Monte Santu Padre
The Monte Santu Padre is one of the highest peaks of the, standing at 1,025 meters above sea level. It is located in the territory of Bortigali, in the Province of Nuoro.
Description
It is an ancient volcano whose constituent rocks are basalt, pink and green trachyte, andesite, and rhyolite. From the summit, one can observe a landscape encompassing much of central and southwestern Sardinia, from the Gennargentu to the Sulcis mountains, from the hills of Logudoro to the mountains of the, as far as the sea at Oristano and Bosa.Origin and meaning of the name
It owes its name to an evolution of the ancient toponym "Santu Antipatre," cited in the ''Condaghe di San Nicolò di Trullas.''Flora and fauna
The flora consists of herbs, among which, during spring, blooms of species such as the bug orchid, the long-horned orchid, the butterfly orchid, and the sawfly orchid can be observed, along with numerous other annual or biennial species such as foxglove. The arboreal flora is represented by downy oaks, holm oaks, cork oaks, wild cherries, wild apples, hollies, and Montpellier maples.The fauna is represented by species such as the wild boar, the fox, the weasel, the Sardinian dormouse, the pine marten, and the Sardinian wildcat. Among the rocks, the Bedriaga's lizard, a reptile endemic to Sardinia and Corsica, recently reported in this area, can be observed. Among the birds, in addition to common small and medium-sized species, the buzzard, the red kite, the peregrine falcon, and, rarely, the griffon vulture can be sighted.
History
On the plateau behind the rocks that crown its summit, the ruins of an ancient church dedicated to Saint Barnabas are visible, whose simulacrum is currently housed in the small church of Saint Anthony, in Bortigali.During the Second World War, the mountain provided protection against potential air raids on the village of Bortigali, which, partly for this reason, was chosen as the headquarters of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces of Sardinia.
Hiking and paragliding
The summit of the mountain can be reached by following an easy hiking trail starting from Bortigali. The route covers a length of 10.5 km, overcoming an elevation gain of 510 meters. The trail is equipped with a signage system.The summit of the mountain has become one of the most sought-after bases for paragliding enthusiasts in Sardinia. On 21 June 2011, the longest flight was made from Bortigali, covering a distance of 74 kilometers.