A rare and perhaps unique granite arch next to a bank of rock shaped like a parallelepiped remain balanced on the narrow peak of an elevation, over 1300 metres high, and no one knows how. The two spectacular natural monuments are located in Punta sa Berritta, the highest peak - 1362 metres - of Monte Limbara, on the side that falls within the territory of Berchidda. From here and from the other peaks - Balistreri (1359 metres) and Bandiera (1345) -, which can be reached via marked trails, you can admire the enchanting landscape of the whole of Gallura. You’ll have a view stretching from the mountains of Aggius to the plateau of Tempio Pausania and, further in the distance, to Olbia, Golfo Aranci, the Costa Smeralda and the Maddalena Archipelago. On a clear day, you can also see the cliffs of Bonifacio.
The excursions taking you to Punta sa Berritta and allowing you to admire the curious rock formation and the spectacular Suprappare arch generally start from Vallicciola, at an altitude of just over a thousand metres, where you will find resting and picnic areas with water sources and information boards. You can visit the little Church of Madonna della Neve (Madonna of the Snow), built in granite in the 1990s on the ruins of a pre-existing sanctuary constructed at the beginning of the same century. The church stands on a panoramic ‘terrace’: from up there, you will be impressed by the contrast between the green of the woods and the grey of the granite, shaped by wind and water into rounded and original shapes. You will also see Tafoni, cavities used in the past as burial places, homes and shelters for animals.
The Park of Limbara occupies almost twenty thousand hectares between the territories of Tempio, Calangianus, Monti, Berchidda and Oschiri. The paths wind between shrubs of strawberry tree, heather, phillyrea and lentisk, through holly, holm oak and yew tree woods. At higher altitudes, the mountain becomes more arid: rockrose, helichrysum and Garden Juniper ‘Nana’ appear here. There is no shortage of native species, such as the currant and the Limbara rose, along with varieties of broom and thyme. The wildlife is no less rich: you can see wild boars, weasels, wild cats, hares and martens, as well as the Bedriaga’s rock lizard, which only lives in Sardinia and Corsica. Among the birds, jays, partridges and woodpeckers are at home here, while golden eagles and peregrine falcons circle around the summit. Limbara can be explored in an off-road vehicle, a motocross bike, a mountain bike or along the properly-marked trekking trails. Several torrents that cross it are a destination for canyoning enthusiasts. Among the sports that can be enjoyed on the peaks, there is also climbing, without forgetting that this is a clean area, where inserting artificial anchors or drilling holes is prohibited.