Mountain Bike

While crossing the Cixerri valley, you walk through the agro-pastoral farms of this fertile plain to reach the S'Ortu Mannu natural park, where you can admire some majestic centuries-old olive trees.

The climb up the hills takes you to the Monte Cadelano forest complex, which houses the mining village of Orbai and the abandoned plants of the old mining activity.

Safety and useful tips

After you go past Musei and arrive at the Station of Villamassargia, you need to cross the SP87 road after the overpass to the SS 130. Pay attention to vehicular traffic.

As you arrive in Villamassargia, you have to walk through the residential area, therefore make sure to pay attention to urban traffic.

The route then proceeds to Orbai without any particular difficulties.

If it is not possible to spend the night in Orbai (the Posada is still being set up), you can proceed towards Rosas (arrival of the next stage) by taking the alternative route, which considerably shortens the route of Stage 17.

If you are willing to take this alternative route, it should be remembered that, if you start from Musei, it becomes challenging in any case, given the length to be covered in order to arrive directly in Rosas (24.4 Km), therefore it is advisable to prepare adequately or decide to stay overnight and start from Villamassargia.

HOSPITALITY INFORMATION

The mining village of Orbai has been restored and the old miners' houses will soon be used to host hikers-pilgrims.

For updates on the availability of the structure, contact the Santa Barbara Mining Path Foundation (0781 24132).

While waiting for this service to be activated, two possibilities are suggested:

• continue on the same day for the next stage, which can be reached in about 5 hours, finding hospitality in the mining village of Rosas;
• interrupt the stage in S'Ortu Mannu dedicating the afternoon to a stop in the homonymous Natural Park.

La tappa si sviluppa attraverso la valle del Cixerri dove si procede in una fertile pianura, nella quale sono presenti numerose aziende agropastorali, fino ad arrivare al parco naturale di S’Ortu Mannu, dove si possono ammirare maestosi ulivi secolari.

Attraversata la zona in pianura si risale verso  le colline e il complesso forestale di Monte Cadelano, che ospita il villaggio minerario di Orbai con i suoi impianti abbandonati testimoni della passata attività estrattiva mineraria.

INFORMAZIONI OSPITALITA'

Il villaggio minerario di Orbai è stato restaurato e le antiche abitazioni dei minatori saranno presto destinate all’ospitalità degli escursionisti-pellegrini.

Per aggiornamenti sulla disponibilità della struttura contattare la Fondazione Cammino Minerario di Santa Barbara (0781 24132).

In attesa che questo servizio sia attivato, si suggeriscono due possibilità:

• proseguire nella stessa giornata per la tappa successiva, che è possibile raggiungere in circa 5 ore, trovando ospitalità nel villaggio minerario di Rosas;
• interrompere la tappa in località S’Ortu Mannu dedicando il pomeriggio alla sosta nell’omonimo Parco Naturale.

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 stage is significantly less demanding than the previous Z 10A stage. It starts with a short stretch going back from Norghio to Janna (approx. 2.7 km). From this fork, a dirt road leads to the Abba Vritta ridge (754 m asl). The trail continues on the ridge to the col that separates it from Punta Su Grabbellu. When you reach point N40.46928° E9.61228°, leave the dirt road to your right (in a south-west direction) and, following the contour line towards the south-east, over rocks and through bushy vegetation, cross an area without a clear path (but easy to guess and very scenic) to reach the Tanarghè area N40.46456° E9.61046° where you will find a water fountain. Alternatively, you could stay on the dirt road to the Tanarghè area but with the landscape is not as beautiful. 

From here, the route crosses the ancient settlement of Pontesu. Next, after passing a fence with a ladder and down a steep livestock trail, at about 740 m asl, you will join a forest track that links the southern and northern slopes of the mountain. Follow the entire forest track (about 6.2 km) going east to the bottom of the valley, which is crossed by a blacktop local road that leads to the town of Irgoli. 

After passing through the village and before the bridge over provincial road SP 25, which crosses a tributary of the Cedrino river, follow the right bank to where it flows into the main river and then walk upstream along the true left bank to the bridge at the entrance of Galtellì. 

An easy stage with limited elevation gain and gentle (apart from a short stretch) downhill stretches, mainly on dirt tracks and blacktop roads due to the proximity to small towns.