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Michael Huber reports from Sardegna

A long time the idea of visiting Sardinia for bouldering was haunting through my mind. I heard a lot about Sardinia and its world-famous sport climbing crags but for bouldering the information was rare. So I wondered if the bouldering possibilities just aren`t worth the strenuous journey or if I will find a hidden treasure on Sardinia which simply has been forgotten on the boulder map...

Best time
I decided that March and April is the best time for our Sardinia project because the temperatures are suitable for bouldering and the chance to stay dry is better than in autumn and winter. So me and my girlfriend Janne started mid of March for a three-week bouldering expedition.

Getting there
Unfortunately the approach to the island is long, strenuous and not very cheap. You have to go to Livorno or Piombino in Italy - where the ferry starts during the off-season - paying a large amount of toll charge for using the Italian "autostrada". Arriving there you and your car are loaded into an enormous ferry where you spent the whole night waiting for the arrival. Beware! You have to organize your place on the ferry month before you start the journey or you don`t have a chance to get there taking your car. We paid 160€ one way for the cheapest possibility - the sooner the booking the less you pay. You can also get to Sardinia using the airplane which is more comfortable and even cheaper, but you don`t get far on-site without a car so you will definitely have to rent one. Finding an accommodation in the off-season isn`t always easy because most camp sites, hotels, guest houses and even restaurants are closed. Apart from the high season in summer - when half Italy enjoys the incredible long golden beaches and the crystal-clear sea - Sardinia isn`t very touristic and therefore perfect for people who like individual traveling. We lived in our camper the whole time and had the chance to spend the nights in unbelievable calm and secluded areas we never knew existed in the middle of Europe.

Guidebook
There is a very detailed guidebook for sportclimbing, bouldering and tradclimbing, available in English, Italian, German and French which contains most of the areas I write about. Best buy your copy at home because on Sardinia only the Italian version is available: "Pietra di Luna" by Maurizio Oviglia.

Nuorese
The most important bouldering spot of Sardinia is for sure the area around Nuoro, called "Nourese". The whole area around the former "crook-capital" is covered with millions of boulders. There are several developed areas which all offer great moves on perfect granite. The stone isn't very structured and you climb obvious lines mainly on slopers and sometimes little crimps. Overhangs are extremely rare, so till today there aren`t high-end boulders on Sardinia. There are tons of problems between Fb grade 5 and 6, quite a lot problems in the 7th Fb grade but nothing harder. But I´m sure this will change if the suitable rock is found by the right guy. The climbing as well as the landscape reminds of Ticino in Switzerland - small  mountain villages accessible only by curvy narrow streets an sparse corkwoods...

The two most developed areas, Orani and Oratiello, are on private land and you have to go there with a local climber or ask the owner for permission to climb on his land. Unfortunately, this is the biggest problem bouldering in the "Nuorese" area.  There are so many boulders in this area but it's always the same access problem - private land surrounded by fences and protected by dogs. There are also some areas on public land - for example Ollolai and of course Monte Ortobone (not in the guidebook) beside the mountain city Nuoro which is looking like a big raven nest. Around the mountain you can find thousands of good boulders, all in the wood and shady all the time. Very little of the area is developed right now and there`s for sure a huge potential - even for hardest stuff. The shortcoming is that the forest is very wild and dense, so it`s likely the best to come in winter or to bring suitable tools to make your way through the forest.

Relaxation
When you are tired of bouldering you can easy and fast switch to Cala Gonone and the world famous  climbing crags surrounding this picturesque little port like Cala Luna, La Poltrona, El Chorro, Biddiriscottai and many more. (There`s even an own guide available just for this region) You can relax at the wonderful beach, drink coffee and enjoy delicious ice cream and all benefits of a holiday paradise.

Sàrrabus
The next important bouldering spot is in the very south-east of the island - called Sàrrabus. Most of the bouldering there is happening around the villages Geremeàs and Villasimius. The region is very touristic and busy compared to the other regions what makes it hard to find a place to stay with the camper. You can already feel the pulse of the near capital of Sardinia, Cagliari. The boulders are out of fine-grained granite which crumbles under the pressure of your fingers and feet - not the perfect stone for bouldering. The boulders chance every ascent. Another problem is the difficult access to the areas, although they are always near the street. Sometimes you have to climb over big fences what is not mentioned in the guidebook (e.g. Fungo Magico, Geremeàs) or you have to fight your way through dense fields of brambles. Maybe winter is the better bouldering season for Sàrrabus. The potential for new problems is huge and the lines are nice - but there`s always the uncomfortable access. The best area - according to the pictures in the guidebook - might be Torre delle Stelle because of the weird shaped boulders. We searched hours for this area, without success.

Rio Cannas
The boulders of Rio Cannas, located in the mountainous part of the south-east, are the complete opposite. The access is short AND easy, the rock is as solid as you can imagine, but at the same time very smooth with poor friction - riverbed style - and the fact that it gets hot very fast (no wind) doesn`t improve the friction. Here is the perfect place to practice your technique. Without you won`t get anywhere. We liked this place a lot and it is definitely worth visiting. It is also nice for chillin or taking a bath in the creek.  Some boulders are still waiting for their defloration by a climbing magician.

Capo Testa and St. Madeleine
The last big bouldering area of Sardinia is in the very north of the island with view to the French neighbor island Corse, around the village Capo Testa and on the small island St. Madelaine. (There are some small single areas spread over the island I didn`t mention as well, e.g. Bosco di Selene, San Antonio, Billa Bong, San Teodore - look in the guidebook). The areas are near the world famous Costa Smeralda - a whole region designed in the 70s for the international High Society by prince Aga Khan. The beauty of this wild and unspoiled area is extraordinary. I never saw rocks shaped like this ever before. Unfortunately there is no information about bouldering there, but the potential is unbelievable. Just walk in one of the block fields and look for a boulder that suits you. The rock here is also a bit crumbling but better than in the south east. Come with good skin and you will have a lot of fun climbing the crazy lines if you don´t mind the harsh wind - typical for the Capo. St. Madelaine, which offers the same rock as Capo Testa is only reachable by boat and you can just stay one day because there`s nearly no accommodation. Don`t forget to bring your camera, the sunset is breathtaking.

Bouldering on Sardinia, Conclusion
In conclusion, Sardinia is worth a journey in any case, but don`t come here just for bouldering, you would miss something. Sardinia offers a wide variety of landscapes, nice and hospitable people, good food (try the typical Sardinian sweets - "Dolce"), a lot of culture and great rock for bouldering and even much more for climbing. So always bring your crashpad AND your rope and enjoy the variety!

 

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