Walking in Tàrbena, Hidden Spain

Flight to Alicante. On arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Tarbena, just 1 hour 10 minutes away from the airport. Here you will stay for seven nights, half board accommodation.

5 MILES – 360M ASCENT/DESCENT Castle and Iberian village circuit. Today’s walk serves as a good introduction to the layout of the Tàrbena Valley. You will start with an ascent to the ruins of the Moorish castle that dates from the 11^th century. From the castle there is a stunning 360º panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and valleys, the village, and the Mediterranean Sea. Returning by the same path your guide will lead you through the Poble D’Alt, or the Upper Village, site of the original Moorish village and where, in 1609, the first settlers from Mallorca lived. You will then follow the old mule trail that connected Tárbena with the neighbouring village of Castells de Castells. You will reach a small valley known as Benipla, from where we have views of an exceptional 300m deep ravine known as the Pas Tancat, or the closed pass. From here we visit the site of a bronze age Iberian settlement, there is nothing left of the settlement other than shards of pottery and the beautiful views of the coast, before returning to the village. The walk is 5 miles with an ascent/descent 360m.

6 MILES – 315M ASCENT/625M DESCENT Today you explore the adjacent Jalon Valley, famous for its vineyard’s, fine wines and the sweet white Mistela wine typical of the area. The route features outstanding views of the Tárbena Valley, the Sierra de Ferrer, the Sierra de Bernia, and the Jálon Valley with its whitewashed villages, vineyards and citrus groves set out in neat rows. The route starts at Picasarries a ten minute transfer from your hotel and ascends to the Coll de Rates along the old Royal Road that was the principal connection between the provincial capitals of Valencia and Alicante up until the early 20th century. The route then follows an easy footpath through along the southern flank of the valley through pinewoods with good views of the Jálon Valley. In Jálon there are plenty of restaurants for lunch and two bodegas where you can stock up on local wine.  We stop at the flea market for lunch, but you can also walk to the town square and the church with its characteristic blue-tiled and domed roof. Today’s walk is 6 miles with ascents 315m, descents 625m.

Free day and home-made paella. There are options for a self-guided walk, or a taxi excursion to coastal towns such as Dénia, Altea or Benidorm. Finish the day with a paella typical of the area.

7.5 MILES – 620M ASCENT/DESCENT Tàrbena – Font del Olbis –Tàrbena. This route comprises a loop through the northern part of the Tárbena Valley. We start by joining the old Tárbena to Castells de Castells road to climb up to a viewpoint from where you can see the entire valley spread out below you, with the Mediterranean Sea glistening in the distance. This is the ideal viewpoint to appreciate the Herculean task of terracing these mountains, started by the Moors over 1000 years ago and followed by subsequent generations. The route continues through matorral and limestone rock formations, the view to the west opens out until you reach the Font del Olbis, the name means the Forgotten Spring, and a chance to rest, enjoy the view and drink cool spring water straight from the mountain. From here we descend, on the left of the path you may see fossils embedded in the bedrock, through almond groves and then turn westwards to join an old footpath through matorral where you will see examples of the Fan Palm, a diminutive member of the palm family and the only native European member of the genus. The route descends to the bottom of the valley, passing the Font Secá or Dry Spring, and some traditional farm buildings now converted into residences, to join the old Royal Road that connected Alicante with Valencia, now converted into a rural lane as far as the Hotel Lehmi. From here we start to ascend back to Tárbena on an old mule trail, passing the delightful Font de Benisalim spring and returning to the Poble D’Alt before descending back down to Tárbena and the Font d’en Mig or the Middle Spring. This walk is 7.5 miles with ascents/descents 620m.

The Fonts del Algar are a series of natural waterfalls and rock pools that comprise the source of the River Algar. Following this you will visit Guadalest, one of the best preserved medieval fortified villages in the area, from the ramparts it affords great views of the majestic Guadalest Valley. There are two museums worth visiting, first the ethnographic museum with photos and agricultural tools used throughout the ages prior to modern farming. Secondly, the Casa Orduña museum, located in the castle, the former residence of the Lord of the Manor, built in 1644 after an earthquake destroyed the original castle. On view are paintings and furniture from the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries. The excursion lasts for approx. 6 hours.

6.5 MILES – 145M ASCENT/540M DESCENT Cocoll to Tárbena. Twenty-minute car transfer to Cocoll. This mostly downhill route starts at Cocoll, a mountain top airstrip used by firefighting aeroplanes to refuel. From here you have the option of a kilometre walk up to the summit for panoramic views of the Barranco del Galitero,  From Cocoll the route descends to the Corrals de Dalt, a series of shepherd’s buildings, and the site of the former lake that occupied this shallow valley millions of years ago, and which now has orchards of apples and cherries. The route ascends to the pass that separates Castells de Castells from Tárbena, and then descends along the old mule trail that connected the two villages into the Bixauca Valley. This valley is valued by the villagers for its wide and easily cultivated terraces and is considered as the best farmland in the area. On the final section of the route on the descent into Tárbena, there are panoramic views of the coast and the coastal plain. Today’s walk is 6.5 miles with ascents 145m, descents 540m.

Free time until your transfer to the airport for your return flight.