Path Description
DEPARTURE: Iglesias 188 m (asl)
ARRIVAL: Buggerru 1/0 m (asl)
TECHNICAL DATA:
Length: 34 km
Difference in altitude: +1004 m and -1151 m
Maximum gradient + 20.5%
Minimum gradient -24.4%
Highest point: Monte Cani, 437 m above sea level
Possible detours to visit notable points:
COME AND GO MONTEPONI
Length: 4.4 km
Start/end point of Vai e Vieni (Palazzina clearing in the direction of Villa Bella Vista): 190 m above sea level.
Highest point: Scavo Cungiaus car parks: 320 m above sea level.
COME AND GO MASUA
Length: 7.25 km
Start/end point of Vai e Vieni (SS 126 Masua junction): h: 133 m (asl).
Lowest point (Masua parking) h: 16 m (asl).
COME AND GO DOMESTIC CALA
Length: 3.3 km
Starting point (SP 83 intersection with former Scalittas railway): h: 41 m (asl).
End point (crossroads of Cala Domestica road with SP 83): h: 27 m (asl).
Lowest point (Cala Domestica Beach): h: 6 m (asl).
COME AND GO FORMER MINING VILLAGE PRANU SARTU (Only for MB)
Length: 1.1 km
Start/end point (junction on dirt road): h: 119 m (asl).
Lowest point (coast view above Galleria Henry): h: 113 m (asl).
STAGE DESCRIPTION:
The route starts in Iglesias, near Piazza Quintino Sella, near the monument dedicated to the famous statesman. It first takes Via Roma, passing the Museum of Mining Art, and then, near the Pisan walls, turns left onto Via Cattaneo near the Church of Santa Barbara (no longer open for worship). Continuing along this road, you pass the CMSB Foundation headquarters (Via Cattaneo 70) and reach the crossroads for Monteponi, where you exit the city.
Following Viale Aligi Sassu, you arrive at Piazzetta di Monteponi, where we find the church dedicated to Santa Barbara and the entrance to the Villamarina Gallery as well as other mining elements.
Once you reach the entrance to the mine, in front of the roundabout, you go up to the Palazzina Bellavista (former residence of the director of the Monteponi mine). From here, you can continue on the route or take a circular route that allows you to see and learn more about some of the aspects of this important and historic former mining complex.
From the Palazzina Bellavista, continue along the dirt road, passing over the Red Mud area (the residue of the metallurgical activities of the Monteponi mine plants and in particular of the electrolysis process that, from 1926 onwards, for about half a century, recovered zinc through a chemical-physical process: the red colour is due to the presence of significant quantities of iron), passing the section of the large inclined plane, which took the railway loading carriages directly to the mine, and continuing down towards the SP 84, which you cross to reach the hamlet of Monte Agruxiau (Iglesias).
Continuing and leaving behind the church dedicated to Santa Barbara and the square of the still partially inhabited mining village, we begin to climb on an asphalt cycle path, towards the former village and mine of Monte Scorra (235 m above sea level).
After passing the ruins of the houses and technical buildings of Monte Scorra, you arrive at Nebida (a hamlet of Iglesias) and walk along the viewpoint from where you can appreciate a magnificent landscape, where the view ranges from the golden beaches of Gonnesa to the south, to the red cliff coast (which owes its colour to the Ordovician puddingstone, an ancient geological formation dating back 500-435 Mya of a vermilion red colour) and to the north instead the very white Pan di Zucchero stack (maximum height 133 m above sea level) and the nearby white limestone coast stand out.
Below the viewpoint, perched on the red cliff, stand the remains of the majestic Laveria Lamarmora overlooking the sea, dominating the entire Gulf of Lion.
This imposing building was constructed starting in 1881, designed by engineer Giorgio Asproni according to the most modern mining architecture criteria. The washery's facilities were powered by a large steam generator, and inside, on three different levels, the ore was cleaned and processed. This impressive, modern complex was completed, alongside the main building, by a calcination furnace and, on the seashore, by a pier for mooring.
Returning to the route and crossing the village of Nebida, you pass in front of the church of Santa Barbara, the entrance to the tunnel of the Grotta dell'Ascensione and near the Posada (former Carabinieri barracks) where, upon reservation, you can stay.
Once you leave Nebida (175 m above sea level), take the SP 83 and after a series of downhill hairpin bends you arrive at the crossroads for Masua (134 m above sea level).
2* From this point you can continue on the stage or take the long back and forth route that allows us to reach the beautiful beach of Masua and beyond, the mining site of Porto Flavia (which can be visited by reservation).
Once the stage has resumed, we proceed on the SP 83, tackling a steep climb of approximately 4.5 km which takes us from an altitude of 134 m (asl) to the altitude of 437 m (asl) of the Monte Cani pass, with an average gradient of approximately 12%.
Once you have overcome this challenging stretch, you descend with an average gradient of 7.2%, towards the Acquaresi – Buggerru crossroads, passing the large Acquaresi chasm (on the left) and continuing the descent following the hairpin bends that take you to Cala Domestica.
3* Just before the crossroads for Cala Domestica, it is possible to take the old disused railway of the Gutturu Cardaxius mine on a dirt road that reaches the beach and follow the proposed VAI e VIENI.
Once back on the SP83, you climb towards the plateau overlooking Buggerru from the south, with a 3.9% climb, reaching the crossroads that leads onto the dirt road that leads, turning right, towards the ruins of the mining village of Pranu Sartu 4*, where again, but for the more expert, it is possible to do a short back and forth to visit the now almost disappeared ruins of the old mining village.
Continue along the SP 83 and after a series of downhill hairpin bends that lead into the narrow Buggerru valley, you arrive at the town center and take Via Roma to reach the tourist port. On the right, you can admire the remains of the imposing Laveria Malfidano and, going back up into the town, you can visit the Mining Museum.
The ore processing plant at the Laveria Malfidano, which closed in the early 1970s, consisted of two sections for the processing of sulphides and calamine and lead oxidates, with a total daily capacity of 450-500 tonnes.
Once you leave Buggerru and get back on the SP83, you descend towards the vast coastline and just before reaching the road that runs parallel to the long beach, on the left you will find the crossroads for San Nicolò, where the variant begins.
Still in the town centre, on Via Ospedale, you can reach the current Posada di Buggerru located near the Eco Ostello, where you can find shelter for bikers and bicycles.
1* COME AND GO MONTEPONI.
From the Palazzina Bellavista (190 m above sea level), you climb to the entrance of Pozzo Sella, an imposing Art Nouveau structure considered one of the most representative examples of the industrial mining heritage, built between 1872 and 1874 with the aim of creating a large infrastructure to solve the problem of underground water drainage in the Iglesiente metal-bearing basin (it currently houses a museum exhibition that can be visited by reservation). You continue uphill towards the large excavation site of Cungiaus (192 m above sea level), where, after passing the ruins of the roasting pits, you can leave your bike at the entrance and reach a panoramic viewpoint that allows you to appreciate the magnitude of the excavation and the stratifications of the cultivations that occurred over the centuries, from the Roman period to the period of activity and industrialization of the mine (1861 – early 1990s).
Back in the saddle, you descend onto a dirt road that passes between various disused and abandoned buildings, returning to the entrance road, near the IGEA mining archive (closed to the public), and return to the open space in front of the Palazzina Bellavista to resume the route.
Palazzo Bellavista was built in 1865 to a design by engineer Adolfo Pellegrini, director of the Monteponi Company, to house the mine's managers. It later housed management offices, and after mining operations ended, the building was abandoned. In the 1990s, it was completely renovated and returned to the community. Since 1996, it houses the "Association for the University of Sulcis-Iglesiente," the AUSI Consortium, and a decentralized branch of the University of Cagliari.
2* COME AND GO MASUA – PORTO FLAVIA
Descending along the asphalt road towards Masua beach, you leave on the left what was once the residential area of the mining village (currently almost completely uninhabited), and you skirt the large mining complex characterised by the imposing mud collection basins that dominate the system.
From the parking lots serving the beaches of Masua and Portu Cauli, take the dirt road that passes through the pine forest and continues along the coast until you reach the entrance to the Porto Flavia mining site. Much of this route offers a picturesque view of the Masua cove, dominated by the imposing Pan di Zucchero rock.
Porto Flavia was built according to a futuristic and ingenious design by Engineer Vecelli, who named the project after his daughter Flavia.
The visible part of Porto Flavia is the loading and docking area, which directly overlooks the cliff and consists of a tower structure reminiscent of medieval castles, while the central section is built inside the mountain and consists of two overlapping tunnels built on two distinct levels, between which are nine silos also dug into the rock.
The upper gallery, for the delivery of the mineral and loading of the silos, was served by a decauville (a narrow-gauge railway made of prefabricated elements that can be quickly assembled and disassembled, generally traversed by small convoys carrying trolleys, often tipping, for loading and unloading goods – in the specific case of mineral-rich rocks), while the gallery below the silos housed a conveyor belt, which, when necessary, was projected outward, exiting the tower overlooking the sea and suspended outside the cliff directly into the holds of docked ships, allowing for faster loading operations.
Once you have left your bikes and visited the Porto Flavia site, you must return to the crossroads you took to enter Masua, climbing from 14 m (above sea level) at the beach car park to 134 m (above sea level) at the crossroads with a climb of approximately 2.5%.
3* COME AND GO DOMESTIC WATER
Following the former mining railway, now a dirt road, from SP83 you reach Cala Domestica beach, passing the distinctive structure of the old, heavily vegetated calcination kiln. The route continues along the service road that leads to the beach and the parking lots. In the summer, the area is serviced by two kiosks, one on the beach and the other in the large parking area, offering refreshments.
4* COME AND COME PRANU SARTU - FOR EXPERTS
Taking the dirt road to the right toward the ruins of Pranu Sartu, you can admire a picturesque view of the coast and glimpse the Henry Gallery clearing, where the train, now used to transport visitors, can turn around. Returning to the trail, you return to the crossroads and continue toward Buggerru, following the dirt road downhill (with an average gradient of 10%) along the Via Crucis, marked by the shrine dedicated to Saint Barbara and, at the end, the entrance to the Henry Gallery (check the opening times and make a reservation).
The Henry Gallery, currently accessible, is accessed via an electric train that transports visitors through a maze of tunnels featuring passages carved like windows into the rock of the cliff overlooking the sea.
These openings offer suggestive views of the coast overlooking the sea and breathtaking panoramas.
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