The mornings are always so much better to enjoy a relaxing trip into the past.

I moved to Sardegna 15 years ago and have never regretted it, apart from the fact that the summers are to long, however the mornings are always so much better to enjoy a relaxing trip into the past.

Taking an early morning mountain bike ride along the old trails of the miners, brings you back into the past as you imagine how it must have been before the mines closed. Passing through the longest walk through cave in the world at Domusnovas called San Giovanni cave. This was once a working mine as well with many shafts leading off. You can feel the past as you enter and overcome with its vastness.

As you exit you enter the biggest natural oak forest in Europe with trees much older than myself, you can’t help but think of the knowledge that they have, as the road winds way through the trees with many old trails which used to lead to many shafts or open mining. These trails would have been very busy in its mining era with horse drawn carts and later small locomotives taking there minerals to the collection point. The forest is beautiful and always fresh, even in Summer, but early mornings are best.

In the Autumn to spring you will see people collecting mushrooms as the forest becomes damp and humid, but not all mushrooms are edible so you must go careful. Some look tempting so if not 100% sure leave well alone like the ones in the photo.

I decided to take a small trail which meant making an accent of about 300mts not much although quite steep, then to arrive on an old narrow disused rail track without rails as now a popular trail for bikers and hikers.

The trail was very narrow and overgrown making it dangerous in parts for mountain bikers, sometimes you are very close to the edge, so one has to be careful.

Passing through even tunnels where the trains once passed.

Passing once again through the dense forest, where in autumn its colours are fascinating giving off relaxing vibes.

This is one of my favorite trails, which I have cycled along many times and is in easy reach from San Benedetto.

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