Costa Blanca’s Sierra
Aitana
The carved limestone landscape
of Spain’s Sierra Aitana...
Few
walkers have heard of never mind walked in the Sierra Aitana a range of
mountains and isolated valleys near Benidorm in the Costa Blanca. The area
is an ideal location for a superb trekking and walking holiday.
“Thousands of sun worshippers have gazed up at these high mountains from
their Spanish beach resorts before turning their attention back to the
sea, sand and sangria. Yet it's only thirty minutes or so by car from
Benidorm to the traditional village of Finistrat, Sella and the Sierra
Aitana Mountains” Cameron McNeish TGO
The
area is among the most natural and spectacularly beautiful landscapes in
Spain and Central Europe, with Torridon like mountains rising to almost
five thousand feet above the olive and orange groves. The highest mountain
is Aitana (1559 m), however the second highest and most prominent mountain
in the area is the classic mountain shaped peak, Puig Campana which at
1406 metres the mountain makes a great hill climb and vantage point to
study the surrounding area.
The
mighty Puig Campana lies a few miles inland from the bustling coastal
fringes of the skyscraper clad Benidorm. Its western top looks as though a
square hole has been sliced out of it’s summit ridge.
“Legend has it that an ancient giant by the name of Roldan created the gap
because he had been told his wife would die when the sun set behind Puig
Campana’s summit. By creating a great notch in the mountain he could
enable her to live for just a little bit longer”
The
Puig is now fairly well known and well recognised by thousands of European
rock climbers who have been coming here over the past decade for some
autumn and spring rock climbing…….”Hot Rock”……to
chase away the winter blues.
The
peak is a Spanish limestone version of Scotland’s celebrated Buachaille
Etive Mor and like the Buachaille it has some excellent traditional
multi-pitch routes and bolted sports climbs.
However, the mountain should not be solely reserved for mountaineers and
climbers as several enjoyable walking routes encircle the mountain or
climb up to its lofty summits via easy if somewhat loose scree filled
gullies.
The Walking &
Views…
Puig
Campana can be climbed from several roadside parking spots and from Jose's
climber’s hut, a refuge set amid towering crags and white limestone rock
faces near the traditional Spanish village of Sella. An ancient footpath
meandered up the valley from the refuge, winding its way through olive
groves and fields of almond trees. The scent of oranges, thyme and
rosemary fills the air as you pass by long abandoned fincas (old farm
houses or crofts) up to the rough pass between Campana and the craggy
Monte Ponoch.
A
steep scramble then gives way to the summit slopes though finding the
easiest line can be tricky. Persevere and you’ll be rewarded with the
spectacular and contrasting views on either side. The unspoilt tree clad
northern slopes, the ancient Valle de Guadalest with it’s castle to the
west. To the south the sun baked prickly slopes overlooking the costal
fringes of Benidorm’s new multi-million pound theme park Terra Mitica and
Calpe with its famous rock tower. The Penan d’Ifach a 300 metre tower
jutting out from a sparkling Mediterranean sea and white sandy beaches.
The contrast is quite amazing as to the north and west you gaze over a
beautiful unspoilt ragged landscape split by long valleys that rise from
the coast and run inland, parallel to each other, separated by mountain
massifs with rocky ridges and fronted by huge crags.
Many
climbers are familiar with the sports climbing venues but few realise that
the rocky cliffs they climb on are just a small section of these
spectacular ridges and that beyond lies some stunning scrambling and
breathtaking walking. Immediately below your feet the beautiful valley of
the Barranco de L'Arc flows uphill from the old mountain village of Sella
with its great crested walls of serrated white limestone.
Between the Barranco and Puig Campana a horse-shoe shaped ridge rises in
small sharp-topped wedges, growing gradually into vertical pinnacles and
buttresses. This is the classic curved ridge of Monte Castellets. A
mountaineering expedition along the entire ridge would take about three
days, with tricky rock climbing and abseiling involved.
For
the walker there are many delightful paths and walking circuits along
these valleys and over the passes between the peaks and along easier
sections of the ridge.
The
south-west ridge of the Puig Campana has a number of long and serious rock
climbing routes and with literally hundreds of virgin crags in the valleys
it's no wonder this area has become a mecca for rock climbers yet there
are very few hill-walkers, despite many of the peaks being no harder than
the average Scottish Munro.
The
limestone mountains of Aitana offer a variety of expeditions ranging from
the technical multi day scrambling routes over the incredible pinnacles of
the Monte Castellets ridge, a technically easier but still demanding
scramble over the Cuillin like Bernia ridge which looks down over Calpe
and the Mediterranean Sea to gorge walks or trekking circuits using the
ancient Mozarabic trails. Ancient trails dating from the Islamic
occupation of Southern Spain criss-cross the area, visiting remote
mountain summits, ridges, hill top Moorish castles and tranquil mountain
meadows.
There’s plenty to see and do in a weeks walking from viewing prehistoric
cave paintings, visiting natural rock arches, teetered along narrow ridges
or even searching for the areas neveras, deep snow-pits which were once
used to make ice from snow…the original fridges.
When you are tired of all of this THEN there’s always the “sun sea and
sangria!”
The Weather &
When to Go…
This
area of the Valencian coast is known to have the most benign climate in
the whole of Europe. Winters are mild and sunny, with more than 300 days
of sunshine a year. At night however, temperatures can be chilly,
especially in the mountains. The rainfall is usually concentrated in a
very few days at the beginning of autumn, but rain cannot be discounted so
pack a lightweight waterproof. The daytime temperatures in winter usually
vary between 14ºC and 25ºC depending on altitude and orientation. These
winter temperatures are ideal for walking and climbing although, with the
exception of the months of July and August, one can walk here the whole
year round. In spring and autumn temps should be between 20ºC and 30º.
Generally the winter weather is a lot better than a good UK summer and no
midges!
Getting There…
Air Travel to Alicante Airport:
For cheap flight try Easy Jet
www.easyjet.com or if you are Scottish and want to fly direct try
FlyGlobeSpan |
