May 31 Driving in the Supramonte Mountains for a shepherds' picnic

 

Magnificent mountains and valleys in the Supramonte Range

Today’s highlight was to be a shepherds’ picnic in a hidden place AKA way off the beaten track. But first we piled into 4WDs and headed into the mountains. I think we were going to see a recently discovered Nuraghe site in the forest. It was a shocker of a road which seemed to go almost straight up the side of a mountain switching back on itself all the way up. It was a fascinating and at the same time an horrendous drive as the vehicle Lindsay and I were in was a clapped-out Landrover which didn’t look roadworthy. We sat in the very back on bench seats with little to hold onto and no seat belts. I have some horrid bruises from being thrown around. Enough said. We eventually stopped and tumbled out of the back of the ‘car’ and headed off after our guide who took us on a walk further up the hillside. Along the way he described - to those fortunate enough to be close to him! - the vegetation and shared some history. (It was a little slow going for me because of my injured toe!)  

Shepherds drive these days

Quite magnificent countryside

The vegetation was quite lush in places with many herbs and flowers

Beautiful spot for a lecture

There was no mention of seeing the Nuraghe site but at a stunningly scenic spot the guide gave an interesting talk about the shepherds and kidnappers of the mountains. What goes up …. soon it was back to the vehicles to then barrel back down the mountain for a pitstop and to grab a coffee.  With some persuading from a fellow passenger, we got to shift into the back seat (and the driver was told to slow down) and we zoomed off for the next ‘adventure’. We were taken to an isolated spot deep in the mountains to what they referred to as a shepherds' hut where we were to have our picnic. I must tell you that these are the mountains where the ‘bandits’ used to hang out for 100s of years and I can understand why they chose the spot - it is very difficult to reach.

The scenery on the next leg of the drive was quite magical and a little more comfortable although the road was perhaps even worse. We passed through old olive groves with goats peering over stone walls at us. Sorry I took no photos of that drive as we simply had to hang on for dear life - but we made it and our driver looked like he was about to collapse. It was a very rough drive.

Behind that picket fence was an area as big as that in front of us.

It was quite an amazing place and smelled very strongly of sheep

A few cute kids came to say hello and beg for food

Once out of the car we climbed up to the shepherds’ hut. They say that this hut has been used for hundreds of years and is still used by shepherds although our guide told us that now most flocks graze in the valleys. The hut was beside a humongous cavern which I imagine would have been able to hold many hundreds of sheep/goats. In one small corner in an enclosure within a bigger enclosure were a couple of sweet little kid goats bleating at us and outside a donkey poked its craggy head over the fence - but there were no sheep or adult goats there albeit lots of ‘calling cards’.

That stone structure topped with branches beside the cave is the shepherds' hut

Our drivers and guide served us

Our ‘chefherd’ deftly cut up the roast pig

The cave was mammoth

The donkey got the leftover lettuce

The food, served by our drivers, was rustic and delicious. Platters of sheep’s cheese and cured meats with ‘pane carasau’ (Sardinian bread) were followed by suckling pig and roast sausage which was reakky delicious. We could have also tried the brains, tongue etc of the beast if we wanted to. I was keen to try the tongue but someone beat me to it. The tomatoes served with the meat were huge and juicy. All that was washed down with many jugs of good Sardinian red wine, a Cannonau special to the region. We even had dessert - melon served on lettuce leaves drizzled with mountain honey plus a little digestive - Mirto, a traditional Sardinian liquor made from the berries of the myrtle bush. It was quite an experience and absolutely scrumptious.

We returned to our hotel exhausted and bruised but happy. That night Lindsay and I dined alone - not that we really need much feeding. I had goat cooked with wild fennel and Lindsay had sausages of cured pork roasted over the open fire. Plus a bottle of Sardinian red. We are really enjoying the Sardinian wines.