Sophie Gateau: Il Giro dell'Ichnusa

Il Giro dell'Ichnusa

In Sardinian, Ichnusa means footprint and is also the ancient name of Sardinia. The legend goes that the island was imprinted by the giant foot of a Greek god; the Greeks may have started that one but it’s easy to imagine when you look at the map. Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and boasts landscapes of breath-taking beauty.

Our bikes, harnessed with panniers and sporting wide tyres, are ready for action as we board the ferry from Nice to make the journey over to this coveted island. The crossing is slow, and the weather expands as we bob further away from dry land, passing Corsica and barely recognising its rocky profile. Finally, the weather clears and the boat drops us into the early morning sun at Golfo Aranci on the north-eastern side of Sardinia.

We must reach the village of Cuglieri to the east of the island, a route of 200 kilometres with 3500 meters of elevation. We take the opportunity to discover the middle of Sardinia with its perched villages; sublime but tortuous cork forests; its forever changing, hilly and green landscapes; its deep cirques and its mountains still capped with snow.

The small roads we take are deserted, the only encounters with other creatures are countless herds of sheep grazing quietly in the verdant meadows. We also encounter consecutive ‘Patou’, very effective guard dogs who hail from the Pyrenees, and they ensure we keep well away from their woollen assignment.

Cuglieri, a typical old village with winding streets and set on a hill 400 meters above sea level, is our base camp. From there, we leave to explore the surroundings mixing road and gravel. To the east, the Mediterranean unfolds, to the west, the Montiferru, a massif of volcanic origin that dominates the surroundings to the west with its imposing presence.

In every direction, along each of the four cardinal points, our tyre tracks meet lush natural surroundings. The fauna and particularly the Sardinian flora are abundant. Many species of plants and flowers are native to the island and constantly delight us as we travel.

The roads are lined with wildflowers, and the trails cross forests of mimosas whose aroma intoxicates us. We cross expanses of wild orchids, and we scratch our legs in contact with myrtle bushes and thorny brooms.

Our itinerary is punctuated with a series of enchanting places: a 10th century church; a small restaurant of Sardinian specialties;

a waterfall flowing into the sea; a colourful and timeless village; a white quartz beach; a fishermen's café at the end of a spit of sand; an uncompleted bridge; a pond in which pink flamingos potter; a small pastry shop that makes the best biscuits in the region; and the ruins of the ancient Punic civilization.

Five days are certainly not enough to cover the island, but we were able to explore a good part of the North-West. The appointment is agreed already to return and ride the remaining three-quarters, surveying the many small roads and gravel tracks which trace the imprint of Ichnusa.

While thinking about this wonderful voyage of discovery, we make the crossing back on the ferry and admire a timeless sunset over the sea, gently bringing us back to the reality of the continent.

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