Route 6 - Valencia Region
Transcription
Route 6 - Valencia Region
RUTA6_62a71 OK ingles:rutas 02/07/10 13:40 Página 62 Natural legacy of the river Turia in the interior of the Region of Valencia Route 6 From Castielfabib to Llíria 12 11 CV -3 5 Puebla 1.839 de San Miguel ! 13 R 1.761 4 14 CV-363 R 9 * R 10 R 15 16 24 18CV-35 21 22 da 0 6 R. G ia r R R . % Ca s ti l la-La CV-354 R Re 2• 3• 4• 5• 6• 7• 8• 9• 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • Castle and Church: Castillo e iglesia Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles Farmstead: Mas de los Mudos Farmstead: Mas de Jacinto Spring: Manantial de los Pajeros Hermitage: Ermita de San Roque Hamlet: Aldea del Negrón Waterspout: Fuente del Hontanar Arroyo Cerezo Hermitage: Ermita de San Roque Hermitage: Ermita de la Purísima Mount: Cerro Calderón El Gavilán La Hoz Nature Reserve: Microrreserva de las Blancas Corral de los Pucheros Mount: Collado de Calderón Sanctuary: Santuario de Santa Catalina 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • E. de Loriguilla R R * *" ! Serra E. del Regajo dÕEspad Espadn 1.039 ! 0" %&" + CV-35 R R Turia Rio Turia 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 0&1 46 76 CV-3 * Hamlet: Aldea El Collado Hamlet: Aldea El Hontanar Hamlet: Aldea Corcolilla La Canaleja Cuevarruz Baldovar Paraje Pozo Marín Hermitage: Ermita Virgen del Remedio Rincón del Tio Escribano Campo de Arriba Country house: Caserío de Zagra Reservoir: Embalse de Benagéber Mount: Cerro del Rey Cave: Cueva del Urgacho Cave: Cueva Puerta Cave: Cueva Sarria Country house: Caserío del Collado Estrecho Hermitage: Ermita de San Cristóbal 798 Serra Calderona Ra mb la 39 $ R E. de % 1.015 Balneario de Chulilla 41 42 % Chera40 CV-395 Sot de Chera $ 44CV-377 43 $ A23 rda lla Rio 1• R1.054 ) & Tuejar R % / !" te Cas N-3 30 CV-2 11 " R 30 ' CV -3 98 0 R E. de R A-23 , -34 CV 1.023 # - Pina * 1.402 0 24 V- A R 28 C + ' R 38 1.055 36 $" R ! 37 29 R 35 Benagber 31 R Balneario de Verche 32 34 33 a i r R Rio Tu R 3, R 2 R R n Rio Pa la n cia 26 25 27 5 R g 20 23 Ro M an c ha 19 1.545 R R R R R CV-3 5 !" 0 17 CV -3 90 ua la v ) !" A ra 880 ,$" Balneario R. Mija de Montanejos res & ) + 2 N-3 30 ! R 5 7 * CV ) -20 CV -25 R . Riodeva CV -1 95 2 N-420 C E.de Arenos CV-1 95 8 a Teru el-Z 3 goza ara +" 1 / a 45 # Escorpin * ! Bridge: Puente de Barranquera Hermitage: Ermita del Loreto Aqueduct: Acueducto de la Peña Cortada Collado de Cullibres Hermitage: Ermita de San Roque Spa or bathing resort: Balneario de FuenCaliente Umbría Negra Waterspout: Fuente del Morenillo Cave: Cueva Colomera Monastery: Real Monasterio de San Miguel Hermitage and Waterspout: Ermita y fuente de San Vicente Ferrer RUTA6_62a71:rutas 29/06/10 7:47 Página 63 62 - 63 a C ad n 9 A + &1 orpin One of the principal attractions of this route is to be our visit is in autumn, the woods overlooking the able to follow the banks of the river Turia, the backbone of our journey, through the remotest places of the mountains of Valencia and the small villages that are convergence of the Ebrón and Turia will surprise us, where the poplars, black poplars and other vegetation tinge the countryside with browns and yellows. found along the banks of the great Valencian river. In the area around the Rincón de Ademuz, the river and its surroundings form one of the best preserved natural enclaves in the Region of Valencia, with large expanses of black pine and juniper. Two thirds of this area is forested and is the authentic green ‘lungs’ of the province of Valencia. Although the Turia, because of its long stretches regulated by reservoirs, does not offer that many out of the way spots, the area around the reservoir (Embalse) de Benagéber can be recommended. The beautiful countryside and the connection to the next reservoir of Loriguilla are very interesting to explore. Moving on, we head for the vicinity of Chulilla, where the vertical gorges made by the water impress the visitor. The stretch of the Turia between Chulilla, Gestalgar and Bugarra, with the final pools and ravines, offers a more modest landscape before it opens up on the way to the area of Camp de Turia en route for the Huerta de Valencia (extensive area of market gardens). In the hamlet of Los Santos, in the Castielfabib district, we can visit the church of San Marcos and what remains of the old pens and straw lofts that mark the spot. We now head for Ademuz bordering along the Turia between market gardens of vegetables, fruit orchards and almond trees. On the left we have Torrebaja with its pretty church of Santa Marina and its hermitages of San José and San Roque. The peace and harmony of these hamlets is notable in Castielfabib, Mas de los Mudos, Mas de Jacinto, as well as the tranquillity of Torrealta. Arriving at the capital of this area, Ademuz, its urban nucleus is impressive, stepped up the slope, perfectly conserving its character and urban layout typical of the sierra. Its façades climb up the hill of Zafranales, forming a latticework of narrow streets with wooden balconies and verandas. At the very top are the ruins of an old hermitage and the castle. The best thing to do is to take a stroll through the village exploring the delightful urban group and visit the 16th century church of San Pedro and San Pablo with its tall unusual square belfry. On the outskirts we can visit the Romanesque Rincón de Ademuz hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Huerta, which Jaime I had built, and is the oldest building in the village. Two The route starts in Castielfabib, also known as the small Albarracín, situated more than a thousand metres above sea level on a crag beside the river Ebrón. Its thick rough stone columns stand out on its façade and inside a mural of Mary Magdalene can be seen. This hermitage is regarded as one of the jewels of Valencian steep streets climbing the hillside will surprise us as we make our way up. At the top are the remains of a architecture and constitutes a real lesson in different artistic styles, due to the successive enlargements it Roman and later Arab, castle. Beside it stands the 13th century (although reformed in the 19th century) church-fortress of Nuestra Señora de los Angeles, and suffered throughout its history. The route now takes us in the direction of Puebla de San Miguel, but first we will take a look around the villas the remains of an Augustine convent of San Guillermo can also be visited. A curious local custom is that every of Casas Bajas, with its parish church of El Salvador, surrounded by orchards of almond and fruit trees and Easter Sunday, various youngsters climb up to the belfry of the church and, arms around the bell named Guillermina, they hang on to it while it is being rung. If olive groves. At Casas Altas, we must not miss out visiting the church dedicated to the Santísima Trinidad. Along the way, we should also go over to Vallanca, RUTA6_62a71:rutas 29/06/10 7:47 Página 64 Route 6 From Castielfabib to Llíria beautiful forested leafy landscape and spots of incalculable environmental value. The areas of La Hoz, El Gavilán and especially the microreserve of Las Blancas are places of special interest, with Castielfabib 40º 7' 28.20" N 1º 18' 7.20" W between poplars, almond trees and walnut trees. From there we can go to the hamlet of Negrón, with its hermitage of San Roque, the waterspout named Fuente del Chopo and a huge officially protected black poplar. If you wish you can go to the edge of the Rincón where Arroyo Cerezo lies, a quiet hamlet at the foot of the Cruz de los Tres Reinos [Crossing point of the Three Kingdoms], a hill so called because the former kingdoms of Aragon, Castille and Valencia converged at the top. We set out for Puebla de San Miguel by way of a mountain road with a spectacular route which opens up panoramic views of extraordinary beauty over the gully Rambla del Val. Soon we arrive at Val de la Sabina and Mas del Olmo, where we can visit a curious museum dedicated to bread, hamlets with just one solitary street to have a wander round, and some elms that are hundreds of years old in the vicinity. We arrive at last in Puebla de San Miguel on a spur of the Sierra Javalambre, in a small valley anchored in the 19th century, where many of the traditional rural ways of life are still followed, and whose district boundary coincides entirely with the Puebla San Miguel nature trees that are hundreds of years old like the Holm oaks of Chiquita and that of Los Huertos, and monumental examples of Spanish juniper that are said to be more than one thousand five hundred years old. From Puebla de San Miguel we rejoin our route towards Alpuente passing through Losilla de Aras. On our right, a narrow path leads to the Corral de los Pucheros, where the main stone building is a masterpiece of vernacular architecture. Villages and hamlets in harmony with nature On the narrow pass Collado de Calderón, at more than 1,300 metres above sea level, we leave Valencian land and enter Aragon territory for a short while, which turns the Rincón de Ademuz into an administrative curiosity, an island of Valencia surrounded by Aragon and Castille-La Mancha. This short stretch has the peculiarity of being able to enjoy the way the river Arcos flows and its crossing, which has left an impressive canyon at the spot known as Las Torcas. All of this is at the foot of Losilla de Aras, which is reached after a hard but spectacular climb on a very winding road. It is an absolutely beautiful place. Losilla de Aras belongs to Aras de los Olmos, six park. Well worth a visit are the ethnological museum ‘El kilometres away on the CV-355. In Aras de los Olmos itself we can visit the curious rectangular Plaza del Cubo’, divided into two parts, one devoted to wine and the other to popular local culture and items of ethnographic value, along with the Purísima and San Olmo [elm tree] with the specimen that gives its name to the place and is the emblem of the village. The church of Nuestra Señora de los Angeles from the 16th Roque hermitages. From Puebla de San Miguel, those wishing to can reach the Alto de Barraca, also known as Calderón, which at century, and the tower of the Cortijo [country estate] of Arab origin, are some of the places that are worthwhile 1,839 metres is the highest peak in the Region of Valencia. The path up to the summit takes us through a visiting. The large houses of the nobles, the hermitage of the Santo Cristo and the sanctuary of Santa Catalina complete the visit to Aras. RUTA6_62a71:rutas 29/06/10 7:47 Página 65 64 - 65 From Losilla de Aras we make our way towards Virgen de Gracia and the walled part of the village are Alpuente by way of innumerable hamlets: La Torre, El Collado, El Hontanar, La Almeza, La Canaleza, Baldovar, Corcolilla, Cuevacruz, Las Eras, Campo de Arriba and the most interesting, with the building where the Lonja de Contratación used to meet on the first floor, now the Town Hall, the public washing place, an old school and Campo de Abajo. All are quiet, peaceful tranquil places, surrounded by aqueducts, castles, hermitages, springs, public washing places, clay ovens for baking bread, enigmatic rock paintings… tourists will have plenty to attract their attention. In this area, and before reaching Alpuente, taking a rather complicated rural track, we come to the secluded spot known as Pozo Marin in the hamlet of La Torre. Here we discover a small valley of incalculable botanical interest in the form of a wood, with spectacular junipers and one in particular, the Sabina Juana mother of all and the largest, requiring two men to encircle its formidable trunk. Continuing on our way we come across abandoned animal pens and country houses of Pozo Marin, a group of six buildings crowning the gentle slope of the valley. Further on we come to the mediaeval aqueduct of Los Arcos, named for the 13 arches that were needed for its construction. This welcomes us to the vicinity of Alpuente. At the foot of the ruins of its fort, presiding over an impressive canyon, Alpuente is one of the places with the most history on our route. From its historic past, the village shows its urban group, which has been declared an Artistic-Historical Monument. The church of the a mediaeval kiln which now houses the Ethnological museum. In the municipal district of Alpuente there are some dinosaur footprints which can easily be visited and the remains of dinosaur fossils that are now in the Santa Bárbara paleontological museum. From Alpuente we move on to Titaguas, where the old part has buildings of 18th century vernacular architecture, the church of El Salvador from the 16th century standing out. Close to the centre of the village is the hermitage of the Virgen del Remedio, as well as important cave paintings like those at the Rincón de Tito Escribano, dating back to over 9,000 years, giving us an indication of just how long man has inhabited these parts. View of the River Turia 39º 36' 17.40" N 0º 46' 47.40" W Alto Turia, a privileged area for hiking The route that we propose between Titaguas and Tuéjar will take us to the banks of the river Turia. We will leave Titaguas on the path of the Corralizas de Canales which leads to the path of the Hondón ending up at the Caserio de Zagra [a large country house]. It is a route with dense pine forests going down towards the river. Downriver there is a stretch which one can walk or ride by bike along the bank in the wildest and unspoilt area in the whole of the sierra region. We will discover a landscape covered with pine forests that will take us from the river Turia as far as the waters of the Pantano de Benagéber marsh, one of the most beautiful and wildest sections of the entire route. The more daring can go on to the houses of the Charco Negro and of the Grilluelos as far as the dam of the Benagéber reservoir. If you decide on a walk upriver from the Caserio de Zagra you will discover a forest track with long chutes that help get past the sharp twists and turns of the river RUTA6_62a71:rutas 29/06/10 7:47 Página 66 Route 6 From Castielfabib to Llíria Turia. The steep gorges eroded by the waters of the river are spots of great ecological value. We will take up the route once more from the Caserio de Zagra heading for Tuéjar by a path with beautiful views and where it is easy to discover tracks marking the nocturnal passing of wild boars, foxes or hares, and with a little luck enjoy the flight of the peregrine falcon, the short-toed eagle or the goshawks over these hills that form the secondary foothills of the Iberian mountain system, a beautiful rugged land crossed by two rivers the Turia and Tuéjar. We reach Tuéjar by road and find ourselves in a village with the ruins of its historic castle and the San Cristóbal hermitage. On its main plaza we can visit the church of Nuestra Señora de los Angeles, a 17th century baroque building with an important bell tower. The nearby spot Azud is worth a visit. Castielfabib 40º 7' 50.39" N 1º 18' 15.00" W Castielfabib 40º 7' 40.79" N 1º 18' 22.80" W Vertiginous canyons and impressive panoramas through the whimsical mountain terrain of Los Serranos We now take the road from Tuéjar that runs alongside the Benagéber reservoir on the way to Chelva. This stretch is an area where the course of the river Turia flowing through the interior of the mountainous sierras turns it into the mainstay of the region’s water supply. It forms a water corridor, since it is impossible for people or vehicles to pass through this deep boxed-in canyon. The Turia only widens out over geologically weaker terrain, as is the case of the geological basins where the two reservoirs, Loriguilla and Benagéber are found. For this reason two early primitive settlements here are now covered by the waters. As this is an area with spectacular narrow passes, we propose a route not suitable for motor vehicles, following a dirt track starting out from the retaining wall of the Benagéber reservoir. Cars will have to go back as far as Tuéjar and then reach Calles on the CV-35. For those of us doing the route on foot or by bike, we will discover the most spectacular stretches of the Turia, with mysterious caves such as those of Puerta, Sarria and Urgacho, near the riverbed offering the traveller a really colourful riverside woodland alongside unspoilt pools of crystal clear water in which to bathe in summer. But to enjoy the spectacular scenery of a canyon means some physical exertion to climb the nearly 450 metres of hillside that takes us as far as the country estate, Caserio del Collado Estrecho, now on the way to Calles, since it is impossible to continue downriver along the riverbank. On the way up, as well as impressive views, we must take a look at the caves of RUTA6_62a71:rutas 29/06/10 7:47 Página 67 66 - 67 Simón and Cuello Tuerto, close to the track by which of the Valencian baroque. Within the municipal we go up. From the Caserio del Collado, the way down is dizzyingly steep, with the river snaking its way below boundary visitors may visit the hermitages of Loreto and San Cristóbal in pleasant surroundings, although the best-known is the sanctuary of Nuestra Señora del us. The canyon of the Turia will seem to swallow us up once more as we cross its waters by way of the Barraquera bridge. The descent opens out again into the valley of the Tuéjar, with the village of Chelva stepped up its bank. Reaching Chelva, we can take an interesting look around its old centre, declared of Artistic-Historic importance. The neighbourhoods of Chelva retain, in the centre, the stamp left by the peoples that inhabited it historically. The Arab quarter of Benacacira maintains to this day the hidden, mysterious and secluded aura of its culture. The Jewish quarter of Azoque also retains its original layout, with narrow streets and porticoes built between the 13th and 14th centuries. Each neighbourhood will surprise us with its labyrinth of streets with Arabic details, small plazas, rich displays of mosaic tiling and buildings of unusual vernacular architecture. Our visit will end at the central Plaza Mayor, but not without first visiting the cathedral church of Nuestra Señora de los Angeles there, regarded as one of the most emblematic buildings of Chelva and considered to be a masterpiece Remedio, at a very special spot. From Chelva, those doing the route by car will have to get to Calles by the C-35. Hikers and bikers can opt for peaceful rural tracks that take us through market gardens and orchards bordering the river Tuéjar and its colourful riverbank vegetation. On reaching Calles its proximity to the river Tuéjar attracts our attention. The whiteness of its houses spreads out over the slopes of the rock the original historic centre was built on. Walking its streets will bring us to the 17th century parish church of the Purísima Concepción. The population of this village, like many municipalities here, increases threefold in summer. Between Calles and Chelva the Peña Cortada aqueduct was a fundamental part carrying the water in the Roman era, dating back to the 2nd century and including daring and ingenious tunnels over the Alcotas gully. From Calles we can reach Chulilla passing through Sot de Chera, using a route along forest tracks that will take us through the most interesting and remote canyons of Ademuz 40º 3' 22.20" N 1º 17' 3.00" W RUTA6_62a71:rutas 29/06/10 7:48 Página 68 Route 6 From Castielfabib to Llíria Aras de los Olmos 40º 7' 28.20" N 1º 18' 7.20" W the Turia. We leave the CV-35 in the direction of Domeño, a deserted village abandoned for the building of the Loriguilla reservoir in 1979 and left in ruins, where the walls of a Roman castle can still be seen. From Domeño we travel nine kilometres along the road to Utiel. On this stretch the Turia canyon is surprisingly beautiful, which we ascend by way of the hill La Muela. As we climb more than four hundred metres up it leaves us with incredible panoramas. In the area around the Corral de La Balsilla we can take paths off to our left that lead through dizzyingly steep ravines, the Almoralla ravine standing out among them for its strange form. Continuing on our way we reach Sot de Chera from the narrow pass of Collado de Cullibres, in just five kilometres of tough forest track but worth the effort for its spectacular views and landscape. Sot de Chera is surprising for its enormous ravines and crevices, which house the Chera-Sot de Chera Nature Park, as well as being the site of the first Geological Park in the Region of Valencia (Parque Geologico de Chera). The village itself nestles at the foot of a huge limestone rock, the Morrón, which rises to over a hundred metres high. Its castle, of Arabic origin, declared a place of Cultural Interest, dominates the village. The church of San Sebastián Mártir and the San Roque hermitage are to take the CV-395 and at Km 43 take a rural road that will lead to Gestalger. But before that we will make a stop in Chulilla, where its urban centre catches our attention, stepped up the slope at the foot of the Arabic castle, which was declared a Monument of Historic-Artistic importance in 1981. We will also visit the parish church of Nuestra Señora de los Angeles, which was built in the 15th and 16th centuries on the site of the former mosque. But perhaps the most eye-catching thing of Chulilla is its natural surroundings; its spectacular gorge can be passed through on foot, revealing delightful views. Also in the area, we can visit the nearby Balneario de Fuencaliente, a spa of sulphurous waters that maintain a constant temperature of 23ºC, its origins going back to the 19th century and which has recently been refurbished. On the way to Llíria through the last narrow passes of the Turia Our first stop will be Gestalgar, a village with a fascinating location, at the foot of a hill and at the entrance of the last, narrow canyon of the river Turia. The urban centre is notable for its narrow streets of Arab origin. Among its monuments we find the church of the Inmaculada Concepción and a few noble houses, such as that of the also worth a visit. Condes de Alcúdia, from the 17th century. In the surroundings of Gestalgar, a path will help us to reach the From Sot de Chera we continue on our way to Chulilla through pines and fragrant thickets of thyme and rosemary, amongst others. The descent to the bed of impressive mass of the Peña María, the hill at whose feet a spring rises that supplies the village with fresh water, not before passing over an aqueduct and through the Fuente the river Turia down the hillside of the Collado de Muelas is spectacular. Having crossed the river, those who opted to do the del Morenillo. Our route continues bordering the river Turia through landscape of small hills that shelter market route on foot or by bike will have a path that takes them to Gestalgar. If you decide to drive, you will have gardens and highlands connecting Gestalger to Bugarra, where we can find some excellent spots suitable for bathing. RUTA6_62a71:rutas 29/06/10 7:48 Página 69 68 - 69 Miguel, we can see the remains of a primitive Iberian settlement. To close our visit to Llíria we can go to the hermitage and waterspout of San Vicente Ferrer, blessed in 1751. It is a very popular sanctuary to rest with very pleasant surroundings and will make a good finale to the route marked for us by the river Turia. Reaching Bugarra, after the stretch along the right bank, we find ourselves in a hamlet of simple beauty. The old centre of the village is not very extensive and most noteworthy are the church of San Juan Bautista and the alquería [former country estate of Arab origin], from the 17th and 18th century, which belonged to the dukes of Llíria. Subesquently it was converted into a noble family’s country seat and working farmstead and is presently open to rural tourism. In the surroundings we can also visit some caves like those of Vizcaino and the protected area of the Colomera cave. We continue on our way to Pedralba, on the CV-337 that runs alongside the Turia. Once at the village we will see its urban centre on a gentle slope where the church of the Purísima Inmaculada Concepción stands out, in late baroque style, and the Pedralba 2000 Museum of Contemporary Art. From Pedralba we head for Llíria, our final destination on the route, taking the CV-376. On the way, the olive, carob and almond trees start to give way to the predominance of citrus trees. Well known for its music and bands, walking around Lliría we will discover its rich historical and cultural heritage. Among all the monuments, it is highly recommended to visit the 17th century cathedral church of the Asunción de Nuestra Señora, with its imposing façade with three parts and a double flight of steps. Also worthy of special mention, the church of La Sangre, a 13th century building that combines the Romanesque with Gothic, declared an National Monument, and the Town Hall, a 16th century Renaissance style building. The royal monastery of San Miguel standing on the small rise that dominates the town, was founded by Jaime II and the Cristo del Perdon and the Archangel San Miguel are venerated in it. Nearby, on the slope of the Tosal de San Practical Information Food and Fiestas We are in one of the most interesting and unusual regions within the province of Valencia. The main feature that differentiates the Rincón de Ademuz is its forming an ‘island’ of Valencia in Aragon and Castille-La Mancha land. Its cuisine is conditioned by the climate and is dominated by the stews based on pork. To accompany them, gachas [a very ancient Iberian flour-based staple dish, made with olive oil, garlic, salt and water, can vary from a soup-like consistency to a thick cake with a crust], migas [fried breadcrumbs], olletas [said to be the queen of stews, rich with vegetables from the market gardens] and tortitas [pan-baked flat bread with toppings, a little like pizza] better known as regañaos. Among the most typical sweets we find the traditional Cocas de nueces y pasas [a sweet Valencian bun with walnuts and raisins] and honey as a key ingredient of many sweets and dishes. In the Serranía the cuisine partly coincides with that of the Rincón, most notable being the gazpachos de monte [a Church of Santa María or de la Sangre in Llíria 39º 37' 32.40" N 0º 35' 40.20" W RUTA6_62a71:rutas 29/06/10 7:48 Página 70 Route 6 From Castielfabib to Llíria rabbit soup-stew with special wafer-type bread] and the olla churra [a pork stew], accompanied by the well-known white wines with Denominación de Origen [appellation d’origine] of the Alto Turia and the reds of Villar. In Lliría rice is the principal ingredient of the best-known dishes, the most outstanding being the paellas and the arròs amb coliflor [rice with cauliflower]. This area also has good wines, and for dessert the coca de almendra [an almond tart rather like marzipan]. On the calendar of festivals in the area, the many romerías [local pilgrimages] stand out and feast days of patron saints are celebrated. Some places like Lliría have Fallas but perhaps one of the most unusual festivals is that of the Volteo de la Campana Guillermina in Castielfabib, a mediaeval custom where young men climb up and cling to the bell, which we described earlier on the route, and is conserved as a fiesta. Tuéjar 39º 45' 49.80" N 1º 2' 21.00" W Recommended time of year Any time of year is good for doing the route we propose, but it is advisable to avoid the coldest days of winter in the highest parts of the Rincón de Ademuz and the Serrania, although to see the landscape of the Rincón de Ademuz covered in snow is worth the trouble. If you do the route in the summer you must try not to do it during the hottest hours of midday sun. The scenery is enjoyed in a particularly special way from the end of January to the middle of March, when the colours of the almond and cherry tree blossom is captivating. It would be in autumn as the leaves on the trees turn to glorious shades that they will offer us an unforgettable spectacle of colour. Public transport To start the route in Castielfabib a bus may be taken from Valencia. The return to Valencia from Llíria can be done on the Metro. RUTA6_62a71:rutas 29/06/10 7:48 Página 71 70 - 71 Benagéber reservoir 39º 43' 47.40" N 1º 6' 16.20" W Recommendations In the case of choosing to do the route by bike, a mountain bike is recommended or, as a minimum, a hybrid. You should carry a good supply of drinking water whenever you can, as there are not so many water spouts along the route for quenching thirst away from the urban centres. The best time of the day to travel on the route is the early evening. There are parts of the proposed route that cannot be travelled by car, such as the access to the forest paths, to the Sabinar de Alpuente and those that connectg the Benagéber reservoir with Calles. If you want to use your car you should use main roads indicated in the description of the route. On the rural tracks where it is possible to drive the car must not leave the main path, it is much better for driving and more respectful to the land. To get to know each area in depth it is recommended that you park the car in a safe place and enjoy the walk along the designated footpaths. RECOMMENDED MAPS TO FOLLOW THE ROUTE CORRECTLY: National Geographic Institute Scale 1:25,000, sheet numbers: 612-II and IV, 613-III, 638-I, II, III and IV, 666-I, III and IV, 694-II, 695-I and II. Further information: www.comunitatvalenciana.com Information on regional and local trains: Renfe 902 24 02 02. www.renfe.es TOURIST INFO OFFICES FOR THE ROUTE: Tourist Info Alpuente Av. José Antonio, 19 46178 Alpuente Tel. 962 10 12 28 [email protected] Tourist Info Camp de Túria Pl. de l’Arc s/n. 46160 Llíria Tel. 962 79 36 19 Fax 962 79 26 61 campturia@touristinfo. net Tourist Info Alto Turia Crta. CV-35. Km. 73 46177 Tuéjar Tel. 961 63 50 84 Fax 961 63 50 84 [email protected] Tourist Info Chulilla C/ de las Eras, s/n 46167 Chulilla Tel. 961 65 79 79 Fax 961 65 79 79 [email protected] Tourist Info Llíria Plaza Mayor, 1, “Ca la Vila”. 46160 Llíria Tel. 962 79 15 22 Fax 962 79 07 96 [email protected] Tourist Info Rincón de Ademúz Paraje Los Centenares, s/n 46141 Castielfabib Tel. 978 78 32 27 Fax 978 78 32 29 [email protected]