Rock Crags Regno dei Cieli

Regno dei Cieli

By: Nicholas Hobley

Country: Italy, Region: Sardinia, Town: Baunei (Ogliastra)

One of Sardinia's best, this impressive and atmospheric cliff commands respect. The routes are sharp, technical and sustained, either vertical or slightly overhanging, and very exposed. They are reached via abseil and start way above the ledge at half-height. An abseil retreat is impossible so, if in doubt, leave a fixed rope.Many routes were re-equipped in April 2000 by Lorenzo Nadali, who would like to thank Kong for donating the bolts.

GETTING THERE

Follow the SS125 to Baunei and turn left shortly before entering the village proper (sign for Ristorante del Golgo). Continue steeply uphill, turn right at the first hairpin bend (signposted Monte Ginnirco) and follow the dirt track to where it joins another road. Turn right and continue first down into the valley and then up, past further hairpin bends, to an open space and some shacks at Cuile su Idileddu. Leave the car here and follow vague tracks seawards to a copse of large trees and then down through a narrow valley. As this widens walk up its left slope and over razor-sharp weathered limestone to the top of the routes. These are marked but not easy to find - with a bit of luck and skill you should reach them in approx. 30 min.

THE CLIMBING

Technical vertical face climbing up sharp, compact limestone.

FOOD AND ACCOMODATION

Wild 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.

NOTES

Getting 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