Capoliveri Bike Park - Easy Excursion

[img index="0" params ="format=m&class=image-c"][/img]

Technical difficulty: easy
Length of route: 18,5 km
Difference in height above sea level: 214 m

No parts of route present technical difficulties, infact the entire route is along a wide, grit road that is easy to follow. The road is level as far as the Villaggio delle Ripalte (approximately 9 kilometres) with only a small part that is uphill just before you get to the village.

Since the route is very easy (to the village and back) it is perfect for families with small children who feel up to pedalling for a distance of about 18 km.

Once you get to the Villaggio delle Ripalte, the road then starts to climb for about 900 m until the junction at Torricelle, where it widens and becomes easy again, then starts to go downhill again towards the Costa dei Gabbiani; at this point you are back where you started in Capoliveri.

Bear in mind that there are no water springs along the road so if you are thirsty the only place you can have a drink is at the grocer's inside the Villaggio delle Ripalte residence that, however, is open only during the summer.

Minimal physical preparation

If you are fit and go out on your bike even from time to time you should have no difficulty in coping with a distance of about 18,5 km that has a difference in height above sea level of about 214 metres. For those who choose to go back via the road from Costa dei Gabbiani, the length is still 18 km but in this case the difference in height above sea level is only 58 metres.

Route

Departure from Capoliveri, opposite the police station; follow the signs for Costa dei Gabbiani/Villaggio delle Ripalte.

At km 3,37 km you will get to the Cessa dell'Asta lookout point, and from here you can see the southern coast of the island with the Capo di Stella, Capo Fonza and Capo Poro promontories, out as far as the sea as well as theIslands of Giglio, Montecristo and Pianosa;and, weather permitting, Corsica and Sardinia. 

At km 3,7 take the junction for Sardina on your left (on your way back it will be downhill) and keep going  straight on along the main road for le Ripalte.At km 4,29, once you get to the junction for "Innamorata" keep going until you get to km 5,84 and here you will see the Mineral Museum.

At km 6,72 you are at a good lookout point over the Vallone Mine.

Keep going, and at km 9,11 you will get to a juncion that leads on to a main road, so keep to the left, while a little further along, at km 9,29 you will have to keep to the right, this will get you to the grocer's in the Ripalte approximately 40 metres further along. Once you have gone through the structure and past the fence round the horses, you will find yourself with a straight road before you; turn left until you get to km 10, where you will find the most difficult climb, but very short, of the entire route.

Once at the top (at km 10,8) and one you reach an open space that you will see leads on to several roads, take the first turning on the left and follow the higher part -the view is fantastic - that literally cuts through Monte Calamita along the southern side of the promontory.

Keep going until you get to km 12,2 where you will see the junction for Monte Calamita, then keep going but stay on the left. At the next junction (km 12.4) stsrt going downhill and head for the Sardina road on the left ,keep going downhill until you get to km 14,6, that is, the main road for Costa dei Gabbiani and keep going towards the right until you get back to where you started: The total length from start to finish is 18,4 km and the difference in height above sea level is about 214 metres.

Expanation thanks to Gian Piero Mocali
Cell. 328 7242289