| Leave Abdet and take
the track on the right just a short way before
the bridge and head up the right junction past
El Flare crags. Ignore the hairpin turn carrying
straight ahead just after the crags, and then
the track narrows and becomes a bit vague, but
carry straight on and past a bamboo plant it
widens again and joins a concrete section (turn
right) and then a minor road (turn left). This
brings you out beneath the impressive rock pinnacle
at Confrides. Turn right and follow the main
road a short distance before taking the minor
road on the left that climbs steeply to an altitude
of 1050 metres. A few metres past the ruin at
the top of the pass take the track on the left. |
|
This rough track will take you to the
Casas Aitanas, on the way you will pass some impressive
apple and cherry plantations. Ignore the first junction
on the right, this is a dead end. At the next junction
turn right, and head along a more level section
before a sweeping bend brings this remote settlement
into view. At one time there must have been much
more activity in this area, now many of the terraces
are deserted. There is a good resting point amongst
the trees. Although you have climbed over 500 metres
so far you have still more climbing to go! Take
the track signposted Benifato (with occaisional yellow
and white stripes). This heads into the wooded
slopes beneath the Aitana summits.
Only now is it possible to see how big the summit
transmitters and masts actually are. Beneath them
are some remarkable smooth cliffs, they almost look
glaciated.
Look out for the snow holes on the left, there
are several in this aea, although they are all
quite small. Before the advent of modern refigeration
these were used to store ice (made by packing
in snow during the winter months) down to the
villages in the valleys and towards the coast.
The high point of the ride is reached at another
snow hole and the Fuente Forata, a spring with
a series of drinking troughs for horses and mules.
The next section is part of the Aitana
Summit walk. Continue to follow the track,
ignoring a couple of side tracks (one that heads
up to the right and one that heads left back
down towards the Casas Aitanas).
Our track drops quite steeply in places and
all of a sudden starts to fade out. You come
to a small cairn and an obvious footpath to
the left. Take this path (please give any walkers
priority!). The majority of the footpath section
is rideable, but there are a few steeper rocky
sections. Fairly soon you come to a good resting
point (particularly in hot weather) at a large
walnut tree and spring. The excellent singletrack
continues down past an impressive prow of rock
and onto the Partagas boulder field which has
some great technical, but never desperate,
sections to challenge you. |
|
All good things come to an end and
all to soon you arrive at a junction, either way
will take you back to the Partagas Font and picnic
area. However the decent continues, on tarmac now,
past impressive cliffs. At the next junction
turn left and follow the road to a junction, the
left turn here takes you to Confrides Castle, where
as the right junction continues traversing. You get
great views of Guadalest on this section, but watch
out for a sharp turn of the track a short way before
it comes to an end at a large house. Follow down
steeply, cutting back left through terraces until
you suddenly arrive back on the CV70 a short way
before the Abdet turn off. Your circuit is now nearly
complete, just take the Abdet turning and glide back
to your starting point. |
