The Heels

The area of the Heels of Ogliastra is a wild place, unique throughout Sardinia, which evokes strong emotions in an unspoilt habitat, where you can walk for days without seeing any sign of the hand of man and there are huge numbers of animals and plantlife of particular naturalist note, such as the golden eagle and mouflon and where there are numerous springs.

The Needles of Ogliastra occupy an important part of the territory of Ogliastra: they are limestone-dolomitic peaks, so-called due to their typical conformation similar to the heels of a shoe; Perda e Liana is, without doubt, the most famous of these. Also there is the Heel of Monte Tisiddu, the Arba Heel of Ussassai, Mount Lumburau, Mount Arquerì, the Anquil’e Ferru Heel and Punta Corongiu of Jerzu. Other sites of notable beauty are the Pass of San Giorgio, close to Osini, and the caves of Su Marmuri in Ussassai. The geomorphology of this territory is characterised by vast formations of paleozoic rock such as the shale of Siluriano, which makes up the crystalline foundations on which rest the mesozoic limestone formations.

These particular mountains are crossed by numerous paths, roads, cart-tracks, trails amd sheep-tracks which, in ancient times, were vital for the transportation needs of the local peoples, as well as shepherds and hunters. Today, these tracks are principally maintained by the Sardinian Forests Association and represent the most indicative literature key to understand this magical, mysterious place where time seems to have stopped. In the vicinity of the Heels, there are also numerous interesting nuragical sites such as Serbissi, Sanu, Urceni, Mela, Is Cocorronis, Pranu and Su Samuccu. The area of the Heels retains the ancient agropastoral activities such as stock-breeding, wine producing (Cannonau of Jerzu) and craftwork.

For further information: www.itacchidogliastra.it