Alicante North
Famous for its Costa Blanca beaches, Alicante has a less heralded but arguably more impressive resource – its mountainous interior. The north of the province has some terrific summits. Behind Benidorm there is volcano-like Puig Campana (1,408 metres); flanking the Guadalest Valley, the sweeping line of peaks includes Mallà del Llop (1,361m) and Pla de la Casa (1,379m); and my favourite, the long lumpy ridge of Aitana with the highest point in the province at 1,558m. There are some fantastic routes, including the trans-Alicante GR-330, the GR-7 which enters from Valencia and leaves to Murcia, and a plethora of waymarked short-distance walks on the PRs.
Aitana – the direct route
At 1,558 metres, Aitana is the highest summit in Alicante. This enormous lump of a massif is my favourite spot in the province – and one I return to on a regular basis for lots of reasons. The walk outlined here is on the north-west side of the mountain, which is a...
Hell’s ravine
The PR-CV 147 footpath takes in one of Alicante province’s most spectacular geographical features; the Barranco del Infierno (hell’s ravine). On most days of the year the infamous, sheer-sided gulley belies its fearsome name – and walkers admire the towering rock...
Montgó from the sea side
This is the easiest and most frequented route up Montgó, the enormous lump of rock which stands between Jávea and Denia. It rears up just behind the coast and the elongated mountain snakes inland, eventually petering out after several kilometres. The route up from the...
Montgó – the back route
The most popular route up the Montgó is from the seaward end. But there is another footpath, which starts on the other side of the mountain, near the village of Jesús Pobre. There are always different ways of climbing a mountain – longer, easier, different features to...
Two ravines to Mallà del Llop
This ascent of Mallà del Llop – up two fantastic ravines to get to the summit at 1,361 metres – is a route that would not be out of place in any of Spain’s great mountain ranges. It is a fantastic walk and one of my favourites in Alicante province. Starting in the...
A tour of the Bèrnia
The PR-CV 7 waymarked footpath is sometimes referred to as the ‘Volta a Bèrnia’ (tour of the Bèrnia) – because it traces a route around the mountain. The circular hike takes place at a good height, starting at 600 metres above sea level and reaching a highpoint of...