Ferrata Badde Pentumas

Overview

The Badde Pentumas Via Ferrata traverses the right side of the deep Badde Pentumas Canyon in Sardinia, following an airy route across a succession of ledges and slabs. The setting is dramatic, dominated by a rocky amphitheater of massive limestone, with vertical walls and imposing roofs defining its morphology. The route, recently revised and equipped with new gear, alternates between protected sections and short free-climbing passages during the approach, offering a continuous and engaging experience.

Approach

The starting point is in the Lanaittu Valley, in the province of Nuoro, near the Sa Oche Refuge. From Nuoro, reach Oliena and then Dorgali; following signs for Su Cologne, turn right. Just before the Su Cologne fountain, take a right onto a road that is initially paved, then becomes dirt, leading into the valley. Following it, pass the second large wooden sign for the refuge without turning, continuing straight toward Su Ruvagliu/Tiscali (trail marker 409B) for about 700 meters. On the right, a clearing with dark soil appears, bordered by two large boulders about ten meters apart, topped by a cairn; between the boulders, a tree bears a white and red trail marker. Park here.

Access to the via ferrata requires careful navigation, as it is not always well-marked. From the parking area, a wide forest path, dotted with cairns, descends in about 10 minutes toward a stream. It is crucial to spot an unmarked fork to the right, then follow some trail markers 410. The route continues uphill, but you must keep right while descending until reaching the streambed, often dry. Then, ascend the Pentumas Gorges for 30-45 minutes, overcoming rocks and short steps with free-climbing passages, up to a drop of about ten meters, now equipped with a fixed rope. After passing a first rocky amphitheater with a cave, you arrive at a second, more imposing one, characterized by large walls and roofs. A green inscription marks the start of the via ferrata, also recognizable by an old log and the first sections of rope. The approach takes about an hour from the parking area.

Via Ferrata

The equipped route begins with a vertical slab lacking metal fixtures, with a sandy base that makes using the cable advisable. This gains a first series of unprotected ledges, with passages up to first grade but already very exposed, requiring a steady foot and control. The pace is immediately challenging, alternating between short vertical sections and horizontal traverses on ledges. Next, another vertical slab passage is tackled, this time equipped with metal rungs, becoming pleasantly climbable after the first vertical meters. Reaching a dirt ledge, a short but demanding traverse to the left introduces an exposed connecting section along the ledges, where the route becomes more horizontal but no less airy.

The equipment resumes at a tree with a wedged stone. The route continues along a long equipped ledge, progressively narrower and more exposed, transforming into a traverse before widening. This sector is typically developed on ledges, offering a continuous and panoramic progression. The most adrenaline-fueled section begins with a large metal chain that allows traversing an exposed horizontal traverse to the left up to a dihedral. After a few vertical meters, a rather challenging overhang, aided by a rung, leads to a left traverse and an exposed edge to be rounded, one of the technically and physically most intense points.

A series of easier traverses, offering a rhythmic pause, precedes the vertical resumption of the cable on a beautiful and climbable section. Finally, a challenging dihedral is reached, with rungs mitigating its technical difficulty but not its great exposure. The final meters, more open, offer a panorama out of the amphitheater, concluding the via ferrata spectacularly. The climbing time is about 1 hour and 30 minutes from the start (2 hours and 15 minutes total from the parking area).

Descent

From the end of the Badde Pentumas Via Ferrata, climb completely up the wall to the summit, then descend to the right. A forest path, at a relaxed pace and downhill, leads back to the streambed traversed on the way in and, finally, to the refuge. The descent takes about 30 minutes, for a total of about 2 hours and 45 minutes from the start of the hike.

Useful Notes

The Badde Pentumas Via Ferrata does not present high technical difficulties in absolute terms, except in a couple of specific points. However, its character is distinctly horizontal and exposed: several traverses require decent arm strength for progression on the cables and an absolute lack of vertigo, especially in the initial unprotected sections. The route stands out for its exceptional scenic interest, unfolding entirely in a limestone canyon of rare beauty and visual continuity. The route is perfectly equipped after recent maintenance work, but the experience is predominantly panoramic and about continuous exposure rather than pure vertical difficulty.