UKC

Heading to Sardinia the week before Christmas, we will be staying in the Cala Gonone area and was wondering what is the best guidebook for the area or if anyone had any they're done using and wanted to find a new home for.

Thanks for any help and advice!

In reply to Tommackie:
There is basically one definitive guide to Sardinia the 'Pietra Di Luna: A Guide To Sport Climbing In Sardinia' published by Fabula (and there's also a trad and multi-pitch one by the same author). The downside is that it's €48 to buy in Sardinia, and the best part of £50 in the UK... :|

We're just back from Sardinia - it is a fabulous place. I would have suggested also making the effort to go to Ulassai whilst you're there, but it will be too cold/poor weather higher up in the mountains at that time of year.
There's brilliant granite sea crags at Villasimius - a great alternative to the limestone around Cala Gonone.

We went out with a brilliant local guide for a few days called Ivan Tinda (found him via www.climbingsardinia.com) - his local knowledge really made the trip special - he's highly recommended!

Enjoy!

In reply to 99ster:

Brilliant Thanks, That is sadly pretty expensive but maybe between a few of us it may be manageable. Thanks for the advice!

In reply to Tommackie:

If you only need the Cala Ganone area the " Arrampicare a Cala Ganone" by Corrado Conca is the book to get. It is in the order of £20 and is available in the UK or the bookshop in Cala Ganone which has all the other guide books

In reply to andyflem:


Yes, good idea - the bookshop in Cala Gonone is well worth a visit.

In reply to Tommackie:

The Pietra de Luna is the second worst guide I have ever used. It's expensive because it's a lavish, colour opus that comes across as a homage to the history of climbing in Sardinia. Unfortunately it's not that good at getting you to the foot of your chosen route. Don't Rockfax do a Cala Gonone print out?
Incidentally the very worst guide I've used is the Shepard guide to Arapiles.

In reply to Darron:

>....Don't Rockfax do a Cala Gonone print out?

Not anymore it seems: https://www.rockfax.com/climbing-guides/old-books/cala-gonone-sardinia/

In reply to Tommackie:

I'm in Sardinia currently and we went to Cala Fuili today, it's lovely. I was only allowed to do one route as my belayer (a moderately indifferent 13 year old who only agreed to it after bribery of promises of ice cream) really wanted to get back his snorkeling. Also I only had 27 mtrs of super skinny rope that I had brought to offer a bit of security for the kids on a via ferrata. I did manage to find the crag and the route with what is on the web, there were also lots of other climbers there who all had books, so you can ask for a swift butchers from your fellow climbers.

In reply to 99ster:
Just back from Sardinia & agree totally with Tommackie. Worst guide I've used/ tried to use - so easy to have reduced point size for the self praise/ history (aka English guides) & more on how to find the places, more on the routes.
Soooooooooo much rock on the island - reckon you could FA willy nilly if you had the desire.
PS: Anyone want to buy my guide £15 post paid - email: alan@onlinebbr.com

In reply to Tommackie:

We spent a week in cala gonone in October. Just used the local guide book, plenty to do in the area. We found that some of the routes had the bolts very close together so needed to use all of our quickdraws on the climbs, or you could just not clip every bolt. The area is lovely. Be aware though as on the east coast the sun disappears under the cliffs early in the day especially so late in the year, so get out early for your swims/ climbs.