“A corner of paradise”, “tropical landscape”, “a unique waterfall”, “never seen anything like it”, “a fantastic experience”, “an enchantment”, “pure magic”, “a piece of Sardinia to carry in your eyes, in your heart and on your skin forever”. These are the comments of those who have visited sa Stiddiosa, a masterpiece of nature along the course of the river Flumendosa, which falls in the territory of Gadoni, which is fifteen kilometers away, just on the border with that of Seulo, a village about eight kilometers away from the wonderful and unique waterfall.
The name literally means ‘dripping’ and derives from is stiddius, that is the effect of the drops of water falling, and – in this case – create a waterfall. Or rather, more than a waterfall, a ‘little rain’, a thick drip, coming down from a karst spring above. The drops precipitate along an imposing smooth rocky wall, perpendicular to the riverbed, characterized by enormous calcareous concretions – deposited by the continuous flow of water – and largely covered by hydrophilic plants, especially maidenhair. The spring water divides into a thousand rivulets diverted by concretions and vegetation, the result is the thick drizzle, which falls with a dense ‘drip’ in winter and ‘calm’ in summer. It ends its fall in a small lake of emerald green water at the edge of the right bank of the river, where in summer you can bathe while watching the show.
The dripping wall is an uncontaminated and wild place at an altitude of 300 meters, immersed in the narrow valley of the Flumendosa covered by woods of holm oaks. To reach it you’ll walk along a long stretch of dirt road, then, after parking the car, you’ll continue on foot – with trekking shoes – for about a kilometer of descent along a mule track carved into the side of the valley between strawberry trees and phillyrea. Below flows slowly the river, closed downstream by a dam that forms the lake Flumendosa. The path is slightly tiring, especially going uphill, but it is worth it. At the end of the descent sa Stiddiosa will appear in front of you in all its beauty.
Other magical water landscapes characterize Seulo, a hospitable mountain village. The most famous natural monument is su Stampu ‘e Su Turrunu, a singular phenomenon that includes a swallow hole, a cave and a resurgence with a waterfall and a small lake, immersed in the thick green of the Addolì forest, on the border with Sadali. While in is Caddaias, shared with the territory of Gadoni (where they take the name of sa Pischedda), the rocks, modelled by the Flumendosa – which crosses a good 27 kilometers of the territory of Seoul – appear as large basins from which rapids flow. Forau Murgia is another beautiful natural pool in the middle of the forest created by the river that also makes several jumps, generating the waterfalls of Piscina ‘e Licona. The flow of water has carved over the millennia karst caves, inhabited since prehistoric times. Water and wind have indulged in modeling the contours of s’Arcu ‘e su cuaddu, a natural dolmen, under which was excavated a domu de Janas. Other archaeological treasures include three nuraghi, two close by: the minor, su Nuraxeddu, and the major, su Nuraxi ‘e Pauli and a third nuraghe Ticci with the remains of a large village. Seulo is known as the village of s’orrosa ‘e padenti, or the rose peony, which in the first warmth of spring paints red and yellow the steep slopes of Mount Perdèdu, which dominates the town. In April you can see the splendid scenery at Sa Funtana ‘e su predi.
