Monte Albo: A rocky delight!
Of course, when I hear the word ‘Sardinia’, the first things that come to mind are ‘beach, sand and sea’. I know I'm in good company, because these are the dominant attributes in the ‘collective tourism consciousness’. Our guests confirm this too, when they unpack their suitcases, take their first trip to the beach and exclaim enthusiastically, ‘It's like the Caribbean!’ Indeed, Sardinia's beaches are breathtakingly beautiful!
If you turn inland and let your gaze wander over the landscape, the island appears rugged and barren to Central Europeans. The mountain world is dominated by the colour white, and this is due to the rocks, which seem to tolerate no green. As you get closer, the picture changes, and if you allow yourself to be drawn into the mountain world, it fascinates you in much the same way as the beach and the sea, only at second glance.
If you want to experience this, book a mountain tour through the Centro Servizi Tartaruga (mail@tartaruga.org). It leads to Monte Albo, a 20 km long limestone massif not far from our houses on the east coast, which is also called the ‘Dolomites of Sardinia’ because of its many white caves and gorges.
Even the journey there is an experience. Until you reach Siniscola, you remain practically at sea level. But then the road winds its way up from zero to over 1000 metres! From small car parks, you can enjoy the incredible panorama, and finally you reach the mountain guides' hut. A short rest with a drink of water from the nearby rock spring, and then the rocky fun begins: the summit assault!
The walk is strenuous but not difficult. The guides explain the flora and fauna. I don't want to give too much away, but this much: the mouflon, which is now native to Germany again, originally comes from here, and the Italian Botanical Society has declared Monte Albo a biotope of national importance. Let yourself be surprised! You'll also be surprised to learn that Monte Albo has a spring at the very top with mineral water quality, which is used to supply drinking water to the entire region. There are countless caves, most of which are still completely unexplored.
Various animal species inhabit the rugged and rugged terrain: the aforementioned mouflon, the alpine crow, the raven, the wildcat, wild boar, fox and marten. There are even golden eagles, and not so long ago, vultures could also be seen. Of course, there are also shepherds who graze their goats here and have built huts whose architectural style and materials have remained unchanged for thousands of years. All of this exerts a familiar fascination at second glance!
Good: in order to maintain the delicate balance of nature, large parts of the grazing land are fenced off. Monte Albo is a prime example of how environmental awareness has taken hold in Sardinia.
It's cool up there, even when the summer heat down below drives holidaymakers from the beach into the sea. And the high-altitude sun has already left many a careless mountaineer looking bright red. Sun protection is important!
Once the excursion is over, hunger and thirst make themselves felt. But that's taken care of. A simple hike without refreshments and without something to eat? That's unthinkable in Sardinia, which is why participants can look forward to a rustic shepherd's meal at the end.
With a Sardinian ‘Adiosu’, Joachim Waßmann bids farewell for today.
Joachim Waßmann