It is not long, just nine kilometers. And a dead end. It is the off-road route that runs directly along the coast in the southeast of Sardinia. Is it still worth driving there? Of course, and how. Firstly, this route really challenges your off-road skills. Secondly, it follows the coastline in a spectacular way. And thirdly, it has a great bathing bay and an attractive climbing area. Reasons enough to leave the SS 125 in Tertenia and drive about 15 kilometers down a country road of the lowest order to the coast.
From the small town of Barisoni, a mostly rough gravel path winds along the cliffs. Those who don't suffer from vertigo are clearly at an advantage here. The occasional ups and downs add spice to the whole thing. In between, the Spiagga di Porto Santoru appears, a hidden paradise for anyone looking for peace and solitude. It is a pleasure to stop and lie down on the fine white beach of the small bathing bay.
The final stop of the tour is in the military restricted area of Salto di Quirra. From 1972 to the mid-1980s, NATO anti-aircraft units practiced on the firing range named after the Quirra region. The German army did too. First with the M 42 anti-aircraft tank, then with its successor, the Gepard.
The live firing of the anti-aircraft batteries left no dangerous residues, but the situation is different on the other side of the SS 125. Rockets were tested in this part of the firing range. First by the military, later by private companies. Since 2012, this has officially been over. What remains, however, are the residues of misfired projectiles that contaminated the ground with cadmium, lead and uranium. Residents of the area have long complained of deformities in people and animals, which is why the public prosecutor's office has brought charges. Investigations and trials are dragging on, with no end in sight.
German
Italy
