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Molino and the start of
the walk |
North
from Albaida
by Tony Allen
This
month’s walk is an 8 km circuit around the valley of the Rio Cajula to
the north of Canillas de Albaida. It includes a good variety of
scenery - tight little valleys, sweeping mountain slopes, olive
groves, orchards and pine forests.
It’s enjoyable at any time
of year and although probably seen at its best in spring, it’s almost
equally spectacular in May and June when the oleanders which crowd the
river valleys are in full bloom. It starts and finishes near the
confluence of the Rio de Llanada and the Río Cajula a few hundred
metres outside Canillas de Albaida .
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Having parked
the car in a convenient place beside the road just north of the modern
river bridge, we cross the road into the entrance to the converted molino
on the other side. However, on the far side we immediately turn left in
front of the mill and follow a track running alongside the Rio Cajula.
Almost immediately, this track narrows to a footpath which crosses and
re-crosses the river on somewhat rickety stepping stones. The stream runs
down a tight little valley with terraces of olives and citrus and
scattered century trees on the slopes to the sides, and oleanders growing
beside the watercourse.
| Soon we pass a square
concrete blockhouse to the left on the far side of the stream and
almost immediately the valley divides (0.450km). We take the
right-hand branch, still following the Rio Cajula, and enter an even
tighter valley, with tall oleanders fringing the river and steep rocky
slopes on both sides.
Within about 50m the
path crosses the river again, marked by the first of the series of
intermittent red splodges. On the far side we climb quite steeply,
passing under a great rock overhang and skirt along high above the
Cajula for 100 metres or so before dropping down to cross once more to
the right of the river. |
Looking back down the
Cajula valley |
Now, the path runs across a carpet of spring flowers alongside a fenced
off citrus grove and a large mountain, scarred by a huge firebreak, looms
ahead. About 300 m from where the valley divided, we come to an acequia
and the path forks. We bear left away from the acequia to cross the river
yet again on some somewhat perilous stepping stones (0.750km).
The path climbs steeply up the far bank and soon joins a rough track
heading towards a ruined finca. However, almost immediately a small
footpath signed “Rio Camino” forks off to the right and we follow this
between olive and citrus groves, contouring along above the river which
tumbles down the valley beneath us. A rocky slope, covered with scrub and
scattered pines, rises sharply on the far side.
We now skirt around the head of a little side valley and climbing up the
opposite slope come to a “Parque Natural” sign, as well as another for the
Camino Rio. Just beyond is a black plastic pipeline where we turn right
and immediately left again crossing the pipe and slanting across the
hillside parallel with the river and above the course of the pipeline.
Soon however, the path drops down through a stand of pines to cross the
pipeline again, and 50 metres later, passing under a canopy of tall
oleanders, we cross the Cajula once more (1.150km).
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Terraces above the Cajula |
Swinging left, we now follow a broad path close beside the river through a
patchwork of avocados, cistus, rosemary, Jerusalem sage, scattered pines,
and at one point a stand of tall poplars. On the far bank, the pipeline we
crossed earlier runs parallel with us, while about a kilometre ahead we
can see a prominent villa standing on a knoll. We’ll pass this later.
About 300 metres from the last stream crossing, we come level with a
crumbling finca perched up above the river on the far bank. Here, the path
swings left across the stream yet again and heads past an ancient walnut
tree towards the finca.
Beside the finca, the path forks (1.500km) and we follow the left fork
climbing away from the Cajula along the side of a pretty little valley,
its slopes thickly covered with cistus, helianthemum, billowing retama and
other flowering shrubs, and the occasional olive tree. |
The white villa on the promontory now stands out clearly to our right, but
we then drop down to cross the dry riverbed and zigzag steeply up the far
side of the valley. Ignoring lesser paths on both sides, we climb for 100
metres or so until we come to a T-junction with another dilapidated finca
straight ahead. Here we turn left onto a broader path running immediately
below an olive terrace, and shortly afterwards climb up the terrace to the
right towards the finca (2.200km).
Grazing beside the
finca was a very friendly, rather shaggy and astonishingly
short-legged pony. He showed every sign of wanting to join us and
looked very disappointed as we ducked under the barrier to the right
of the building and left him behind.
Behind the villa our path joins a broad, graded track and we turn
right, slanting gently down across the hillside for about 300m until
we pass the white villa I mentioned earlier. Here, the track doubles
back sharply to the left, climbing in and out of two successive side
alleys and passing over an old iron bridge before swinging left to
re-join the main Cajula valley.
Shortly after passing
between a cluster of houses with a large water tank, the track runs
alongside a line of poplars at the end of which is a cross track
marked by a concrete blockhouse (3.500km). Turning right here, we
cross the river and bear right, following the main track which climbs
diagonally away from the river, and avoiding the smaller path which
stays close to the stream. |
The shaggy pony |
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Spanish dianthus |
Having followed the
Cajula closely for much of the outward leg of our walk, we now embark
on a long climb which will take us high above it on the opposite side
of the valley as we head back towards Canillas de Albaida.
We wind in and out of a series of side valleys, climbing steadily
through a large area of well cultivated olive groves.
Then, after
about a kilometre and a half, we join another track coming in
obliquely from the left and behind us (4.600km).
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This has come round the
head of the valley from Salares and the dramatically named Puerto de
la Cruz del Muerto. Continuing straight on, we
now pass round a huge mass of rock.
At 700 m this is the
high point of the walk and gives a magnificent panoramic view to
Albaida and the coast beyond. Beyond, we continue on the main track
for another kilometre, first dipping in and out of a side valley, and
then descending gently along the side of a long spur.
At the end of the spur,
just beyond a house with a prominent solar panel, the track swings
left through a small saddle and past a chained-off side track
(6.050km). |
The last climb up to Albaida |
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Descent to the Llanada |
Fifty metres beyond
the chain we turn right onto a small footpath marked by a stone cairn,
heading down into the valley of the Río de Llanada and towards Albaida
high on the ridge beyond.
After about 150 m we
drop down into a small gulley and follow an old mule track down into
the valley and then cross the river on an old stone bridge with a
central concrete span (6.550km).
Across the river, we
bear right climbing up another mule track until it joins a major
graded track where we turn left and shortly afterwards right at
another T junction to skirt round the right-hand edge of the village.
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Passing between a wall and a wire fence, we turn right onto a small
footpath between two pylons at the end of the fence. This path soon joins
another mule track which zigzags down the hill, past a house occupied by a
tribe of feral cats. At the bottom of the hill, we hit the road just above
the old Roman bridge, and turning right for 50 metres are back at our car.
Reflecting on the walk afterwards in one of the pleasant bars in Canillas
de Albaida, we realised that the shaggy pony and the feral cats were the
only living souls we had encountered. Had Animal Farm taken over the
Sierra, we wondered?
Getting There: Follow the main road from Archez through Canillas de Albaid
and turn right at the T junction beside the Ermita de San Anton. After
about 600 metres, just beyond the bridge over the Rio de Llanada, you’ll
find a convenient parking spot to the left of the road.
Difficulty: Easy
to moderate. A stick - or better still two - will help to cross the
stepping stones safely.
Distance: 7.650km.
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