Overview of the itinerary
Sentiero Italia runs the length of the island’s eastern side, covering its most important mountains, in 28 stages. Starting from the north: it flanks the Monte Limbara massif, crosses the limestones of Mont’Albo and Tuttavista, skirting the Gulf of Orosei, it crosses the Supramonte, Gennargentu and the Tacchi of Ogliastra and reaches Perdasdefogu. Further south, it passes through Armungia and the Gerrei sub-region. Lastly, it touches on the villages of Burcei and San Gregorio, continuing on the Sette Fratelli massif to the old prisons of Castiadas.
General information on Sentiero Italia (Grand Italian Trail)
Sentiero Italia, or Grand Italian Trail, as also explained on the official website, is a walking route that crosses the whole of Italy, using mainly but not exclusively “registered trails”.
In particular, in Sardinia, not all the stages of the Sentiero Italia of CAI (Italian Alpine Club) are made of trails already included in the registry of the Sardinia Trail Network (RES), either because they have not yet been tested and approved or simply because they cannot be registered as they do not meet the requirements. However, as a whole, the Sentiero Italia is the single longest walking route currently crossing Sardinia from the north (S. Teresa Gallura, stage Z 1) to the south (Castiadas, end of stage Z 28), touching on the most fascinating mountain areas in central-eastern Sardinia: the plateau of Buddusò, Tepilora, the Cedrino river valley, the ancient forests of Montes, Perda Liana and the regional forest of Montarbu, Monte Genis, and lastly the regional forest of Settefratelli (among the many crossed by the various stages of this long hiking itinerary).
Information on this stage of the trail
This is a medium-length stage that initially retraces a short section of stage Z18 and then continues in a southerly direction on a dirt track that leads to Cuile Gidinis and, from there, in a south-easterly direction until it arrives at the road and the bridge that crosses the Rio Pirincanes stream. Travel along this road for a short distance before turning, after a couple of bends, in an easterly direction, then south, towards Perda Liana, which you will reach on the path that begins at the car park, after crossing road SS 389.
Follow the clearly visible path, keeping to the right at the next fork (the path to the left rejoins with this one after a much longer loop). The Perda Liana rock tower, a natural monument and symbol of the Ogliastra area, is visible from all sides as it stands on top of a hill. According to local legend, it once marked the entrance to the underworld.
Leaving Perda Liana behind you, continue in a southerly direction. After a bend to the north, the trail then heads south-west passing by Su Stampu, an impressive sinkhole about 50 m deep (N39.89595° E9.39277°).
Continue, still at high elevation, along the valley of the Flumendosa river to reach the summit of Pizzu Margiani Pubusa (1325 m asl) where there is a fire lookout.
From this summit, the descent towards the Montarbu stop point (874 m asl) begins, on a beautiful path through the forest in a southerly direction (at this fork N39.88223° E9.38695° turn right) with several springs along the path, running alongside a stream which in Spring has several small waterfalls.
This is a very scenic stage, particularly after passing Perda Liana, but it is fairly challenging.
Notes
At the Montarbu stop point there is a Fo.Re.S.T.A.S. station, where it is currently possible to stay overnight pitching a tent.
