The drive to our next stop
(Camping La Foce at Valedoria) was surprisingly varied as we drove across a mix
of arable, pasture, scrub, and mountainous landscapes before we reached the
coast at Santa Teresa Gallura and headed west towards Castelsardo. The coastal
road was an absolute treat as one stunning view was replaced by another and
before long, we turned off the main road to head down to the shoreline where
our campsite was based. The access road led through the village of Valedoria
and we were pleased to see none of the trappings of chic tourism we’d seen on
the Costa Smeralda.
The vibe at reception was
also a lot more low key, and although there was the obligatory bracelet, we
were allowed to choose our own pitch from any available, and our passports and
ACSI card were photocopied while we waited and handed straight back – it’s
always a bit of a leap of faith when they are kept back for later collection!
The site bordered a small
estuary and had its own boat that ferried people backwards and forwards to a
long spit of silvery sand that stretched out along the coast. The area is a
nature reserve and offered bird watching trips too, as well as water sports and
canoe hire. So we were pretty excited at the range of things we’d be able to do
if the weather gods were going to be kind to us… the mixed sky was a bit hard
to read, although it did deliver a lovely sunset.
Unfortunately, the weather
gods were looking elsewhere and we had a night of rain and a mixed start to the
day – but then it brightened up and we were all excited about a trip to the
sand spit on the boat… Until Mr B spotted what looked like a fluid leak that
was leaching through to the wheel arch outside and could be seen from our
hitherto relaxed breakfast table…
A quick inspection of what
we call our ‘boiler room’ showed it to be a substantial water leak that was
coming from near the pump. Luckily we designed/built the van so that where bits
might go wrong, we could get relatively easy access – except for a small bit of
pipework that runs though the wheel arch surround from the main water tank.
This was Mr B’s first guess at the cause as it would a) be the worst case
scenario and b) it was bound to be a home made bit at fault!
Luckily it was the water
pump that seemed to be at fault (phew) and some quick tests shortly showed it
to be a leaky gasket seal. Isolating the pump from the main tank and the heater
was a straightforward task (a bit of serendipitous design with isolation taps –
phew!) and before long we had it stripped down ready for repair. Luckily, and
for reasons he couldn’t really remember, Mr B had packed a tube of Fernox LS in
his toolbox (as recommended by our good friend Dave for general plumbing joints
– thanks Mr W!) and before long a new, if inelegant gasket had been lovingly
hand crafted!
After a long wait to fit and
pressure test, the best part of the day had gone, so we swapped our beach trip
for the pool, and thanked our lucky stars that we had functioning water and no
leak – hurrah! (Fingers crossed for the rest of the trip of course…)
Heading off the next day in
order to pace our coastal adventure with enough time to get to see most of the
island, we decided we liked La Foce enough to maybe visit again just before we
leave from Porto Torres, as it’s not that far.
Mrs B had spotted references
to an ‘Elelphant Rock’ on our route west so we decided to make a small
diversion to have a quick look. The rock is a wind eroded chunk of volcanic
rock (trachyte) that looks uncannily like an elephant – and from pretty much
any angle, unlike some other ‘animal rocks’ we’ve seen! Unfortunately, loads of
other folk had also decided to drop by to have a look and we arrived to find
people wandering all over the road to get the best shot, oblivious to the fact
that it was a busy road and on a blind bend! Lucky for us though, we were just
ahead of a couple of coaches that rapidly disgorged large numbers of red-scarf
wearing folk, all equally intent on that perfect photo…
It’s an odd thing travelling
by guide book recommendation, as this type of ‘tourist intensity’ is bound to
happen now and again, and what is often somewhere perhaps best enjoyed without
many other people, just isn’t going to happen. Still, it was an interesting
little detour and we were glad we’d done it!
Driving on to Castelsardo we
were treated to yet more glorious views as the road wound around the coast and
before long the castle and town came into view. We’d noticed on our
Campercontact app that there was a sosta (Italian Aire) on the outskirts of
town and we soon found it – free to use with a shortish walk into the town and
only out-of-bounds when the market sets up on a Friday. With lovely views
across the bay to the castle, we soon decided it would make the perfect last
night’s stop on Sardinia before the ferry to Toulon at the end of June, as yet
again we’d be up in the night for an early hours departure – not something that
can be done from a campsite.
The walk into the town was
relatively short and the climb up the many steps to the castle a hot and sticky
one, as the sun beat down and we hugged the shady side of each street!
Castlesardo, aka
Castelgenovese and Castelaragonese by the different occupying powers from the
1200s onwards, until the Savoyards settled on its present name in the mid
1700s, occupies a truly commanding position at the top of a steep promontory.
The views around both sides
of the castle were pretty spectacular and it was easy to see why it had been
chosen as a place of strength and power. We were able to see both Corsica in
the distance, and the isle of Asinara, just off the Stintino peninsular. Before
we went into the museum and castle interior, we noticed a large monument to
fallen Italian soldiers, musing on their role as allies in WW1 and as enemies
for most of WW2…
The museum was a mixed bag –
great for fans of basket weaving and lovers of all things raffia, but perhaps
best enjoyed for the views along the coast. The strange object in the following
photo is a raft used for navigating the many lagoons in the area and apparently
still occasionally used.
With time to spare we
stocked up at a local Conad supermarket and decided to head off to the Stintino
peninsular, where, Mr B had decided, there was bound to be an opportunity for
another free camp to match the one we’d had in Corsica…especially as the
Campercontact app had a couple of locations marked where parking was allowed…
And so, with hopes set for a
quick win and a relaxing drive, we bade farewell to Castelsardo, heading west…
S&J
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