BENIDORM: SERRA GELADA NATURAL PARK
INTRODUCCIĂ“N: Serra Gelada Natural Park in the district of Marina Baixa, is the first marine park land in the Valencian Community. The Serra Gelada is a unique example in the context of the southern coastal mountains of Valencia. Formed by an impressive relief that rises abruptly from the flat city of Benidorm, L'Alfas del Pi and Altea, the mountains are located in the coastline, with the cliffs of over 400m and contains unrepeatable examples of vegetation of important value and fossil dunes. In addition, the area shares various endemic flora with neighboring Penyal d'Ifac
The presence of many species of fish in the sea, crustaceans and other invertebrates that are the right conditions to thrive, binds to its natural value an undeniable economic interest in the character of the fishery resource. But the major uniqueness of the area is probably the fact that these exceptional natural conditions exist in a highly frequented tourist area thanks to the presence of the sea and the coast that the main attractions of this economic sector. Hence the idea of the Natural Park as an ideal place for achieving the objectives of this space, based on the need of harmonizing the economic development with resource conservation and natural space values.
ITINERARIES 1- Itinerary marine
Serra Gelada Natural Park is mainly water, with its 4920 ha of sea. Hence, one of the most attractive ways to discover this natural space is navigating the waters with some kind of a boat. Within the park area , we can find a total of five ports (two of them sporting and fishing), from which you can access its marine area. From the port of Benidorm you can visit the island of the same name and "Illa", taking a boat known locally as "swallow" or "passejadora." Once on the island, we go through the path that will lead us to its summit and from which we will have a privileged view of much of the district of Marina Baixa.
2- Itinerary “Punta del Cavall”
Distance: 5 miles (round trip) Duration: 1 h 30 m to 2 hours Maximum Altitude: 112 meters Accessibility: Asphalted road. Hiking. Cycling. Wheelchairs. Difficulty: Easy Meeting point: Albir
Point 1 We start the tour at the end of the Levante beach. On the slope leading to the hotel Benikaktus in Calle Mayor Manuel Catalan Chana. Using the paved road, we will turn left going to the cross (route 2, yellow) and proceed to find a detour down to the viewpoint of the Punta Llisera and Ti Ximo Creek. Point 2 "You Ximo Creek." We are in a quiet cove Mediterranean relatively remote from the bustling beaches of the town center. Along the creek we see ancient ocher mines. Point 3 We go to Punta del Cavall, where a watchtower of the seventeenth century is located. Point 4 Watchtowers. We return to the road and on the right we access a road with restricted access to motor vehicles. Point 5 From this point you see one of the best views of the cliffs of Serra Gelada and very close to them, Illa Mitjana. Both these points as the Punta Bombarda in Albir, are excellent vantage points,
3- ITINERARY “ALBIR LIGHTHOUSE”
Distance: 5 miles (round trip) Duration: 1 h 30 minutes to 2 hours Maximum Altitude: 112 meters Accessibility: asphalted road. Hiking. Cycling. Wheelchairs. Difficulty: Easy Meeting point: Albir
Point 1 We will start on the street "Cami de la Cantera," which as its name suggests ends in an old quarry from which stone was quarried, but we should not get to this point and we must turn left in the streets "Syrian" and " Neptune, "until we reach a parking lot and find one of the Natural Park entrances, the path of Albir lighthouse. Point 2 A few meters ahead there is a small recreational area. Point 3 From here, we will also take the route 2 (yellow) that climbs to the crest of the Serra Gelada. Point 4 "Caleta del Metge" and gazebo. We head down the asphalted road to a tunnel in the mountains (7), but before reaching the right hand side there is a dirt road by which we can come down to a small cove "Caleta del Metge." Point 5 Shortly after that there is a circular balcony that shows a magnificent view of the bay of Altea in the background where you can appreciate Penyal d'Ifach in Calpe. Point 6 Tunnel. Located within spectacular mountains that surround this corner of the Marina Baixa. Point 7 Upon reaching the mouth of the tunnel we can find another viewpoint, smaller than the last one. Point 8 Mine Creek ocher and "La Mina". We continue to the lighthouse and after traveling 300 meters, we find the trail that descends gently to the mines of Phoenician, when it fell into disuse by the use of new substances for this activity ..
Point 9 The "Mouth of the Balena" Point 10 Where you can see in the shade of the mountain a natural hollow known as the "Mouth of the Balena" or "Cova de Bou". Point 11 Just before the lighthouse, a short climb brings us to the edge of the cliff from where you have a good view. Point 12 Albir lighthouse
4- ITINERARY GEOLOGIC The Serra Gelada is a small mountain range of NE-SW orientation which separates the bays of Benidorm and Altea. It is characterized by an asymmetrical profile, which is evident throughout 6 km. The flank is an impressive steep coast, heavily dissected by the drainage network. The origin of both the highlands and the islands of the Mitjana and Benidorm are tectonic, probably early Pliocene. The wall is composed of materials of different resistance to erosion, such as calcareous sandstones with calcareous, more resistant, or marl, more erodible. This gives the cliff
in a characteristic morphologies alternating succession of cliffs and slopes that make it a unique landscape. Moreover, the island of l'Olla belong toTertiary age, Paleogene, and it is a flat island consisting mainly of an ancient marine terrace. What is also interesting are karstic caves that extend along the mountains, among which you can find the Far Cova de l'Albir, recently explored, and remarkable due to the presence of stalactites and stalagmites inside. The nature reserve covers a marine area and it also has a generally moderate slope with a broad plain between the isobaths of 15 and 30 m, which represent the largest area. The faces of the cliffs of Serra Gelada and seabed Toix have steep slopes, and they can reach the 20 meters. Among the most remarkable underwater features, we can distinguish the rocky reef, located in the south of the island of Benidorm, known as Llosa. The western foothills of the Serra Gelada, formed by the Tossal enclaves of La Cala, Punta Canfali and the very same island of Benidorm, are a lowlying sandy area leading to the beaches of Llevant and Reporter. • Points of special geological interest: - In the mountains: The cliff itself, fractures along the cliff, among which are the flaws of Punta de l'Escaleta and Punta de l'Albir, the presence of eolianites and fossil dunes, the caves, in particular "the mouth of the Whale" for its stalactites and stalagmites, and trace fossils distributed in the Cretaceous column of the area. - In the Illot Benidorm: the island itself, because of its profile and dip that reveal the structural continuity of Serra Gelada, that helps understand the landscape. -The fault of the Punta Bombarda. Geological description The Punta Bombarda fault is a normal fault with a vertical leap of about 180m. Activity: Make a diagram showing the movement of the blocks of the fault.
Activity: Note the abundance of tractive structures. Draw any of them.