Red Riu Mannu

Riu means river in Sardinian, mannu means big. In Sardinia, a small river is a riu, a large river a riu mannu. A term that is often used on the island. Accordingly, the river that our trail follows should actually be called the Red Riu Mannu to distinguish it. Red because its water has a strong red color, which comes from iron oxides and other minerals that are washed out of the rock by the water. The red Riu Mannu rises in the Gennargentu Mountains and flows into the sea at the Bocca di Rio Piscina.

At this point, a gravel track begins that is initially easy to navigate and follows the course of the river in long curves in a wide valley. Two simple fords pose no problems, unless it has rained heavily beforehand. In this case, you should explore the depth of the water on foot. Slowly but surely, the track now gains altitude and becomes significantly narrower. It can happen that branches scratch the paintwork of our vehicle from time to time. The route is never particularly steep, but one or two of the many bends pose a certain challenge.

Final stop Casargiu. The charming village is built almost entirely of stone and is definitely worth a long stroll on foot.