| Book your accommodation |
|
|
|
|
Nature Park Carrascal de la Font Roja |
|
|
|
|
Map for the route (ED50) GPS waypoints for download (WGS84, gpx) |
How to get there: Drive on N-340
from Alcoi towards Alicante. Just before leaving Alcoi, you find
signposts to Font Roja. Follow these signposts, and drive on CV-797 some
8.4
km to the nature park and sanctuary of Roja fountain. (Roadmap of Alcoiá)
Distance: 2h45min/12km |
| The sanctuary
is surrounded by a large recreation
area. In the parking place you find an information
board on the walking routes. Walk some 50 meters from the parking area (1050 m) on the CV-797, and turn right on a concrete walkway. Almost
immediately it turns into a narrow sand
road. Follow this road, and
ignore all side roads and tracks.
The road leads to the top of Menejador through one of the best preserved native Mediterranean forests in Spain. The forests are made up of holm oak, Mediterranean pines, ash, maple and cork trees, giving way to shrubbery in the higher ground. If you take this route in Octobre, you walk through a forest with autumn tints. On your way you pass the Coloma ice house (Cava Coloma) (45min) (1315 m). This round building on the right hand side of the road is 17 meters deep. Before reaching the top of Menejador, the road forks by a water tank (1h) (1305 m). Both forks lead to the top (1h10min) (1350 m), where you have a lovely view over the river valley of Polop. Return back to the water tank (1h20min), and take the track right downhill. In two minutes you find a signposted path on your left. The abundant foliage does not let through much sunlight, and on both sides tall trees with climbing plants line the path. However, you can enjoy the views to the valley of Polop and Alcoi from a lookout balcony. The path takes you back to the sand road (1h40min) (1100 m). If you want to return to the sanctuary, go right. It takes less than ten minutes to walk back to the parking place. If you want to see the northwestern and northern part of the park, turn left. In Pla dels Galers (1h50min) (1185 m) turn right on a path indicated by a white arrow on a red square. Soon you have a lovely view over the cultivated lands of the valley. The path descends to the shade of a giant rock where it curves sharp left. Later the vegetation gets more lush. Follow the red squares and turn right when you meet a signpost with a red point (2h35min) (980 m). Soon the path comes close to the CV-797. Do not start walking on the road, but look for the wooden steps uphill. When the path come to the road for the third time, you have to walk less than five minutes on the road back to the parking place (2h45min). |
|
