Tossal Grau - Vall de Ebo

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Route: Tossal Grau (Vall de Ebo) - via three potholes Sketch Map

Landmarks

Description

Time

CLOCKWISE

Start

1. Parking to 2. Corral ruins

From your parked car, continue along the road beside the river for a few metres until you see a wooden signpost pointing left labeled Travessia del Masset. Turn left and cross the river at a concrete ford (you may have to cross barefoot soon after rain). Follow the path which swings to the right then left through cherry orchards and up to join the main road. Turn right and walk up along the road for 200 metres until you see a wooden signpost pointing left labeled Travessia del Massett with green and white markings on the post. This sign is near kilometre post KM17. Take this path which winds up through abandoned terraces and reaches the ruins of a corral on a small plateau. This is a good place to rest and take a drink.

0 hours, 35 minutes

2. Corral to 3. the two potholes.

Continue on the path which now turns into a good Mozarabic trail which zig-zags up the rocky mountain-side to reach a high plateau. There ia an abandoned almond grove on the right. Look out for a lone pine tree on the left. This is the location of the first pothole L'Avenc Enmig (Enmig = middle). As the path passes close to the tree look out for signs of a rough way leading to the pothole (this involves negotiating some jagged rocks). About 30 metres further along the path an oak tree gives the location of L'Avenc Estret (Estret = narrow), which is situated very close to the path. Take some time to peer down these deep shafts. (107 and 142 metres deep respectively!)
1 hour

3. The two potholes to 4 summit of Tossal Grau
Unless you want to shorten your walk, ignore a fork which leads right (see map) and continue straight on and slightly upwards. The path passes between two rows of beehives and then swings to the left on a terrace above the bee-hives. The path turns sharp left at a cairn when it reaches the top of a ridge with a view to the north. You now head West over a fairly level area. The path dips down and passes some extensive farm ruins. These are worh exploring since they contain the remains of an old vaulted well. The path now swings towards the peak of Tossal Grau. Look for a post marked with green and white stripes. Turn left at this post to follow a side track which leads to the summit (about 10 mins).
1 hour 45 minutes

From 4 the summit to 5. the Refugio
Retrace your steps to the post and turn left. The path continues down and after 10 minutes joins another path coming from the left at another green and white post. Turn right. The path, now marked with yellow and white, dips down with views of the masted peak of El Miserat to the left (we are now on the official route: PRV58.5). It then climbs gently along the right side of a gully to reach the hut and benches of the mountain refuge (Refugio la Figuereta) at an altitude of 500 m. There is a fresh water handpump here. Take the time enjoy the view north over the Pego marshes and the Sea.
2 hours 15 minutes

From 5 the refugio to 6 the big pothole Avenc Ample. From the refugio follow the forestry track which leads away to the South East - signposted "PRV 58.5 Val D'Ebo". After 100 metres or so you step over a chain across the road. Continue on this track which winds downwards. After about 40 minutes you pass a green and white signpost on the left La Travessia del Masset (This is the short cut which leads back to the two sinkholes we saw before. From this vantage point you can clearly see the locations of the two potholes you visited earlier.). After a further 5 minutes you arrive at the third and widest of the potholes, the Avenc Ample (Ample=wide) . This is to the right of the track and marked with an information sign. 2 hours 45 minutes

From 6 the big pothole back to the car Continue down the track for another 20 metres to a copse of pine trees. A footpath leads off to the right marked with a yellow and white sign. Take this footpath which follows some telephone cables down a gully and meets the main road at the apex of a bend. Cross the road. The path continues on the other side. You descend past a farm ruin to the river-bed. Cross the river (wade across if there is water in it!) and carry on along the track on the other side to return to your car. 3 hours 45 minutes

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Marina Alta Walks

Landmarks	Description	Time
CLOCKWISE Start 1. Parking to 2. Corral ruins	From your parked car, continue along the road beside the river for a few metres until you see a wooden signpost pointing left labeled Travessia del Masset. Turn left and cross the river at a concrete ford (you may have to cross barefoot soon after rain). Follow the path which swings to the right then left through cherry orchards and up to join the main road. Turn right and walk up along the road for 200 metres until you see a wooden signpost pointing left labeled Travessia del Massett with green and white markings on the post. This sign is near kilometre post KM17. Take this path which winds up through abandoned terraces and reaches the ruins of a corral on a small plateau. This is a good place to rest and take a drink.	0 hours, 35 minutes
2. Corral to 3. the two potholes.	Continue on the path which now turns into a good Mozarabic trail which zig-zags up the rocky mountain-side to reach a high plateau. There ia an abandoned almond grove on the right. Look out for a lone pine tree on the left. This is the location of the first pothole L'Avenc Enmig (Enmig = middle). As the path passes close to the tree look out for signs of a rough way leading to the pothole (this involves negotiating some jagged rocks). About 30 metres further along the path an oak tree gives the location of L'Avenc Estret (Estret = narrow), which is situated very close to the path. Take some time to peer down these deep shafts. (107 and 142 metres deep respectively!)	1 hour
3. The two potholes to 4 summit of Tossal Grau	Unless you want to shorten your walk, ignore a fork which leads right (see map) and continue straight on and slightly upwards. The path passes between two rows of beehives and then swings to the left on a terrace above the bee-hives. The path turns sharp left at a cairn when it reaches the top of a ridge with a view to the north. You now head West over a fairly level area. The path dips down and passes some extensive farm ruins. These are worh exploring since they contain the remains of an old vaulted well. The path now swings towards the peak of Tossal Grau. Look for a post marked with green and white stripes. Turn left at this post to follow a side track which leads to the summit (about 10 mins).	1 hour 45 minutes
From 4 the summit to 5. the Refugio	Retrace your steps to the post and turn left. The path continues down and after 10 minutes joins another path coming from the left at another green and white post. Turn right. The path, now marked with yellow and white, dips down with views of the masted peak of El Miserat to the left (we are now on the official route: PRV58.5). It then climbs gently along the right side of a gully to reach the hut and benches of the mountain refuge (Refugio la Figuereta) at an altitude of 500 m. There is a fresh water handpump here. Take the time enjoy the view north over the Pego marshes and the Sea.	2 hours 15 minutes
From 5 the refugio to 6 the big pothole Avenc Ample.	From the refugio follow the forestry track which leads away to the South East - signposted "PRV 58.5 Val D'Ebo". After 100 metres or so you step over a chain across the road. Continue on this track which winds downwards. After about 40 minutes you pass a green and white signpost on the left La Travessia del Masset (This is the short cut which leads back to the two sinkholes we saw before. From this vantage point you can clearly see the locations of the two potholes you visited earlier.). After a further 5 minutes you arrive at the third and widest of the potholes, the Avenc Ample (Ample=wide) . This is to the right of the track and marked with an information sign.	2 hours 45 minutes
From 6 the big pothole back to the car	Continue down the track for another 20 metres to a copse of pine trees. A footpath leads off to the right marked with a yellow and white sign. Take this footpath which follows some telephone cables down a gully and meets the main road at the apex of a bend. Cross the road. The path continues on the other side. You descend past a farm ruin to the river-bed. Cross the river (wade across if there is water in it!) and carry on along the track on the other side to return to your car.	3 hours 45 minutes