Swimming in river pools - near Gola Gorruppu in Sardinia

To make a change from the local beach at Cala Gonone where I’m on holiday, we headed inland today, where the terrain quickly becomes rocky and mountainous. West of the town of Dorgali we followed signs for Gorroppu and were soon on an uneven dirt track which gave us a few nervous moments with the hire car. We were heading for Gola di Gorroppu, a deep gorge, where the walls rise steeply to 200m on both sides of the canyon. In spring you must choose your moment carefully to trek here, in case you get swept away by a flash flood.

On parking the car we crossed the river on a makeshift bridge made of metal pipes and old planks and walked along beside the river full of white boulders and pebbles. The children were all for swimming under the bridge but I urged them to walk a little further, following an Italian family with towels and picnic bags who looked as if they might be heading for a more idyllic spot. After 20 minutes we found the place beside a deep rocky pool with large flat boulders to make a jumping platform and a place to sunbathe and a few bushes of pink flowered Oleander providing shade.

The steep cliff faces towered above us and I could imagine how bandits in the past might lurk on the wooded slopes or keep watch from the cliff top.We swam and relaxed here for an hour or two but didn’t make it as far as the gorge itself which was at least an hour’s further walk along the track.

I did venture a little further along the path on my own, overtaken by more serious walkers with boots, walking poles and sunhats. With the afternoon sun beating down on my head I concluded that the green river pool was more inviting than a long hot walk, but it would be fun to attempt the trek on a cooler day in Spring or Autumn.

More Sardinia articles to enjoy

Sea Caves and a boat trip
A prehistoric village with a sea view
A tour of the best beaches in Sardinia

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