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The Route: Cala Goloritze, Wild Spire in Sardinia

Cala Goloritze, also known as the Aguglia or Punta Caroddi, is one of Italy’s most well-known limestone needles. The aesthetic spire draws countless climbers to Sardinia every year.

It rises 143 metres above the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Orosei inside the Supramonte di Baunei and overlooks the white beach of Cala Goloritzè in the Mediterranean Sea.

The easiest climb on the Aguglia is Easy Gymnopedie, a five-pitch 140-metre line that is fully bolted at 5.10.

It was first climbed in 1981 by Alessandro Gogna and Maurizio Zanolla “Manolo” on a windy day. They named it Sinfonia dei Mulini a Vento (Symphony of Windmills).

There are a number of ways to get there: by boat, walking the long Il Selvaggio Blu trail or by walking downhill for an hour from il Golgo, above the town of Baunei.

The last trail goes past limestone crags and big oak trees. The hike out takes much longer because the hill is steep and never lets up. But it’s worth the approach.

The Main Routes
Sinfonia dei Mulini a Vento: Up the north face at 5.10
Sole incantatore: Fully bolted north face 5.10
L’Orsetto lavatore e il suo compare: A west face 5.11 all bolted
Itu Damagoni (Il mio Veleno): A popular east face bolted 5.11
Dolce Stil Novo: Another east face line at 5.10 that is all bolted
Spigolo Turchese: A 100-metre 5.10 up the east face
Easy Gymnopedie: A 1988 bolted route up the northwest face

You can climb year-round as the Mediterranean climate is often sunny with mild temperatures and little rainfall. The south face is too hot in the summer.

Watch this short film of unknown climbers heading up Aguglia di Goloritzè.

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