Ulassai

Limestone towers above a mountain village, Ulassai sits beneath dramatic pale cliffs in the Ogliastra area of eastern Sardinia, a region of tacchi, the flat-topped limestone plateaus whose vertical walls give superb sport climbing well away from the island's busy coast.

The rock is grey and orange limestone, often steep and richly featured, climbed as bolted sport on numerous single-pitch sectors and some longer multi-pitch lines. Grades run from gentle 4s and 5s to hard 8s, with a generous spread of 6s and 7s. The walls rise straight from the village and surrounding hills, giving a wide choice of aspects and sun or shade through the day, and the tufa-streaked overhangs reward endurance while the slabs test footwork.

The setting is distinctly Sardinian: sheep pastures, ancient nuraghe ruins, the famous open-air art trail associated with the artist Maria Lai, and quiet mountain roads far from the coastal resorts. Approaches are generally short, and the area keeps an unspoilt, peaceful feel that many climbers prize above busier venues on the mainland.

Autumn to spring offers the best conditions, the island's mild climate keeping the sunny crags warm and dry through winter; summer is hot inland. Agriturismi and small guesthouses in and around Ulassai make an inexpensive base, and the local food and wine reward rest days. For climbers seeking quality limestone away from the crowds, inland Sardinia and Ulassai are a genuinely rewarding discovery that repays the effort of getting there.