Southern Costa Blanca Walking Group

BENIJUZAR SURPRISE

 – A  two and a half hour walk with ‘undulations’.

 The route starts along an obvious track through a wooded valley but quickly becomes fairly narrow and begins to climb. At the head of the valley, we begin to climb up a short but stony path to the top of the ridge where we have views across to the opposite hills and the valley below.

We follow the contour of the hill along a narrow path where the footing is good and eventually drop down to a wider track passing the foot of a conical mound named Cabezo Redondo, which stands alone and provides views across towards San Miguel and Montesinos for anyone who wishes to climb it but this is not compulsory.

We follow the track on a very slight incline up to the high spot on this hillside, overlooking La Finca golf course. From here we start to descend on wide but rough track until we turn to drop further into the valley. At this point there is a feeling that we are almost finished but, in fact, there is a surprisingly steep climb ahead. From the top, we take an easy track which winds its way down and around the hill to meet a road that we follow back to the cars.

BENIJUZAR MODIFIED

it is around 7-8 kilometre

The walk will last around 3 hours.

The route starts with a gradual climb up a stony path through a pine wood up to the summit of the hill. From here, we follow a narrow but good path around the contour   above the valley with views of the opposite hills.

At the end of this section, we have a view across towards Orihuela and from here we climb to the next level. Another path, following contours, brings us around to a wider track at the foot of a conical mound named ‘Cabezo Redondo’. For anyone who wishes to climb it, this provides views across towards San Miguel, Entre Naranjos, Vistabella golf course and much more but it is not compulsory.

From here we follow the track on a very slight incline and can look to the right over the orange groves to the salt lakes at Torrevieja. Eventually, we reach the high spot on this hillside, overlooking La Finca golf course.

We start to descend on wide but rough stony track until we turn sharply to continue our descent into the valley. This track has been rutted by water wash down and needs care. At the bottom we turn up a tarmac road for a short distance before again following a track which takes us round into the next valley below our initial contour walk. The road we meet takes us back to the picnic areas and the cars.  

 HURCHILLO        This walk is no longer available

A two hour walk starting with a climb to give views across to Orihuela and down towards Murcia.

 From parking the cars, we walk a few hundred metres along the main road until we reach usually locked gates which have a pedestrian access point to one side. We follow the private access road which veers left  and then right climbing all the time until it reaches the point where the water from up north which has been piped across the valley, enters the hillside. From here, we climb further on a narrow track of loose stones until we reach hard ground again near the top and pass the aerial towers.

The downward stretch gives views across to the coast and the Pedrera and is at first roadway, then loose track which eventually gives way to soft ground where fossils can be found. We cross the point where the water exits from its tunnel in the hillside and passes by canal to the Pedrera, and walk along the side of the canal for a short distance before continuing down the track through the pine forest. The track works its way through abandoned farm land until it emerges onto the road again in Hurchillo.

ORIHUELA CASTLE RUINS

 – an hour and a half walk with fantastic views of the towns and valley below.

 The walk starts as we climb the steps by the water fonts to meet the road up to the ‘seminario’. We walk up the road – notice the ‘Stations of the Cross’ on the bank, and then follow it behind the buildings where we take a track which we follow up to the ruins. The going is steep but not terribly difficult. We take the same route down but continue into the town where we can find a café or take in the old town before returning to the cars.