Gola Gorropu Gorge

One of the deepest gorges in Europe, Gola Gorropu, can be reached either by a hiking trail from the winding SS 125 road starting at The Gorropu Hotel or by a somewhat less demanding and shorter trail starting in the Valle di Oddeone. 

You jump from rock to rock almost like a chamois. Spotted, beige and brownish goats watch you from a distance. It takes us about two and a half hours to descend into the gorge. Under the tall oak trees are wooden sheds for sheep and goats. We think about hiding there from the strong wind. 

The forest ends at a rocky slope indicating the proximity of the gorge. At the bottom of it lie huge rocks. On the top of the first big stone we notice the familiar face of a Viennese friend. We climb to Kathrin and her friend and make a plan for an evening together in Cala Gonone. After the unexpected meeting we continue hiking over the rocks inside the gorge. An elderly man seems a little bit insecure and asks if he can join us. So we climb through the hollows and over the round stony humps together. At some places the water of the river Riu Flumineddu comes to the surface and forms little crystal clear lakes, where children swim during the hot summer days. We reach a helping hand to each other, that´s the way we manage the whole tour. 

After leaving the island the feeling stays that Sardinia remains, even in the 21^st century, a mysterious island. The nuragic culture has shaped its character, which still differs from the rest of the world in terms of culture and landscape. 

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Do jednej z najhlbších európskych priepastí Gola Gorropu vedie turistický chodník z kľukatej cesty SS 125 od hotela Gorropu alebo o čosi menej náročný a kratší chodník začínajúci údolia Valle di Oddeone. 

Skáčeš po skalách takmer ako kamzík. Z diaľky ťa nebadane pozorujú strakaté, béžové a hnedosivé kozy. Zostup do priepasti nám trvá približne dve a pol hodiny. 

Pod vysokými dubmi stoja drevené postriežky pre ovce a kozy, do ktorých by sme sa najradšej ukryli pred silným vetrom. Les sa končí pri skalnatom úbočí naznačujúcom blízkosť priepasti. Celkom na jej dne ležia obrovitánske okruhliaky, po ktorých sa dá prejsť až dovnútra priepasti. 

Zostáva v nás pocit, že Sardínia je zostáva aj v 21. storočí tajomných ostrovom. Nuragická kultúra poznačila charakter ostrova, ktorý sa aj v súčasnosti odlišuje od zvyšku sveta- rečou, kultúrou ale aj vzhľadom krajiny.