Morrón manoeuvres
This circular walk goes up the highest mountain in the area, the Morrón de Campos (967 metres). There are fantastic views from the top, over the Arenoso reservoir and large swathes of the surrounding area. The route drops down to the water and crosses the canyon below...
Morrón manoeuvres; part 2
There two ways to descend from the summit of Morrón de Campos to the Arenoso reservoir. It can be done on the wide forestry track which is used by vehicles driving up to the look-out point; or via a path that is not waymarked and which runs along the top of the...
Canyon views at Alcalá del Júcar
It is the dramatic position of Alcalá del Júcar which makes it such an intriguing place to visit. The River Júcar has cut a path through limestone rock, gouging out a wide snaking canyon; the old town stands on an outcrop, high above a meander.It was the Moors who...
Going wild about mountain flowers
Wildflowers provide extraordinary vistas on mountain slopes all over Spain, sparking a rainbow of colours on green hillsides in the spring.I am no botanist and struggle to name almost all of species which excite butterflies and naturalists in equal measure. However, I...
A clerical climb; meet the bishop at 2,014 metres
The alternative headline for this route was ‘up the Obispo’, but I’ve already used something similar in another section, so no go on that one. At a strapping 2,014 metres, the Pico del Obispo (the bishop’s peak) is Murcia’s highest mountain. Standing...
Sierra de Callosa ascent
The Sierra de Callosa is the jagged lump of rock that rises out of the south-western corner of the Vega Baja plain in the deep south of Alicante province. In the area, it is rivalled only by nearby Sierra de Orihuela, which is slightly higher and slightly longer in...
Breathless at Roland’s breach
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.Mention of breaches often conjures up images of war and historical events, not least because of the immortal words of Shakespeare’s Henry V. And the one on the border between France and Spain is no exception....
Encountering the eagle
At the southern end of the long, snaking Sierra de Orihuela is the Pico del Águila; the eagle’s peak. It is not the highest summit in these mountains, but it is a dramatic looking lump of rock and it’s an interesting climb to get to the top.The name suggests...
Hail the harriers
One of the best places to see harriers in the south east of Spain is in a protected area of Alicante province.Two types of the bird of prey can be seen in La Mata-Torrevieja natural park, which is based on the salt lakes of La Mata and Torrevieja.The western marsh...
Otters on the up
Around a decade ago the authorities confirmed that otters had returned to the River Segura in the south of Alicante province. Since then, this emblematic species has started to colonise nearby El Hondo natural park, which lies in the municipalities of Elche and...
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