’s better to get informed first, right? If you’re dead serious about climbing there, take the boat. There’s a boat that leaves from the Port of Cala Gonone for a couple of Euros and check out on the last boat when you hop off.
Another favourite spot I’d like to mention is the Monte Irveri on Settore Arcadio. There’re at least 30 or more new Routes, some so new you can’t finger them properly **grins**. The routes are terribly long and they all have a fantistic mixture of everything what you expect. We didn’t have the new Topo of the routes there and did most of them by sight – and not on sight but we know that one does exist from Maurizio Oviglia and it is possible to get them, somewhere…. “Spalmabile piccante” 6b+ and “Beato bottarga” 6a+ (and not 6c!) deserves both 3***. Inbetween those 2 routes a very difficult 7a+. It’s very long (33m) and goes up till after the bulge. Further up left, right after the small cave, a new route that starts together with “Attenzione 35m” and goes off left, is graded with a 7b+. Once the route is climbed more often, (it gets crumbly in the V-groove; 3rd-5th bolt) it’s a route you must try. In the middle sector where you’d find a Fig tree growing out of a hole and a route going at the right of it is a 7b. Great climb piazing the wall and believe me, you could take great pictures as well. There’s a 6c+ 2 routes right from this and it definately deserves 4 star! Don’t underestimate yourself, and it’s just a 6c+… ha! Sorry I can’t give you names on the routes….
Domousnovas was our next destination. It’s a pity that the Cave is now closed to all vehicles, but that makes it all the more adventerous! There are 2 ways to get to the differant sectors of the area. 1. You could drive your car right till behind the cave and park just on the side. There’s a new road after Domosnovas (east), at the roundabout, head north and at the first left turn take that road till you reach the Grotta di San Giovanni.. 2. Park at the southern end of the Grotta where the Bar is and take your headlamps with you. (Don’t forget strong batteries)You’ll be walking 8 mins thru absolute darkness! You could get the Guide “Map” at the Bar for 8,- Euro. The Map has most of the listings of the new sectors & routes in and abouts of Domosnouvas.
Now you’ll be wondering about where to stay in that area. You could 1. camp wildly at the Grotte about 100m away from the Bar, but take care to keep the place clean! Don’t forget that there are reports on Car thefts around the area, so don’t leave your valuables unattended. The Bar turns into a Pizzeria at night, so you don’t have to go very far to look for food. Another alternative for those looking for a room or apartment – 2. look up at this address for Betty! Villamassargia is just about 10 mins from Domosnouvas, 20min to Masua, 1 Hr to Cagliari. It’s very central and the place is situated on a private estate infront of an olive plantation. The rooms are highly recommendable, you’d get a big breakfast (For Italy – that’s rare!) and Betty is really very helpfull. She caters to the special needs of all climbers, has new Informations on new Sectors in the area and “Sector Castello di Betty” in Domosnouvas was sponsered by her! They have appartments as well. Say hello to her for me (Chris) – she’ll be pleased. Here are some facts:
BED & BREAKFAST “Il Castello di Gioiosa Guardia” di Betty Mascia
VIA XXV APRILE,
09010 VILLAMASSARGIA (Ca),
SARDEGNA
Tel. / Fax: 0781.75011 Email: betti.bb@tiscali.it
************* Bed & Breakfast 25,- Euro / Person Appartments 17,- Euro / Person
(in 2002)
Everyone’s talking about Tana del Tigri. We were fascinated with the routes the cave has to offer. Many of them deserves 3 – 4 stars. The only thing that bothered us was the pigeon-dirt on some holds and it’s really a shame. There are also tiny flies that infest the place, but they don’t really disturb. Maybe it’s not so bad in the colder months. You could climb there as well when it rains. Chemical Area offers vertical Walls on sharp holds in 7a niveau. The routes in Animal House weren’t too bad, it’s not new anymore, but the routes are still so sharp. Check out “Kanguroad” 7a+/7b and “Monkey Dream” 7b. Technicolor, as the name implies offers technical Routes on a slightly overhanging wall with routes going up to 30m highand and small ledges! If you are there, try out “Fluido Vitale” 7a. You get to climb inbetween 2 very huge Tufas! It’s amazing what you could do with them! The way after the Tufas is a little crumbly. Beware of falling stones. “Ombra silenziosa” 7a with it’s 30m is also recommendable.
A further area we’d like to mention is the new Area of Masua. There’s a new Crag near the Sector Castello dell ‘I Ride. This Wall Wild Ca’da pria was bolted & equipt by Flaviano Bessone and Maurizio Oviglia. It offers 21 pitches that are 35m high and are equipted entirely with inox bolts sponsored from the ostello Ca’ da Pria di Nebida. Gradings go from the 6a+ to 7b+, and there are still many possiblities for new Routes. The Crag is overhanging & vertical, technical and long! It’s best to come here in Fall & Winter as it faces south-east. Shade comes in only after 3 pm and 4 pm (Autumn) on the left side. Topos & further information here. To access, park your car after the narrow bridge that leads to the Porto Flavia Mines. Go 50m to the left till you reach a redmarked Olive tree. You’ll find a tiny stoneman, follow the path that leads more or less to the wall that you see in front of you. Heavy rainfalls have destructed the way leading directly to the wall, so it’s not so easy to get the right way immediately. 20 mins fr. the car, 30 mins if you get lost and if the heat’s killing .
If you’re not sure what you’re going to do on your Rest day, Porto Flavia is worth while visiting. The Tour takes about 1.5 hrs and costs 8,- Euro p.P. It’s possible to get a closer look at the Pan di Zucherro from the balcony and the Tours are well explained. However, bring quite a good portion of Italian with you. The Guides only speak Italian! By the way, the Routes that are on the shore can only be accessed by boat or by abseil.
You could wild camp at the Pine Tree Park just before you reach the minery. Nobody said anything when we were there, but remember to clean up your mess and take your garbage along. You could find water in the Piazza of Nebida. I can’t be too sure if it’s drinking water, but for washing up, it’s fine. Another alternative is to put up at the Bed & Breakfast:
A CA’ DA PRIA
Via Centrale 265 – 09010 NEBIDA – IGLESIAS (CA)
Tel. +39 0781 474001
Fax +39 0781 474107
Cell. +39 (0) 3355376382
Nobody goes to Sardegna and leave Isilli out. It’s compulsory that you’ve seen & climbed the crags there till your biceps is all pumped out. There are 4 Hotels to choose from in Isilli. There are unfortunately no campsites any where near the area. Wild camping is tolerated. But it’s better to take the rooms, as there are sheeps & goats that may favour your tent & utensils. Rooms go from aprox. 44,- Euro upwards. Isilli is famed for it’s overhangs with lots of holes. Urania has developed into one of the places where you could find Routes in 8a++ niveau. You might have to queue up for “Shanghai Pizza 8a+” or “Wonderland 8a” now and then. Corvo Solitario is more or less the only crag that’s in the shade almost the whole day. Even if the sun does come in, there’s always a little breeze that makes it all more bearable. You get good drinking water right next to this massive. If you’re looking for Frankenjura Routes, look up at New Isilli. This new Crag has routes up till max. 10m high. There are still many other new Routes in Isilli since our last visit in 1996 and so many we didn’t have enough time to check them all out, needless to say, recover from the “World Music” 8a+/8b. There must be still dozens of deserving new Sectors we’ve not checked out, but we’ll leave them for the next trip and perhaps you may also want to share your experiences with us. I believe that once the new Guide Book on Sardegna gets printed, you could discover Sardegna with all it’s Jewel climbs in it!
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