Cuscionu Plateau: Punta di Ghjavingnolu

Park in the car park at the Refuge de Bucchinera.

(S/E) Continue along the track on foot until you reach a gate. Turn left, before the gate, onto the path that descends towards the stream below. Cross the stream and continue along the path. You will reach a crossroads and a wooden sign indicating Punta di Ghjavingnolu.

(1) Turn right and, about a hundred metres further on, cross a small gully on the slope. Continue along the path marked by cairns. You will reach the junction with the Water Trail (Violu di l’Acqua) and the Avinta di Ghjavingnolu.

(2) Follow the yellow markings to the left. Join the Avinta di Ghjavingnolu. You will then reach another junction.

(3) Head in the direction of the wooden sign for Punta di Ghjavingnolu. Leave the yellow markings and follow the cairns. The path climbs through the scrubland before reaching the ridge. Continue on to reach the summit of Punta di Ghjavingnolu, marked by a large cairn. Carry on a little further to reach the start of the descent.

(4) Begin this descent and you will soon reach the junction with the yellow-marked path.

(5) Leave this marked path and follow the cairns, cross a large pozzine and then come out onto an old track before reaching the junction you passed on the way up.

(1) Turn right and retrace your steps along the route you took on the way there to return to the car park at the Refuge de Bucchinera (S/E).

Please note: to reach the car park at the Refuge de Bucchinera, which is the starting point for the hike, you will need to take a 12 km track from the village of Quenza. As the track is in very poor condition (numerous potholes and ruts), it will take between 45 minutes and an hour by car to reach the car park. The building is currently disused. There are no toilets, no water supply and no catering facilities. You must not drive through the barrier or continue along the track. You will need to follow the signposts and cairns (piles of stones). Please do not add stones to the cairns. Only the section between (2) and (3) is marked with yellow markings. This path is not open to mountain bikes. Mountain bikes must remain on the main track.
Always check the current and forecast weather conditions so that you can pack your rucksack accordingly.
The weather can deteriorate rapidly on the Cuscionu plateau (thunderstorms, rain, hail, strong winds and fog), which can lead to a drop in temperature and make the hike more difficult. Stay alert. It can get very hot.
There are no water sources along the route. Remember to take a sufficient supply of water for each person.
Wear appropriate clothing for mountain hiking (walking or trail running shoes).
Please behave in a way that respects the mountain environment: be discreet (drones are prohibited), keep the area clean (take your litter and rubbish away with you), keep your dog on a lead, do not plant parasols on the pozzines, do not use walking sticks on the pozzines, and be considerate. This is not a picnic area but a protected natural site where wild camping is prohibited (including in the car park).