The 25th stage of the CAI Sentiero Italia winds for approximately 18.3 km , with an elevation gain of 500 meters , connecting the village of Armungia to the Su Niu 'e S'Achili area, in the territory of San Nicolò Gerrei . The route crosses hilly landscapes and woodlands rich in holm oaks, passing ancient mining infrastructures and traces of community life, and involves the territories of Armungia, Villasalto and San Nicolò Gerrei .
From the very first meters, the trail tells the story of mining work and religious practices linked to the area, offering the walker a variety of natural and cultural contexts to explore.
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The Miners' Trail
Related: Emilio and Joyce Lussu Historical Museum
Immediately after departing from Armungia , the route follows the old miners' path , once used to reach the Su Suergiu Mine , in the Villasalto area. This path represented a fundamental connection between the town and the mining site, and was traversed for decades by workers and local families.
After a few hundred meters, you come across the remains of a kiln for baking tiles , used in the past for the houses of the village.
The Su Suergiu mine and industrial archaeology
The route continues towards Su Suergiu, once the main mining site in the area, used for the extraction and processing of antimony between the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The area preserves the structures of the foundry and extraction plants, today surrounded by a cork oak forest.
In the mining village, the old management building currently houses the Mining Museum of Industrial Archaeology , which documents the history of work and the mining industry in the area.
Pilgrimages to Villasalto
The trail was also used by pilgrims from Ogliastra , heading to Villasalto for the celebrations for Saint Barbara , the patron saint of miners. Armungia was an intermediate stop, where pilgrims stopped for the night before setting off again at dawn.
This religious function of the trail adds a further level of interpretation to the route, which intertwines the memory of work, spirituality, and landscape.
Arrival at Su Niu 'e S'Achili
The trail ends in the Su Niu 'e S'Achili woodland, a space surrounded by holm oaks and now home to a farmhouse. This natural space represents a resting point and connection to the subsequent stages of the Sentiero Italia, offering visitors a peaceful and accessible place for refreshments.
