Backroad to Monte Linas

A "backroad" means a road in the hinterland. In other words, a road that runs away from the main route and is generally quieter, more beautiful and more exciting to drive than this one. If it also has a non-asphalt surface, it meets the requirements of us off-roaders one hundred percent.

Such a backroad exists in the area of Monte Linas. This is the name of a striking mountain massif in the southwest, which is one of the highest and oldest mountains on the island. Therefore, the region around the 1,236-meter-high Punta Perda de sa Mesa can almost be called high alpine. The Mediterranean cypress, the holm oak and the cork oak are typical of its flora. Foxes and hares don't say goodnight here, but wild boars and mouflons do. These wild sheep with their enormous curved horns, which are now widespread in southeastern Europe, originally only occurred on Corsica and Sardinia.

We hinterland detectives start our journey in the town of Fluminimaggiore, the "big river". The word Flumini does not come from Italian, but from Latin. From just under 100 meters above sea level, the track rises to over 600 meters in six kilometers. It does this on a decent gravel surface. The curves are not too tight, so it's easy going. A plateau with beautiful views opens up. After that, the road surface changes, with large stones, furrows and transverse gullies regularly getting in front of the wheels. Nothing dramatic, but definitely something to drive over with the appropriate attention. After that, the track heads down into the valley of the Flumini Bellu and reaches the asphalt of the SS 196 at Gonnosfanadiga.