Cycle Sardinia1: the booking conundrum

Threatening clouds over Alghero as the ride to Bosa begins

Riding around central Europe, you are never far from a place to eat or somewhere to stay for the night. Who needs to book ahead? Part of the fun of cycle touring is not knowing as you set out each morning, where you will end up at the end of the day.

Poring over the map after arriving for the first time in Sardinia, it was clear that away from the coast, towns and villages were widely spread with little sign of habitation in between. Choosing scenic roads (marked by green lines) we didn't take much account of the terrain. 

Where is the sun? Despite wet and windy conditions, the ride had to begin

The big question was: "is there any accommodation in these tiny villages?"  For once we decided it was prudent to make some reservations on line using the booking service which seems to have penetrated even the remotest rural community. 

A short four-day tour along the coast and returning on an inland road would bring us back to Alghero in time to watch the start of the Giro d'Italia. A coast road should be largely at sea level shouldn't it? It would be a good introduction to cycling in Sardinia but as a precaution we booked each night along the way. 

The loneliness of the long distance cyclist, grinding up the hills

We soon began to learn a few lessons. Day 1 was windy, chilly and with rain forecast. We had to get going - after all, rooms were booked for the next four nights in four different locations. Accommodation for the first night was only 50km anyway.

But what a ride! We climbed and climbed, in total 1000m, following the coast road south from Alghero. The wind in our faces and the clouds darkening above. The forecast was correct and we experienced a few sharp showers blasted along by the wind. For the whole distance there was not a single place where we could warm up with coffee. The road climbs steadily with a few flying descents, and, at least, most of the final 10km into Bosa were fast and effortless. 

Profile of the 50km from Alghero to Bosa

Colourful houses in Bosa

This was more climbing than we had bargained for and some belated research showed that the following three days would follow the same pattern - in fact they would be tougher.

After 40 years of cycling and years of touring, we were still caught by the Catch 22 conundrum: Book ahead and you really have to go the distance. Don't book ahead and take a chance: will you find somewhere to sleep and eat? Over a period of days the problem becomes increasingly challenging.

Writing this having just walked through this colourful coastal town in a fruitless search for food we are subject to another feature of cycling in Sardinia. You may have finished the day's ride early but you are going to have to wait until 8pm before you can get anything to eat. 

Nevertheless, challenging or not, there are some wonderful views along the way, some very empty roads and, at this time of year, the verges are overflowing with yellow, pink and purple blossoms.

Bosa - well worth the struggle to get there - and to leave