Embalse de Guadalest - Collado Castells - Fuente dels Teixos - Cumbre Aixorta - Morro Blau - Beniarda - Embalse de Guadalest

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Distance: 7h35min/30km

Start out by crossing the dam wall (370 m). After the bridge, turn left on a paved road signed for Cumbre Aixorta. The gently ascending road leads through almond, olive and orange groves and pine forests. Sierra de Aixorta stretches along to the right. On the opposite side of the reservoir, on your left, stands the Aitana mountain.

When the road forks (1h) (395 m), go right uphill on a road with signs for Cumbre de Aixorta and Castell de Castells.

Ignore the road that turns left (1h17min) (540m). Further up you have a clear view of the reservoir in front, the sea behind it and the slopes of Aitana dotted with white villages: Guadalest, Benimantell, Beniarda, Benifato, Confrides and Abdet. On your left you see the gorge of Canal (Barranco de la Canal).

The pass of Castells (Collado Castells) between the Serrella and Aixorta mountains (Sierra de Serrella and Sierra de Aixorta) (1h50min) (860m) opens a panorama of mountains. Ignore the road signposted to Castell de Castells and turn right to Morro Blau and Cumbre de Aixorta. Soon you see Castell de Castells in the valley below. Behind your rise the Penya Castellet and Barranco de la Canal on the slopes of Serrella. The road keeps curling the mountainside in a pine forest, revealing more ridges, gorges and valleys. Finally you can see the whole coastline from Gandia to Cap de Moraira.

When you reach a small cottage surrounded by a meadow with almond trees (2h22min) (1045 m), you have a magnificent view over the northeast and southeast coasts.

Soon after the cottage, you find the first sign for the Teixos fountain (Font dels Teixos) (2h27min) (1075 m). Keep following these signs, and ignore the road that turns left. The road reveals Sierra de Alfaro in the northwest, Cocoll in the north and Cordilleras and Sierra del Ferrer in the northeast.

Just before the fountain, the road forks (3h) (1055 m). Go right, following the sign for Cumbre de Aixorta. Almost immediately you come to a wooden house and the Teixos fountain. Behind the house starts a steep path to Cumbre de Aixorta. When you reach a pass and a plain with fields (3h10min)(1135 m), the top (cumbre) of Aixorta is on your right.

Work up your route to the top following the red marks (3h20min) (1219 m). Look down for the fields in the south and a sandroad behind them, because the route goes on that way. From the top you have a clear outlook to all surrounding mountain tops: Sierra de Serrella in the west and next to it Sierra de Alfaro; Sierra de la Safor and Monduber in the northwest; Sierra del Carrascal de Parcent and behind it the reddish Sierra del Montgó in the northeast; Sierra del Ferrer, Sierra de Bernia and Olta  in the east; Helada between Altea and Benidorm in the southeast; Puig Campana and Ponoch in the south; and Aitana in the southwest. Behind the Ferrer opens the view to the east coast with the Cape of Moraira.

Once you are back in the plain (3h30min), take the path that leads to the fields, and cross the fields to a sandroad (3h35min) (1100 m). Turn left and when you meet another road (3h40min) (1100 m), curve right uphill.

By the house at Morro Blau (3h55min) (1120 m) you have a closer view to the coast of Altea and Benidorm than from the Cumbre de Aixorta.

Keep following the downhill road that curves left towards Aixorta. You have a nice view to Bernia. When it forks (4h05min) (1040 m), turn right, ignoring the road signposted to Morro Blau, and continue to the Teixos fountain (4h15min). 

Descend back to the Guadalest valley on the Guadalest reservoir road (6h05min).

Once you are back on the road that circles around the reservoir of Guadalest (Embalse de Guadalest), turn right. Soon you are accompanied by a sound of running water in the valley below. When a small bridge crosses the Guadalest river (6h40 min) (385 m), go left. The road climbs quite sharply to the fountain of Beniarda, which is surrounded by lush citrus groves. Pass a swimming pool on your left, and soon after that, before reaching the Beniarda village, turn left to a wide track (6h50 min) (430 m). The track descends close to the water level (360 m). A number of paths and tracks fork left to the reservoir. By keeping right you ascend back to the dam (7h35min).