“You should see the light in people's eyes when they see the beach live; the photos do not represent the reality at all. Especially early in the morning, when nobody is there yet ; and people thank us for the experience they are having».
This was stated by Giuliano Gaio, expert guide of the Passu Malu association , which takes care of the excursions, in the La Maddalena National Park, in Cala Coticcio, on the island of Caprera . He spoke about it during a conference organized by the Park itself. The Cala Coticcio path is located on the east coast of Caprera; it is just under 2 km long with a difference in altitude of a hundred meters . «It is not very difficult but it is suitable for experienced hikers. In fact, most people, aged six to seventy, walk it quite easily,” explains Gaius. «It takes about 30-40 minutes but during the accompaniment it takes us about an hour, even a ¼ hour because it is a guided tour with explanations on the emergence of the Mediterranean maquis and on the protection of the environment ».
The path is located in the TA zone and is classified as being of significant naturalistic interest or in need of high protection, therefore it is not freely practicable . Instead, it is possible to do so with the accompaniment of an environmental guide. «Ours is not only an activity of accompaniment but also of raising awareness on the use not only of the paths of the National Park but on the general one of the attendance of the beaches. In August there are from 120 to 150 boats that stop in front of Cala Coticcio. And the tourists' comments are that much more needs to be done to ensure that the influx of boats is much lower».
Giuliano Gaio, among the photos illustrated, showed some of them from a few years ago , with a hundred people crowded on the beach even with tents and umbrellas: «An anthropic presence that has also produced visible and detectable damage», he commented, showing that, for example, of a small juniper that grew and is no longer there or of a bush that has now disappeared. «An unregulated attendance cannot be accepted». Along the way, the guides introduce hikers to a particular world from the point of view of flora, even rare in the archipelago, as well as fauna, small fauna and insects. "And there are also small endemisms that need to be protected."
