This leg of the route starts at the entrance to a town called Benitatxell where, just before entering the town, there is a road that heads towards the left, towards the mountain that you can see in front of you. It’s a hard route at this point, be ready to climb various steep ascents, but the views make it worthwhile, a great reward for your effort. Once you get to the top, stop and turn around to enjoy one of the most incredible views of the region. Here at the top, the once-beautiful summit has been taken over by the developers and you’ll find ‘Cumbres del Sol’, a gigantic, dense urbanisation. From here you should go straight ahead, following signs to the beach, but, don’t forget to take a look at the sea from the cliffs, probably among the highest in Pais Valencia. What goes up must come down, so, this is mostly downhill. It is worthwhile though, heading off track from time to time on one of the paths alongside to take in views of the sea. These are probably the best views of the sea in the whole of Valencia region. The downhill is a lovely rest for the legs (be careful, at some points you can cycle really fast…), but before you get to the sea, there is a car park to your left. It’s a good idea to stop here and walk up the little hill, to take in the views and plants and animals that live here.
Continue heading towards the sea (Take care here because it’s really steep. You’ll need to use your brakes all the way). You’ll come to a pretty cove enclosed by headland. As you look towards the sea you can see another bay which can’t be reached from here. To get to it, look for a path on the left just next to where you stopped before arriving at the beach, in the car park. On the right we can see a cave that you can reach on foot. This whole area is riddled with underground caves (one of the largest submarine caves in Europe is here) and, walking carefully along the cliffs on the right-hand side (on top of the cave) you can see enormous holes in the mountain full of sea water. This is a really beautiful place to explore, and you’ll want to spend a while here.
The return is really hard at the beginning. the first uphill will take patience using the small plate with a big sprocket, bit by bit, and then continue climbing the same road you came down on. For the very daring, before getting to the urbanisation, there is a path that leads you to one of highest point of the region, with unforgettable views. But if that’s not your cup of tea, get out of the urbanisation and freewheel towards Benitatxell. (On the downhill you’ll come across a Uruguayan restaurant, where you can fill up on roasted meat…) Cross the town, heading towards Teulada- Moraira, where you can explore some of the best routes of the region cycling through vineyards down to the sea. But you will have to wait until the next 24/7 issue…
Orange Bikes
Editor Manuel Aguilar,1
Valencia 46001
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