Self-Guided Mountain Bike Holiday

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Italy - Sardinia - Coast to Coast - Self-Guided Mountain Bike Holiday

Turkode Destinasjoner Turen starter 42533 Italia Cagliari

Turen destinasjon Reisen er levert av 8 dager Cagliari or Alghero Fra : NOK

Oversikt

A lovely place to place self guided mountain bike holiday in Italy, that alternates between dirt tracks and quiet asphalt roads, steep climbs and thrilling descents. This is a journey deep into the heart of Sardinia, requiring a reasonable level of ﬁtness rather than technical ability.

Reiserute

Day 1: Arrival in Cagliari & transfer to Montevecchio Day 2: Mining Towns & Piscinas Dunes Day 3: Campidano Day 4: The Hills of Marmilla Day 5: The Gennargentu & Seulo Day 6: Barbagia di Seulo - Perda Liana - Villagrande Strisaili Day 7: Ogliastra – Supramonte di Urzulei Day 8: Return to Cagliari or Alghero Starting near Montevecchio, at the agriturismo famous for its delicious home made pa changing landscape of olive groves and vineyards, lush green oak woods and into breathtaking wilderness mountain scenery. The holiday culminates with a lovely descent through the mountains of Supramonte to the stunning emerald green Orosei Gulf. After a richly deserved swim and spot of relaxation, time to celebrate our great adventure. With many little restaurants and pizzerias overlooking the beach, there is no better way to ﬁnish our adventure than enjoying another superb meal, sipping wine and watching the stars twinkle over the Med.

If you can’t ﬁnd a date to suit or want to go it alone, there is also a self guided road option and a fully guided mountain bike option too.

If you have a day or two to spare why not extend your trip with some trekking or sea kayaking. Our local team can join you for a day’s guiding or we can provide the information and equipment to allow you to enjoy the routes self-guided, just give us a call for further info.

Day 1: Arrival in Cagliari & transfer to Montevecchio (D) Following our arrival in Cagliari, we depart by support vehicle to Sulcis-Iglesiente, a mountainous region 3/4 of the way down the island. We take a road that winds through open plateaux and extensive plains dotted with small towns, before reaching the hilly region below the Mount Arcuentu range; our tranquil home for tonight, and that used by Skedaddle for their mountain biking weeks on the island. We arrive at our accommodation in plenty of time to sit down to our ﬁrst Sardinian meal, freshly prepared by our host.

Day 2: Mining Towns & Piscinas Dunes (B, D) Today’s first ride is a journey through varied landscapes, a loop ride giving a true taster of what Sardinia has to offer and a great start to your holiday. Starting from the agriturismo we head out towards the coast in order officialise the coast to coast adventure. The view is breathtaking: ahead of you, the towering sand dunes of Piscinas stretch across the horizon, surrounded by hills carpeted with lush green Maquis vegetation. As we descend towards the coast, we will pass abandoned mining dwellings and machinery, the only testimony of a once thriving community. Reaching the coast, you will have time to absorb this remarkable landscape of sand dunes, go for a swim before heading back on your bikes for the next fun section off-road. We will follow the coast north for a while, before heading eastwards, taking a well marked trail which will cross a stream 21 times. With a last effort, we ride back to Montevecchio and the agriturismo which again is your home for the evening.

Approx. distance: 28 Miles / 45 Kms

Day 3: Campidano (B, D) A fast forest trail will take us down to the Campidano plain, the largest and most important on the island. Taking ondulating country roads, we bike across the Campidano, making our way towards the ancient roman remains of the Sardara hot springs. Regenerated after our lunch, a brief stop in the town of Sardara to visit the remains of a prehistoric “Well Temple”, will give us an insight into Sardinian Nuragic Bronze Era. The ﬁnal section in the afternoon will take us into the Marmilla hills, climbing gradually towards Collinas village, passing olive groves and vineyards. Today’s destination is a friendly hotel located in the quiet village of Villanovaforru. Sitting in the “Piazza”` with a cool drink, overlooking the village church and the old folk sitting around, what better way to end another great day on the bike?

Approx. distance: 27 Miles / 44 Kms

Day 4: The Hills of Marmilla (B) Following a hearty Sardinian breakfast we set oﬀ on today’s ride with a superb winding trail over the Marmilla hills. Alternating between tracks and country roads, we ride past olive groves, vineyards, small farms and sleepy villages. The short climbs will be rewarded with fast sweeping downhill trails. One cannot come to Sardinia without visiting the most imposing Archaeological Nuragic complex on the Island: the remains of Barumini. Built over 3000 years ago, this three storey fortress will enthral any contemporary architect! After a relaxing picnic lunch, we continue on our journey following a disused railwayline and gradually edging our way up towards the lower slopes of the Gennargentu range. Our ﬁnal destination for the day is a small hotel located in the town of Laconi where you have time before dinner to explore the beautiful park and Aymerich Castle.

Approx. distance: 31 Miles / 50 Kms

Day 5: The Gennargentu & Seulo (B, D) Today is a challenging day, as we will be climbing on road to a 1040 metre pass through the Gennargentu range in the very heart of Sardinia. Leaving Laconi you continue your journey, gently climbing towards the Gennargentu, winding through lush oak woods, before finally reaching higher ground. The landscape will have now altered and is relatively barren and wild and the sky filled with birds of prey circling in the thermals in search of prey. The unspoilt nature of this area makes it a fascinating area for naturalists, walkers and cyclists alike. It is an area that most vividly reflects the ancient character of the island. Shepherd trails and huts litter the landscape and villages perch over steep sided valleys. An enthralling fast-winding off-road descent will take us close to the village of Gadoni and over the Flumendosa River. Still grinning from ear to ear, we ride the final tarmac section to Seulo to tonight’s accommodation.

Approx. distance: Option1, 25 Miles / 40 Kms - Option2, 30 miles / 48 Kms

Day 6: Barbagia di Seulo - Perda Liana - Villagrande Strisaili (B, D) A combination of oﬀ road and road biking will take us through another day of exhilarating landscapes and deeper into the heart of Sardinia. Utilising mountain trails, you’ll have fun exploring the Montarbu range, as we edge our way towards the fascinating mountain peak of Perda Liana. Once more the vistas of the surrounding mountain ranges are outstanding, with the highest peak in Sardinia, Punta Lamarmora (1868 metres) forever present in the distance. The silence is broken only by the sound of sheep bells, cows and goats. We might even be lucky enough to spot Royal Kites, vultures, rock thrushes and pipits as we cycle along. The morning climb is rewarded by an afternoon descent towards the Natural Park of Santa Barbara near Villagrande Strisaili. From here it is just a short distance until our next Hotel accommodation. Yes you’ve guessed it, lots more delicious home made pasta and wine to be sampled!

Approx. distance: Option1 38 Miles / 61 Kms - Option2 27 Miles / 44 Kms

Day 7: Ogliastra – Supramonte di Urzulei (B) Today the grand finale of your cycling adventure with some off road biking through the wild and rugged landscape of Cadula di Fuili in the Supramonte de Baunei. Leaving your accommodation, the initial part of the day will involve some road cycling to reach the start of the trail. We will be skirting the Urzulei range, averaging 800 metres, until we reach the high plateau of Genna Croce and Genna Silana at 1000 mt! You have guessed it! With only 25 kms left to the coast, it means a lot of down! We are now in the true wilderness of the Supramonte – limestone rocks tower above us, wild boar and horses graze in the lush meadows. It’s here that our biking reaches its thrilling climax, as we immerse ourselves in the forest of Givine, surrounded by rocky pinnacles, centenary juniper trees and abandoned shepherd huts. This ancient mule track takes us down towards the most impressive Sardinian coast line, first above Fuili Gorge, locked between high white cliffs, then down to Cala Gonone, a small seaside town in the Orosei Gulf. After a richly deserved swim and spot of relaxation, time to celebrate our great adventure. With many little restaurants and pizzerias with balconies overlooking the beach, there is no better way to finish our adventure together than enjoying another succulent meal, sipping wine and watching the stars glitter over the eastern Mediterranean sea…. Bliss! Accommodation for the last night is in a superb Hotel overlooking the coast, ideal for a relaxing end to the trip.

Approx. distance: 44 Miles / 70 Kms

Day 8: Return to Cagliari or Alghero (B) A relatively early start to the day for our return journey to Alghero or Cagliari. Depending on ﬂight schedules, time is set aside to wander around the city; the perfect place for those last minute goodies or just relax in one of the many plazas sipping a last glass of ‘vino rosso’ whilst you scribble down a few lines on those post cards you have been meaning to write all week!

If you have a day or two to spare why not extend your trip with some trekking or sea kayaking exploring the rugged coastline, sea caves and white sandy beaches which stretch both north and south from Cala Gonone. Our local team can join you for a day’s guiding or we can provide the information and equipment to allow you to enjoy the routes self-guided, just give us a call for further info.

Viktig Informasjon

What's Included:

Accommodation (shared twin rooms). Detailed Skedaddle route guide. Luggage transfer service. All meals as per itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D= Evening Meal). Skedaddle Local Representative (see Staﬀ below). Emergency tool kit, pump, water bottles etc. (if hiring your bike from Skedaddle). Airport collections / drop-oﬀs from designated airport on scheduled arrival and departure days.

What's Not Included:

Personal clothing and equipment Meals and drinks whilst travelling to and from Sardinia. Travel insurance Bar bills, telephone calls, souvenirs, etc. Bike hire (if required, Front Suspension from GBP 140) Entrance fees to archaeological sites Flights & charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable) Airport transfers on days other than the scheduled arrival / departure days Local tourist tax to be paid at each accommodation (approx € 2 euro per day Single room (if requested, from GBP 185)

Other useful travel information: Vaccinations: We recommend you have a dental and medical check-up before the holiday Passport: A full passport is required for visiting this destination. Baggage: Your allowable baggage is one main piece of luggage per person, other than your bike and a small day pack. Meals: Breakfast are typically Italian, lunch can be taken en-route or you can make your own packed lunches stopping at local shops., dinner can be taken at the hotel or in a local restaurant. Travel Insurance: It is a condition of your trip that you are covered by a medical and personal accident insurance policy that includes repatriation to your home country and cover for all planned activities. Grade: 3 Moderate, For riders with experience, good fitness & a decent level of skill. Some features that may be experienced more frequently in a higher grade tour. Most days include a couple of significant climbs. Some long days & some steep to very steep sections. Not for beginners. 45-60 miles / 70-95 kms per day. Airport transfers: For this tour we ask that you fly into and back from Cagliari airport (CAG). Airport transfers are included in the cost of your holiday. Terrain: You will be cycling on a variety of terrain offering new experiences and challenges as the days go by. The trip starts on stony and compact sandy tracks, through lush Mediterranean shrub overlooking high sand dunes. We follow mule tracks, forest trails, cross streams, dense oak woods and over open mountain passes. The occasional tarmac road will help loosen our muscle legs, ready for the next off-road section. As we head east, the riding is along stonier trails and wilder landscapes. Bike Hire: If you don’t own a suitable bike or would prefer to avoid bringing your own we have bikes available to hire. These bikes are typically very good hardtail mountain bikes from a major manufacturer such as Giant, Specialized or Canyon featuring front suspension, disc brakes and good quality components. If you do decide to hire we can include a helmet and all necessary spares for the trip. Please request helmets at the time of booking. Vehicle Support: There is no vehicle support on this tour, however your luggage will be transferred between your accommodation. You will be supplied with the details of our local team who will be available to contact for advice during your tour. In the event of any emergency or serious mechanical problem we can arrange for assistance, although there may be additional costs associated with this. Daily departures: available between March and October, excluding July and August. Priser / Datoer

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