Route: Bernia Circuit via Forat and Fort - Clockwise
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Landmark |
Description |
Time elapsed |
| Start walk display board(0) to Fuente |
From the display board turn left down a surfaced road, which degrades into an unmetaled surface. Arrive at the natural spring, Fuente de Bernia.
|
0 hours, 10 minutes |
| Fuente de Bernia (1) to Forat | From the Fuente leave the road up stone steps and onto a narrow path which flanks the northern face of the ridge and winds its way gradually upwards to the base of the rocky part of the ridge. In the spring you can see Man orchids and Fritillaries beside the path. This path is quite steep and slippery with short rock scrambles and scree slopes. Towards the top it passes beneath a striking overhang as you reach the foot of the rock face. There is quite a difficult scramble close to the top, and it is easy to take the wrong route. Watch out for waymarks which take you sharp right, in to the mountain. Ignore what looks like a cave to the right of this scramble. The path then reverts to a regular track over a grassy plain. Note a bush on the rock face ahead. This is next to the entrance to the forat (hole). Take a last look back of the views to the North before entering the hole. The Ferrer ridge to the left; the rounded peak of Cao in the right middle distance; and the hump of Montgo in the far distance. |
1 hour |
| forat (2) to Boulder fields | The entrance to the forat is not obvious until you arrive at it. The tunnel is about 20 metres long, sloping slightly downwards. The roof is low to begin with. Short people can shuffle through in a squatting position. Taller ones may have to get their hands and feet - and backsides dirty! After going through the forat, stop to enjoy the view, rest and take pictures. Ahead you see Benidorm; and in the valley below the reflections off plastic sheets which protect orchards of Nispero trees. Then turn right and follow the path which drifts downwards and crosses an area of large boulders which have to be scrambled over. |
1 hour 30 mins |
| boulder fields (3) to Picnic area | The path also crosses scree. The path spilts into several tracks in places, watch out for the waymarks and try to maintain height. If you lose height you will only have to go up again. Watch you don't trip on the roots of the Dwarf Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis). After about 30 mins you arrive at a large oak on the edge of a scree slope. A good place to rest.A few minutes after the oak tree you start to cross a series of short scrambles and scree slopes. Finally you arrive at a large scree slope below which is a picnic area and camping site which can be reached by road from Altea. The path splits here. One path goes down to the picnic area, the other continues the circuit horizontally. Look out for waymarks here. It is easy to be sidetracked.
|
2 hours 30 mins |
| picnic area(4) to rock scramble |
Take the route which leads upwards to a fairly long rock scramble. The top of the scramble opens onto a flat grassy plain.
|
2 hours 45 minutes |
| rock scramble (5) to fort |
After a few minutes arrive at the ruins of the Fort Bernia. Take time to explore the ruins and take a rest.
|
3 hours |
| fort (6) to the large gully (7) and end of walk |
From the fort continue west. The path slips down between large boulders to the large gully which marks the "end" of the Bernia ridge. It turns north across the gully and an extensive scree slope. It joins the end of an unsurfaced road. Follow the road back to your starting point. In the spring look out for wild tulips beside the road.
|
4 hours |