|
Walk from Benimassot to CV-720 (715 m) and turn left towards Facheca. Follow
the white-yellow waymarks. Turn left uphill to a narrow asphalt road with wooden
signs (8min) (730 m).
At the next junction, turn right (15min) (760 m). The road descends to Vella
fountain (Font Vella) surrounded
by tall trees (20min) (740 m).
The white-yellow waymarks would lead you from the fountain to Tollos, but if
you do not want to visit this town, keep straight ahead. Do not turn left. Cross
the CV-713, and you encounter an information board (23min) (750 m). Continue straight
on. The narrow asphalt road leads through almond groves to a small clearing (35min) (750 m). Do not turn
right just before it. Cross the clearing to a path that starts zig-zaging
downhill.
When the path joins a track, turn right (45min) (710 m), and when you come to
signposts (46min), turn left for Castell de Castells. The track
follows the gorge of Paet.
At the next fork (57min) (670 m), turn right downhill. You pass the ruins
of a house and areas of
planted forest on the slopes. Soon another track
forks right downhill (1h05min) (660 m), and you see signs in front of you. By
the signs, go for Castell de Castells. The track peters out into a path that
leads to the Barranco
Malafi. On the slopes of the gorge you find interesting rock
formations, some with sharp crests.
Some fifty meters before a concrete dam
wall, you see a small pile of stones
(2h) (525 m). Here the path climbs to the left slope, and takes you through an
almond grove to a narrow asphalt road between almond groves and rocky
hills (2h12min) (510 m). Turn right.
Walk some thirty minutes on the road.
On your left you find caves
with cave paintings that were found in 1980. A path, which has a white-yellow
waymark, but is difficult to
detect, ascends uphill to the right (2h42min) (450
m). On the left side of the road, there is a house, almost opposite to the path.
The path used to have a sign for Espalda fountain (Font de Espalda), but it is
no longer there.
The path ascends to an almond grove (2h53min) (485 m), circles to its upper
end and widens to a track. When the track forks (2h55min) (490 m), go right
uphill. Soon you see a house on the right hand side. Bend towards the house
(2h58min) (515 m). Above
the house, the track curves left and starts to ascend
gently.
The track meets another track on which you turn left downhill (3h02min) (550
m). When you come to a narrow asphalt road (3h10min) (530 m), turn right uphill.
The road passes the Espalda fountain (3h20min) (590 m), and, soon after that,
you encounter signs on the left side of the road (3h25min) (600 m). Take the
path downhill for Castell de Castells.
This beautiful path trimmed
with stones curles the lower
slopes of Alfaro and then descends to the Castells
river, which is usually dry. By a concrete dam wall (3h50min)
(485 m), it crosses the river bed and ascends to a track that follows the
CV-720. The track narrows to a path, then widens again, crosses the river bed
and comes to an asphalt road (4h10min) (500 m). Turn left.
When you come to a cross roads (4h15min) (495 m), you find a signpost
"Benimassot 10,8 km" pointing to the right.
However, if you want to visit Castell de
Castells, go straight on. It is only
one kilometer to this town, where you can eat and also stay overnight, if you decide to
continue the walk next day.
Following the sign for Benimassot ignore the tracks that lead to the groves,
pass a fountain on your right, and fork right to a track (4h32min) (515 m).
Ignore the first track that forks left, but when the track forks again, go left
(4h35min) (520 m).
The track crosses a river bed and takes you to an ascending path on your left
by a water pool
(4h38min) (525 m). The path passes a
round stone building and widens to a track
that rises to the CV-720 (5h05min) (660 m). Turn left.
Some hundred meters further, fork right to a path with a sign for the Retura
fountain (Font de la Retura). The path comes first to an unnamed fountain and
then to the Retura fountain (5h13min) (685 m).
Soon after the fountain, the path forks (5h15min). Take the fork that bends
sharply right uphill. The path ascends along the crest
of Pinar to an altitude of 860 meters, where you can look over the Valley
of Pop. The path
descends gently to the Olbis fountain (6h) (815 m).
During the descent from the fountain you have a lovely view over the Valley
of Seta. By the ruins
(6h25min) (700 m) bend right. The path
descends to an impressive cave (6h29min) (670 m).
Continue the path straight on to signs (6h33min) (690 m). By the signs, take
the narrow asphalt road lined by almond
groves for Famorca. Do not turn left.
When you reach Famorca (6h45min) (700 m), cross the street and walk through a
play ground to a concrete alley that runs between the houses. Continue straight
on through Famorca to a sign informing you that
Facheca is 2km further (6h48min). On your way to Facheca you go through a number
of almond groves.
The track ascends to a junction (6h55min) (730 m). Turn right to an asphalt
road. When the road forks, go left. Soon you see a grassy track on your right.
Take this track (7h) (730 m), which, somewhat later, turns into an asphalt road,
joins the Cami dels Figuerals after the water purification plant, and crosses a
track. At this point, you have a sign for
Benimassot (7h08min) (745 m).
At the Espirit Sant
fountain, fork left. Do not continue
straight on. The underpass ascends to an information board
on the walking routes of Facheca
(7h13min).
Turn right, and walk on the CV-720 to a hill. On the left hand side you find
a sign for "Cami de la Salem" (7h23min) (780 m). Take this road. Along
the Salem road you see the Arena cave (Cova de l'Arena) (7h32min).
When you come to a signposted track, turn right (7h40min) (690 m). Soon the
track forks (7h45min) (675 m). Take the right fork. The track peters out into a
path that crosses a creek (7h55min) (640 m), and ascends on the opposite side to
a concrete road (7h58min) (665 m). Turn right, and, after a couple of minutes,
left to an asphalt road.
After that, turn left again to another asphalt road (8h05min) (690 m) and
then right to a track (8h07min). The track comes to the CV-720 (8h11min). Turn
right and walk to the Benimassot junction (8h15min).
|