Excursion to Supramonte di Urzulei
Elevation gain: roughly 500 metres.
Length of route: 35km round trip in off-roader with roughly 8km by foot.
Difficulty: easy;
Equipment*: hiking boots (or robust trainers), 1.5 litres of water, sports clothes and backpack.
(for a minimum of 4 people)
Sa Giuntura
Departure from Hotel Gorropu via your own means of transport or (at request) with off-roader and guide made available by the hotel. Journey of roughly 17.5km through Supramonte di Urzulei and arrival in the town of “Sedda as Bacas”, where the route by foot begins, visiting the historic characteristic Caprari folds, built with local stone and juniper, as well as the old and monumental thousand-year old tree, which today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You will proceed to the Tomb of the gigantic “Sa Carcara” (an ancient vestige of the Nuragic past), a brief deviation from the path that will lead you to the appealing “Pischina Urthaddala” (a natural lake within a valley). Proceeding, the panorama will open up onto an enormous valley towards the lower ground, among gorges and canyons, where, continuing the route along a ridge, one arrives at “Sa Giuntura”, which represents the point of confluence of various rivers of the Supramonte, whose feet have polished the chalky rocks over centuries, creating real and natural works of art, composed within a breath-taking scene.
From this point you retrace the path back to the vehicle and return to the hotel.
Urzulei
Urzulei is a small village situated in central-eastern Sardinia between Ogliastra and Barbagia, from its geographical demarcation it is the site where two different cultures meet in several respects, which have characterised the uses, traditions, language and craftsmanship of this small mountain community. Of notable interest is the local craftsmanship, which still survives today with ancient working techniques. It is evident in hand-woven Sardinian carpets with ancient looms which, using Sardinian wool and flax, create colourful patterns typical of Sardinia; “su fattorgiu” is a term that indicates the craftsmanship of some ancient women of the village in weaving asphodel to create baskets of various shapes and dimensions; the Sardinian knives, made from mouflon or ram (handle) horn and steel, and sculptures made from wood by the talented craftsmen of the region.
Of recent introduction in the artisan scene is a small soap factory, which, with knowledge and ability, succeeds in joining new technologies with the traditional use of vegetable essences, including the specialities of Mediterranean scrubland and other native species.
Of particular interest to tourists are the muralsthat can be admired in different streets of the village and in the characteristic historic centre. Made in recent times they constitute a unique project in Sardinia, named “Memory and Identity”, they represent scenes of daily life immortalised in period photographs in black and white and transformed into an identical mural painting. There are numerous churches that can be visited in the small centre including: the parochial church of Urzulei, San Giovanni Battista, San Giorgio Vescovo, Sant’Antonio da Padova and San Basilio Magno.
*Possibility of hiring hiking equipment