Sardinia - Italy - page 1752

DON'T MISS
THE LEMON HOUSE
A terrific base for outdoor escapades is the Lemon House ( 0782 66 95 07, 335 648 98 26;
www.peteranne.it ; Via Dante 10, Lotzorai; per person €30-43; ) , run by Peter and Anne. Peter has
bolted some of the 800 climbing routes in the area and is a co-founder of Mountain Bike Ogliastra
(visit www.mountainbikeogliastra.it ) . Their B&B is a relaxed base, with a roof terrace overlooking
the mountains and sea, a bouldering wall, and homemade lemon marmalade served at breakfast. They
can arrange bike hire and pick-ups, lend you a GPS and give you invaluable tips on hiking, climbing,
mountain biking and kayaking.
Baunei & the Altopiano del Golgo
Around 28km south of the Genna 'e Silana pass, you come to the uninspiring shepherd's
town of Baunei. There's little reason to stop off here, but what is seriously worth your
while is the 10km detour up to the Altopiano del Golgo , a strange, other-worldly plateau
where goats and donkeys graze in dusty shrubland. From the town a signpost sends you
up a 2km climb of impossibly steep switchbacks to the plateau. Head north and after 8km
follow the Su Sterru (Il Golgo) sign for less than 1km, leave your vehicle and make for this
remarkable feat of nature - a 270m abyss just 40m wide at its base. Its funnel-like opening
is now fenced off but, knowing the size of the drop, just peering down is enough to bring
on the vertigo.
In the heart of the plateau, the Locanda Il Rifugio ( 368 7028980, 0782 61 05 99;
www.coopgoloritze.com ; d €70, incl half board €110; Apr-Oct) has six basic rooms in a conver-
ted farmstead and facilities for campers (€5 per tent). Managed by the Cooperativa Goloritzè
( www.coopgoloritze.com ) , the refuge makes an excellent base for trekking and 4WD excur-
sions. Many treks involve a descent from the plateau through dramatic codula (canyons)
to the beautiful beaches of the Golfo di Orosei. Staff at the refuge also organise guides
and logistical support for walkers attempting the once-in-a-lifetime Selvaggio Blu, Sardin-
ia's toughest multiday trek.
Just beyond the refuge is the late-16th-century Chiesa di San Pietro , a humble construc-
tion flanked to one side by some even humbler cumbessias - rough, largely open stone af-
fairs that are not at all comfortable for the passing pilgrims who traditionally sleep there
on the saint's day.