El Miserat and Castell de Gallinera

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Route: El Miserat and the Castell de Gallinera - with variations Sketch Map

Landmarks

Description

Time

Start

0 Bar to 1 start of footpath up the ridge

Walk past the left side of the bar where there is a sign about rural road development and the Cami Font de la Mata.Turn right behind the the bar, and head towards the ridge. You pass a fenced compound on the right with green and white waymarks painted on the wall. After 4 minutes the road forks. Take the right fork which is a concrete track leading upwards through cherry orchards. After another 3mins turn left onto a driveable dirt track and almost immediately (5m) take a well-defined footpath on the left. Note waymarks on the wall on the right. The footpath zig-zags up through shady oak and carob woodland. After 10 minutes it links up with a driveable track which flattens off and heads east (left) above cherry orchards. After about 5 minutes look out for the next landmark: a group of cherry trees on the right , soon after which the road widens. From this wide area there is a footpath leading up to the right. It is marked with a cairn.
0 hours, 35 minutes

1. Start of footpath to 2. ridge top

The path is a mozarabic trail with well defined steps. It zig-zags upwards. As you gain height there are good views of the Castle of Gallinera and the sea beyond. The path passes through a pine copse and beneath some magnificent cliffs before finally reaching the crest of the ridge. A ruined finca some 50 metres from the crest makes a good place to stop and rest.
1 hours 40 mins

2. Ridge top to 3. forestry track
From the ridge crest look left towards the rounded peak of El Miserat topped with communications antennae. You will see a sizeable cairn and indistinct path. Follow this path along the boulder strewn ridge until you intersect a broad forestry track

From here there are three main options:
2 hours 0 minutes

A: From 3. forestry track directly to 6. castle
A: Direct to Castle: Turn left and follow the forestry track which passes in front of the Miserat and down towards the castle. The track degenerates into a rutted footpath, badly eroded by rain. After about 30 minutes you arrive at the Castle.

2 hours 30 minutes

B: From 3 forestry track overland to Peak of El Miserat
B: El Miserat cross country: Turn right, and after 200m note a fig tree on the left. Turn left here and leave the track, pick your way across terraces then zig-zig up the rocky slope of El Miserat. After 1 hour you reach the top where there is a lookout station for detecting forest fires. Stop to enjoy the panoramic views in all directions: West up the Val de Gallinera and the undulating curves of the Foradada Ridge; East to the sea, South to Val D'Ebo.
3 hours 0 minutes

C: From 3 forestry track, along the road to 4 the peak of El Miserat C: El Miserat by Road: Turn right and follow the road around the south side of the peak where it forks at a water tank. Take the left fork up to the peak (about 1 hour) 3 hours 0 minutes

(Routes B and C) From 4 Miserat peak to 5 beehives From the peak follow the road down and turn left at the water tank (20 minutes). The pot-holed road descends gradually towards Pego with views of the Montgo and the Pego Marshes in the distance. It then zig-zags into a gully and flattens off. There is a track which branches left within a copse of trees. Note yellow and white waymarks on a rock just to the left of this track. Take this track which has a chain across. It leads towards a row of beehives, but after 50m and before reaching the hives it reaches the crest of a ridge. Here a footpath forks to the left towards the north face of the Miserat. 3 hours 45 minutes

(Routes B and C) From 5 Beehives to 6 Castle Follow this footpath which traverses the side of the Miserat with good views of Adsubia and the Gallinera valley. The footpath is narrow with some scree and slippery bits to negotiate. After 50 minutes you reach the Castle. 4 hours 35 minutes

(All Routes ) From 6 Castle back to 1 Bar From the Castle turn right on a good forestry track which circles round the castle peak and down into the valley. After 50 minutes it meets a T junction, turn left. After another 15 minutes you arrive back at the bar. During the Cherry season (late May early June) you can buy cherries at the Cooperativa opposite the bar on Saturdays. 5 hours 45 minutes
(Route A: 3 hours 30 mins)

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Marina Alta Walks

Landmarks	Description	Time
Start 0 Bar to 1 start of footpath up the ridge	Walk past the left side of the bar where there is a sign about rural road development and the Cami Font de la Mata.Turn right behind the the bar, and head towards the ridge. You pass a fenced compound on the right with green and white waymarks painted on the wall. After 4 minutes the road forks. Take the right fork which is a concrete track leading upwards through cherry orchards. After another 3mins turn left onto a driveable dirt track and almost immediately (5m) take a well-defined footpath on the left. Note waymarks on the wall on the right. The footpath zig-zags up through shady oak and carob woodland. After 10 minutes it links up with a driveable track which flattens off and heads east (left) above cherry orchards. After about 5 minutes look out for the next landmark: a group of cherry trees on the right , soon after which the road widens. From this wide area there is a footpath leading up to the right. It is marked with a cairn.	0 hours, 35 minutes
1. Start of footpath to 2. ridge top	The path is a mozarabic trail with well defined steps. It zig-zags upwards. As you gain height there are good views of the Castle of Gallinera and the sea beyond. The path passes through a pine copse and beneath some magnificent cliffs before finally reaching the crest of the ridge. A ruined finca some 50 metres from the crest makes a good place to stop and rest.	1 hours 40 mins
2. Ridge top to 3. forestry track	From the ridge crest look left towards the rounded peak of El Miserat topped with communications antennae. You will see a sizeable cairn and indistinct path. Follow this path along the boulder strewn ridge until you intersect a broad forestry track From here there are three main options:	2 hours 0 minutes
A: From 3. forestry track directly to 6. castle	A: Direct to Castle: Turn left and follow the forestry track which passes in front of the Miserat and down towards the castle. The track degenerates into a rutted footpath, badly eroded by rain. After about 30 minutes you arrive at the Castle.	2 hours 30 minutes
B: From 3 forestry track overland to Peak of El Miserat	B: El Miserat cross country: Turn right, and after 200m note a fig tree on the left. Turn left here and leave the track, pick your way across terraces then zig-zig up the rocky slope of El Miserat. After 1 hour you reach the top where there is a lookout station for detecting forest fires. Stop to enjoy the panoramic views in all directions: West up the Val de Gallinera and the undulating curves of the Foradada Ridge; East to the sea, South to Val D'Ebo.	3 hours 0 minutes
C: From 3 forestry track, along the road to 4 the peak of El Miserat	C: El Miserat by Road: Turn right and follow the road around the south side of the peak where it forks at a water tank. Take the left fork up to the peak (about 1 hour)	3 hours 0 minutes
(Routes B and C) From 4 Miserat peak to 5 beehives	From the peak follow the road down and turn left at the water tank (20 minutes). The pot-holed road descends gradually towards Pego with views of the Montgo and the Pego Marshes in the distance. It then zig-zags into a gully and flattens off. There is a track which branches left within a copse of trees. Note yellow and white waymarks on a rock just to the left of this track. Take this track which has a chain across. It leads towards a row of beehives, but after 50m and before reaching the hives it reaches the crest of a ridge. Here a footpath forks to the left towards the north face of the Miserat.	3 hours 45 minutes
(Routes B and C) From 5 Beehives to 6 Castle	Follow this footpath which traverses the side of the Miserat with good views of Adsubia and the Gallinera valley. The footpath is narrow with some scree and slippery bits to negotiate. After 50 minutes you reach the Castle.	4 hours 35 minutes
(All Routes ) From 6 Castle back to 1 Bar	From the Castle turn right on a good forestry track which circles round the castle peak and down into the valley. After 50 minutes it meets a T junction, turn left. After another 15 minutes you arrive back at the bar. During the Cherry season (late May early June) you can buy cherries at the Cooperativa opposite the bar on Saturdays.	5 hours 45 minutes (Route A: 3 hours 30 mins)