Walking Spain

This is the beginning of a long journey. The first stage of this journey takes me from Alcoy to Bocairent. To get to Bocairent, you cross over Sierra Mariola which is a beautiful natural park. It is very well-maintained. The traditional GR7 route is over 30 kms long and you go up Montcabrer (a literal translation would be “goat mountain”), one of the highest peaks in Alicante. You also go past a pretty village, Agres, with a large monastery. On this route, there are ice caves (caves for producing ice).

The route I have taken is shorter just over 20 kms and, more importantly, you go up once and down once. Once you have climbed up through the spectacular gorge (Barranc del Cint) at the outset of the trail, you come to a plain that sits at about 950 metres above sea level. Although you are quite high up, most of the trail is through forest. This is one of the many joys of this route. It is amazing how rich and fertile the land is at this height. There are also magnificent old farmhouses spotted here and there, along with Saint Barbara’s hermitage. My route could be done in spring/summer although I have done it in January. I would highly recommend walking in Spain in mid-winter. As it is nearly always sunny, even if temperatures are low (freezing), the sunshine will keep you warm. The more traditional GR7 route would be hard in the summer as you are exposed to the elements a lot of the time.

The climb up through the gorge is about 2 kms and the climb down to Bocairent is a bit longer around 5 kms. The views of Bocairent, an old arab town, are magnificent. So, you walk about 13 kms on a relatively flat plain. Of course, there is some climbing to be done but, overall, it is an easy tranquil walk.

You can check out the route here:

https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/alcoy-bocairent-123659562