Why this ride
A 381 km round trip from Ossi - roughly 7 h 59 in the saddle. It goes by way of Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu, Necropolis of Puttu Codinu, Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga and Necropolis of Brodu. A steady touring day rather than a sprint.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes and Necropolis of Brodu
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 381 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 7 h 59
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes
Inland from Sassari, the Logudoro is a country of limestone ridges, small towns of honey-coloured stone and fields enclosed by dry walls, and in its folds lies the necropolis of Mesu 'e Montes, near the villages of Ossi, Muros and Florinas. It is a group of domus de janas, the rock-cut tombs of Sardinia's prehistoric farmers, some of them richly decorated with carved pillars, false doors and the stylised bull horns that seem to have been a symbol of protection or power.
Read the complete Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes is where the day begins. Next is Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu.
2. Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu
Four or five thousand years ago, people on the high plateau of Campo di Santa Lucia in Sardinia carved a whole apartment of rooms into a cliff of soft volcanic rock, to house their dead. The Sardinians call these rock-cut tombs domus de janas, houses of the fairies, and Sant'Andrea Priu, near Bonorva, has some of the most remarkable. The largest, known as the Tomba del Capo, has a series of chambers whose walls and ceilings imitate the beams and pillars of a real house. Centuries later, in the early Christian and Byzantine period, it was converted into a church and its walls were painted with frescoes, some of which survive.
Read the complete Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu comes up 40 km in. Next is Necropolis of Puttu Codinu.
3. Necropolis of Puttu Codinu
Domus de janas means houses of the fairies, and that is what Sardinians called the small chambers cut into rock faces across the island, believing them to be the homes of tiny supernatural women. They are in fact tombs, carved out by the island's Neolithic and Copper Age people some five thousand years ago, often with rooms arranged like houses, carved doorways, false roof beams and symbols such as bulls' horns. The necropolis of Puttu Codinu, near Villanova Monteleone in north-west Sardinia, is a group of these tombs cut into a low limestone outcrop amid fields and scrub, one of thousands across the island.
Read the complete Necropolis of Puttu Codinu write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
79 km in you reach Necropolis of Puttu Codinu. Next is Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga.
4. Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga
Bonorva sits on the edge of a high plateau in central-northern Sardinia, a town of grey stone looking out over the plain of Santa Lucia. Around it, the land is dotted with prehistoric remains, and the necropolis of Sa Pala Larga is one of several groups of domus de janas cut into the rock in this area. The rock-cut tombs are older than the nuraghi, and many have intricate interiors.
Read the complete Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga, about halfway. Next is Necropolis of Brodu.
5. Necropolis of Brodu
Barbagia is the rugged heart of Sardinia, a land of granite hills, shepherds and fiercely held traditions, and on its western edge, near the village of Oniferi, the rock-cut tombs of Brodu are among the most elaborate on the island. Like other domus de janas, these chambers were carved into the stone by the people of the Neolithic Ozieri culture and later, but here several of them have carved decoration inside: false doors, imitation roof beams and, in some, the curved horn motifs that are thought to represent the bull, a symbol of strength and fertility that appears again and again in Sardinian prehistory.
Read the complete Necropolis of Brodu write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Necropolis of Brodu sits at 159 km, about halfway. Next is back through Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga.
6. back through Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga comes up 198 km in. Next is back through Necropolis of Puttu Codinu.
7. back through Necropolis of Puttu Codinu
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Necropolis of Puttu Codinu write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
238 km in you reach back through Necropolis of Puttu Codinu. Next is back through Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu.
8. back through Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu, late in the day. Next is Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes.
9. Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
The route ends here after 381 km.
Leg by leg
Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes to Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu
Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes → Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu is 41 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu to Necropolis of Puttu Codinu
Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu → Necropolis of Puttu Codinu is 39 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Necropolis of Puttu Codinu to Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga
Necropolis of Puttu Codinu → Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga is 42 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga to Necropolis of Brodu
Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga → Necropolis of Brodu is 37 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Necropolis of Brodu to back through Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga
Necropolis of Brodu → back through Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga is 37 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga to back through Necropolis of Puttu Codinu
back through Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga → back through Necropolis of Puttu Codinu is 42 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Necropolis of Puttu Codinu to back through Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu
back through Necropolis of Puttu Codinu → back through Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu is 39 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu to Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes
back through Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu → Necropolis of Mesu ‘e Montes is 41 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.