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CURRENT ITINERARY
Start from Orosei
From the Su Barone resort, we descend along the beach until the plateau and the Golunie nuraghe. We continue along a trail by the sea, passing through the Orosei area and the Dorgali campagna.
We then drop down to the Osalla cove and climb back up towards a small plateau named Punta Nera di Osalla (Black Peak of Osalla) due to the colour of the volcanic rock, to the observation point.
Then we move down to the Cartoe cove.
We follow the course of the torrent Littu for a short stretch before entering the live oak forest under Monte Irveri, passing alongside it. From this point, we can begin to see the white chalk that characterise the journey.
Our first stop is at the S’Abba Vrisca park museum in Portolu Secci. It is possible to have a guided tour of the museum and to try typical products and drinks.
The journey continues towards Monte Rosso. There is a distinctive observation point along the pass between the two mountains, from which one can admire the whole east coast and the Gulf of Orosei towards the Ogliastra. Leaving the observation point, we proceed to Monte Rosso to the entrance to Dorgali where the Domus de Janas are located, which you can visit.
We then enter the residential centre of Dorgali, passing through it from east to west. We then reach a Roman road that starts in the town and descends towards Lake Cedrino. Before reaching the lake, we stop for lunch at the Patteri sheep farm, or having passed by Lake Cedrino at the Canales farm accommodation.
Our journey continues in the Gollei plateau, which stands out due to its many wild olive trees and an important prehistoric settlement that comprises of two nuragic villages and different nuraghi over a few kilometres.
Here we leave the Dorgali area to enter the Oliena area. We descend from the plateau towards the water table of the Su Gologone spring. From this rest stop, one can admire the Marghine and Gullei rock formations, which Della Marmora wrote about. There are two churches situated close to each other at this site: San Giovanni and Nostra Signora del Rimedio.
We continue through the Gottiddai plane at the feet of the mountain, the route is surmounted by the Uddè, Fruncu Niedu and Su Cusidore mountains. We then proceed towards Preda ‘e Littu and circle the whole chalk massif of Monte Corrasi (Supramonte of Oliena), riding alongside it. We then pass through Janna ‘e Bentu, catching a glimpse of Oliena, continuing to ride by the massif and climbing up towards Monte Maccione.
The first day of the journey ends with overnight accommodation at the Maccione centre situated beside Monte Corrasi.
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19th CENTURY ITINERARY
Orosei...
"Orosei, formerly Urisé or Urisa, gave its name to a baronage. This sizeable town rose up at the feet of a flat hill topped with a residue of black basalt lava flow that lies on coarse sand and tertiary chalk banks. The river that runs at the northerly bottom of the hill at a short distance from the town is the ancient Ceadrus of Tolomeo, still called Cedrino today.[...]. With the exception of the high water periods when a ferry operates, one can cross the river on horseback and very often on foot. [...]. One can still see the remains of an ancient castle adapted as a prison at Orosei [...]."
Dorgali...
"One can say that Dorgali is located at the border between three very different types of land species because it rises up at the feet of a large chalky mountain and lies on granite, while the basalt is visible in beds or in large casts which flowed downstream. Everything about the place denotes a great labour of nature, which is why one can affirm that this region is extremely interesting in terms of its geology. The town of Dorgali was constructed quite well and the houses are clean. It is irrigated by an abundant spring that spurts forth from the joining point of the chalk and granite rock that supports it, but there are also other springs in the town. The inhabitants are active, hardworking, intelligent [...]."
Oliena e Su Gologone...
"[...] If one wishes to go to Dorgali from Oliena, one must follow the torrent Oliena. The two churches of San Giovanni and Nostra Signora del Rimedio are on the right bank at the feet of the great dolomitic rock face in a very picturesque and shaded spot. Nearby one can see a true trickle of clear, clean water springing from the dolomitic and chalk rock, which takes the name of ‘Fontana de su Gologone’ and is considered to be a marvel in the town. The local inhabitants go there in the summer season with lively company and leisure excursions to admire the phenomenon of the sudden stream of water that bursts forth and above all to fish and eat the large, abundant trout. Fed by the water of this spring, the torrent Oliena separates the chalk and dolomitic rock over an expansive stretch of land from a type of granite plane, which is situated to the left of the water course. After having exceeded the height of the Gologone, there’s no delay in seeing a basalt lava flow descending to the left, which covers the granite like a blanket. This lava flow is famous due to its prismatic forms that form the external edges of the plateau. Despite being irregular, the prisms are nevertheless the most perfect that I have seen in the island’s basalts. The name of Marghine e Gullei is given to this strip of lava."
(From Alberto Ferrero Della Marmora, Itinéraire de l’île de Sardaigne pour faire suite au voyage en cette contrée, Torino, Frères Bocca, 1860, 2 vol.)
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