A ‘young ancient park’, recognized by UNESCO, where to discover various souls of central-eastern Sardinia: from granite relief to forests, springs, rivers, to the sea

From the mountains of Lodè to the coastline of Posada, via the unique scenery of Bitti and Torpè: a marvelous, iridescent ‘weave’ of nearly eight thousand hectares of limestone peaks and granite plateaus, pristine forests, trails and breathtaking views, springs, streams and sand dunes, falling within four municipalities of Baronìe and northern Barbagia. A long history of respect for the environment distinguishes the Tepilora-rio Posada Oasis Regional Nature Park. Man has protected it, greened it and made it usable: once used for grazing and wood cutting, then the subject of reforestation, now a reserve equipped for hiking, an ideal destination for living in harmony with nature. After a long gestation, the park was only established in 2014, and just three years later it was proclaimed a ‘biosphere reserve’ by UNESCO, meaning a place that stands out for environmental sustainability and biodiversity.

Mount Tepilora (530 meters) is the distinguishing feature of the protected area, a triangular rocky point silhouetted against the backdrop of Bitti’s dense forests: the forests of Crastazza and the ilex groves, mixed with low scrub, of sos Littos-sas Tumbas, home to a population of fallow deer. Characterizing the wilderness is the golden eagle, which nests in the vicinity of Mt. Peregrine falcons, buzzards and sparrowhawks also fly over the summit. The areas of Tepilora and Crastazza, in the early 1980s, were reforested. New coniferous vegetation supplemented the original Mediterranean evergreen vegetation: wild boars, weasels, wild cats, hares, martens and foxes found shelter there. Vigorous holm oaks dominate, then junipers, cork oaks and wild olive trees. The undergrowth consists of strawberry trees, rosemary, myrtle, phillyrea, heather and orchids.

The park, whose summit is Nodu Pedra Orteddu (almost 1,000 meters), is rich in springs: you will see some along the trails, others are hidden by thick vegetation. It is not uncommon to encounter streams that generate small waterfalls. Its extension, starting from Tepilora-Crastazza, also crosses the woods of sant’Anna, in the territory of Lodè, and the more than 1,000 hectares of the Usinavà forest, in the territory of Torpè, characterized by rugged rocks that time has eroded and shaped into silhouettes of the animal world. A silent and solitary nature dominated by tormented granite undulations and enlivened by Mediterranean greenery. ‘Greenhouses,’ a succession of sawtooth-like ridges, and tafoni, concavities and hollows in rocks or boulders, sometimes with bizarre shapes, stand out. This environment is also a wildlife oasis: from observation points you will see a colony of mouflon in a fenced space. In addition to the more than five thousand hectares of Baronian forests are the neighboring forests of Alà dei Sardi, Padru and San Teodoro. The eastern boundary of the park is the mouth of the Posada River, a connecting element between the mountains and the sea. Fossil meanders, loops and mouths of its delta are the result of millennia of evolution. Reeds, tamarisks and rushes ‘pander’ to the nesting of various waterfowl, including the rare sultan chicken. The river forks into two branches, one feeding the Longu Pond, an ideal setting for kayaking excursions. Other lagoons develop parallel to the dunes of the Posadan shoreline. You can continue walking (biking) on the bike paths of the Maccheronis reservoir and trekking in the neighboring Montalbo, thanks to a dense network of paths in the green you will reach the top where the white lunar desert reigns.

In addition to nature and trekking enthusiasts, those seeking cultural-historical aspects will be satisfied. In the naturalistic setting of Tepilora you will catch the essences of the area. Beginning with archaeological evidence, especially the majestic nuraghe San Pietro in Torpè and Romanzesu in Bitti, one of the most important housing and cultic settlements in Nuragic Sardinia. Continue with monuments, such as the church de su Remèdiu in Lodè, and museums, back in Bitti, in the multimedia museum of tenor singing, a priceless intangible heritage recognized by UNESCO. To end in the medieval village of Posada with winding alleys, steep stairways, arches, small squares and stone houses, topped by the Fava Castle, a stronghold of the giudicato of Gallura.