The massive free-standing Aguglia di Goloritzé towers high above Cala Goloritzé, one of Sardinia's most beautiful bays. Its Verdonesque limestone walls offer unparalleled technical slab climbing in fantastic surroundings - an absolute must!
The iconic needle was first climbed on an extremely cold and windy December day back in 1981 by Maurizio Zanolla, aka Manolo, and Alessandro Gogna via their Sinfonia dei Mulini a vento. Nowadays the tower is crisscrossed by a myriad of routes and one of the most beautiful and popular is certainly Sole Incantatore, put up by Maurizio Oviglia in 1995. Regardless of which route is climbed, reaching the summit is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many.
Follow the SS125 from Cala Gonone to Baunei and turn left shortly before entering the village proper (sign for Ristorante del Golgo). Continue steeply uphill and then descend onto a plateau. Continue for approx. 10km to a sign for Ristorante del Golgo - turn right immediately afterwards and follow the dirt track to its very end (small opening for cars to park). From here an obvious path leads first uphill then gently downhill in about an hour down to the beach and the Aguglia di Goloritzè.
LogisticsWild camping is strictly prohibited in the National Park, but the municipal campsite in Cala Gonone is prohibitively expensive! Rooms or apartments can easily be found by asking around - expect to pay between 15-20 euro/head. There are small supermarkets in Cala Gonone and Baunei, while to the north of Olbia there is an enormous out-of-town shopping mall.
PeriodAutumn or spring. September is particularly good since the sea is beautifully warm and the island relatively free of tourists. Summer is unbearably hot and winter can often be too cold and windy.
ClimbTechnical slab climbing.
NotesGetting to Sardinia
By plane: fly to Cagliari, Olbia or Alghero and then hire a car.
By car: take one of the numerous ferries from Genova, Livorno, Rome or Naples to Olbia. From Olbia take the highways SS125 and SS131 southwards towards Nuoro. Exit before Nuoro following signs to Dorgali. Shortly after this town a signposted road leads left through a tunnel down to Cala Gonone (approx. 100km, 1.5 hrs).
Baunei is reached via the winding SS125 from Dorgagli in about an hour (50km).
For ferry information visit either www.mobylines.it or www.corsicaferries.com
News Sardinia | |
www.sardiniaclimb.com |
Pietra Di Luna - a guide to sport climbing in Sardinia - Crags by Maurizio Oviglia (Fabula 2011)
N° | Name | Height | Beauty | Difficulty |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Harry pioggia di sangue | 4, 7a+, 7a+ | ||
2 | Il mio veleno | 6c, 6c+, 7a | ||
Lorenzo Nadali, Mauro Zanichelli 1986 |
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3 | Sinfonia dei mulini a vento | 6a, 4b, 5c, 6b+, 6a, 4a | ||
Alessandro Gogna, Maurizio Manolo Zanolla, 1981 |
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4 | Sole Incantatore | 5c, 6b, 6b+, 6b+, 6c | ||
Maurizio Oviglia 08/04/1995 |