Alghero and the beautiful road south in Sardinia.

It’s funny how one chooses a place for one reason and find something wonderfully unexpected. Such is Alghero. The road south from Alghero is a classic ride well renowned across Europe. It’s also a beautiful seaside town with a Spanish old town.

This part of Sardinia saw themselves very much as Catalan, and the yellow and red striped colours of Catalonia were often seen. Even the beach umbrellas are in Catalan colours.

The old city is now has a seaside marina but is a beautiful example of a Spanish walled town.

A trattoria is a family run restaurant where the food is largely made by the family. At Trattoria da Mirko the family are also fisherman and make their of pasta. How could I resist the special of the day. Lobster on home made pasta!

The road south Alghero is just beautiful running over headlands and along the coast. The destination Dorgali in the mountains on the eastern side of the island for the next classic ride.

Enjoy some of the scenes of the road from Alghero to Dorgali and I’ll come back to Dorgali at the next blog.

Sardinia

It’s only an hours ferry ride from Bonifacio in Corsica to Santa Teresa Gallura in Sardinia. The islands are visible to each other.

The skipper does a mighty job of backing th ferry into the narrow port at Santa Teresa Gallura.

As it was late afternoon it was off the ferry and on the road to the little mountain village of Telti.

That night the harvest festival was being celebrated and the town plaza was full of people music and dancing. Amazing given it was quite hot.

A pretty little village near the wine and cheese making centre of Monti.

I love the murals that adorn these little villages.

But the next heat wave was about to hit Sardinia so it was time to seek the cooler coastal climates. On the road to The coastal city of Alghero it hit 43c before miid day. Telti was hit with a reported 47c.

We were lucky there were air conditioned rooms at the local rugby club in Alghero. Just across the road from the beach.

The sun was so hot I pulled out the cover for the mighty Breva.

But after a swim, a cold beer and the cool evening breeze blowing it was time to catch the bus into the old Spanish town. For the evening.

That’s the next blog!

Corsica (La Corse) -2

The views from the coast road leading south from Porto are just stunning as the road winds it way along a Ridge in the mountains that meet the sea.

The section to Piana is especially stunning, but the coastal road through to Ajaccio is beautiful scenic riding.

Just before Ajaccio there is an opportunity to cut inland into the mountains in search of another beautiful Col.

Corsica is a bit like stepping back in time. Back before livestock were kept in cleared paddocks. Domestic pigs, cows and sheep grazes freely in the Corsican forests. This adds an extra challenge to riding these amazing mountain roads.

Just below the Col de la Vaccia there is a little Auberge that serves beautiful Corsican dishes, wine and beer. The next day we were on the afternoon ferry to Corsica from Bonifacio, an easy ride away so this seemed to be the spot to stop and watch the sun go down over the mountains.

Two nights in Corsica definitely wasn’t enough but that is the downfall of planning trips from the other side of the world.

The next day was a ride to Port town of Bonifacio where there are three ferries a day that cross from Corsica to Sardinia.

Corsica (La Corse) -1

As the ferry approached Bastia the clouds hanging low over the mountains was a portend of the hot and steamy welcome awaiting in Bastia.

The ferry berthed at 0700 and the line of exiting traffic snaked along the roads out of the city.

The road over the Col de Vergio (the highest road in Corsica) is one of the great rides of Europe. Therefore on my agenda.

Morning coffee at at a little village Cafe in the foothills was the perfect first stop of the day.

The road crosses Corsica from east coast to west finishing in the seaside village or Porto.

The eastern side of the Col climbs up though beautiful pine forests offering cool shade.

Higher the forests give way to rocky gorges, steep sloops and narrow ancient roads.

Till the Col is reached.

With the Virgin standing atop the Col

The road down to Porto on the west side of Corsica is also a cracker.

Don’t you just love those stone Corsican safety barriers.

The road, one of the great rides of Europe end ar the beach at Porto, a small boating village. The municipal camping ground is only 400 metres from the beach and offers cheap, shady camping sites.

And a cold beer at the beach bar after a long day’s ride and a swim.

Even in Winter -the GOR is a great ride.

Even in winter the Great Ocean Road is a great ride

The joy of a midweek ride in winter the road is pretty much empty. It allows the rider set up a rhythm on the road. Smooth riding over the damp road and around the tight corners.

With dark clouds foreboding Apollo Bay and its little fishing harbour is a welcome destination.

But it was soon into the Apollo Bay Eco Hostel and its welcoming warmth.

In Victoria that faces the Southern Ocean the weather doesn’t settle for long.

The next day was clear and calm. Perfect riding weather along a near perfect riding road.

There is a lookout at the back of Lorne there a fantastic view over the ocean.

On this day the sun was in the perfect spot to light rainbows in the spray of the breaking surf.

For me the best riding on the GOR finishes ar Airies Inlet. From the the villages but up against each other with only glimpses of the great Ocean over the houses and dunes.

The Airies Inlet Light House the last stop before heading home to Melbourne.