Su Gologone

Meat juice hisses as it hits the hot coals in the fireplace at Su Gologone. It takes up the whole wall in the restaurant and is tended to by a chef who heaves the heavy cast iron spits, threaded with half a pig. No wonder that diners flock from far and wide for the roast pork, veal, wild boar, kid and sirloin steak.

In this part of Sardinia you can forget picking over a light salad in a seafront bar. It’s about serious walks and serious sustenance. The mountain retreat is surrounded by hiking trails: deep canyons carved into the Jurassic rock, shepherds’ paths which wind up craggy peaks and intricate networks of caves and grottos.

Days here start with a breakfast which can only be justified by a reasonable level of activity afterward. Platters of cured meats and cheeses are laid out in the dining room. There are local jams, fruit and nuts as well as a separate table laden with pastries: fruit sponge, almond croissants and lattice-topped fruit tarts.

It’s easy to string-out breakfast so it runs into several courses on the open air balcony where views stretch for miles. Each plate becomes more elaborate than the last – I pace myself, building up to soft goats cheese drizzled with a dark, fragrant honey and oily walnuts. Coffee flows freely, decorative urns overflow with red geraniums and the terracotta tiled roof creates a homey, backyard vibe.

It’s all part of the hand-crafted feel at Su Gologone, which is part boutique hotel, part folk museum. There are antique kitchen utensils hung-up in the restaurant, glass cabinets containing artefacts and a gift shop heaving with trinkets. No doubt the curiosities intrigue most – though minimalists would, perhaps, find it one scatter cushion, one tassel, one mosaic too much.

Still, it would be a waste to shuffle round Su Gologone all day though. There’s an unheated pool fed by a nearby spring and tennis court – but the hotel is best used as a luxurious launch to explore the area. Mr Smith and I swing by reception where we’re given a map and list of activities: ‘A Tour of Pinnettos’ along the ancient paths of goat herders, or perhaps ‘Punta La Marmora’ – a ridge walk that leads to the summit of the highest peak in Sardinia (1,834m).

We decide to head to the coast after being recommended a day excursion to Cala Luna. The road winds down to the sea before coming to a sudden end. We park up and descend steep limestone cliffs to the beach at Cala Fuili. There, a scrambling trail hugs the coast for a couple of miles before spitting us out at a secluded beach where crystal clear, turquoise waters easily make the coastal hike worth breaking sweat for.

The following day we decide to stick closer to the hotel. Its namesake, Su Gologone springs, are just five minute’s walk down the road. There, water powerfully surges past at 500 litres per second, erupting from underground cave networks which have long baffled explorers – in 2010 Italian Alberto Cavedon set a record when he dived down 135 metres, but he still failed to reach the bottom.

The springs mark the start of a signposted eight-mile route which loops up to a cavern at Grotta di sa Oche. It’s a walk which takes us through lush pastures where the tinkle of cow bells soars on the breeze and wildflowers burst from the grass verges. We gently snake up into the Supramonte mountains, and explore the cool mouth of the cave – where the stalactites and steady drip of water reminds us of the underground labyrinth below us.

Back at the hotel, Mr Smith and I cool down in the pool, before driving five minutes to the nearby town, Oliena, for a sundowner. The Roman settlement still has a biblical feel, with dark alleyways snaking off the main road. The church of Santa Maria marks the centre of the hillside town and there are a handful of bars which are good for an aperol spritz – but it’s really about the stunning views which stretch out across the valley.

The setting sun throws a soft pink light over the white cliffs as we head back to Su Gologone for dinner.  Our legs feel heavy and used from the day’s walking, which helps justify several more courses to bookend the day.

There’s salty pane carasau bread – crisp like communion wafers – and local vermentino wine, then an exquisite fennel pasta and roast kid from the fire followed by traditional savera deep-fried cheese with honey. It’s a meal deeply rooted in its surroundings. A reminder of how untouched this special and secluded part of Sardinia is – up in the mountains where time stands still.