Routes Along the Serra Gelada

de la serra gelada English version

Parc Natural de la Serra Gelada serragelada@gva.es Oficina Técnica Paseo de la carretera, 34 (Antiguo Ayuntamiento) 03501 Benidorm (Alicante) Tel. 966 80 75 35 - 966 80 78 79

Assistance from:

Centro de Información C/ Oscar Esplá, 1 03580 Albir - Alfàs del Pi (Alicante) Tel. 96 686 71 85 http://parquesnaturales.gva.es

Printing this material has been possible thanks to the Cooperation Agreement signed on 21st April 2006 by the Caja de Ahorros y Pensiones de Barcelona, "la Caixa" and the Generalitat Valenciana (Autonomous Community Authority) for Undertaking the Integral Management Plan for Conservation of the Natural Systems of the Valencian Community s Network of Nature Reserves.

Layout:

Benjamín Albiach Galán - Kun.Xusa Beltrán

Photography:

José y Tomás Santamaría - Benjamín Albiach Galán Equipo de Educación Ambiental del Parque - Joan Segovia

Map Design:

Pau Pérez Puigcerver source: ICV (Cartographic Institute of Valencia)

Texts:

Environmental educacion team

Printed: Legal Deposit:

Centro Especial de Empleo, IVADIS

Date of Nature Reserve declaration: 2005 Date of PORN approval: (Plan for Administration of Natural Resources)

11th March 2005

Municipalities inside the Reserve: Benidorm, l’Alfàs del Pi and Altea The Serra Gelada and coastal environment nature reserve is one of the most exceptional reserves in the Valencian Community, through being the first land-sea nature reserve in this region. It has a total protected surface area of 5,564 ha. (4,920 ha. of this is in the marine medium) and its waters contain some of the most interesting and surprising underwater areas in the whole Spanish Mediterranean, special mention being deserved by the widespread meadows of the protected sea phanerogam known locally as Alguers (Posidonia oceanica) and rocky seabeds such as those of La Llosa, with particular biological diversity.

History As is vouched for by the remains (hooks and plumb lines) found in the Tossal de La Cala site in Benidorm, the Iberian peoples who lived here already had significant fishing activity in the waters of the present nature reserve. This went on until the present time, when different kinds of tackles are used, mainly flue-type, going through ages when almadraba Arab net systems were of great importance for the coastal people, like those of La Vila, Benidorm or Altea.

In the 17th century one can find the first written references to the inhabitants of the zone, mentioned in a report sent by Vespasiano Gonzaga to King Philip II, warning him that the Island of Benidorm was the main refuge for corsairs in the whole kingdom, and suggesting building a watchtower for this reason.

After the threat from pirates had gone, in 1834 the island acted as a haven for several families from Benidorm and La Vila who took refuge here from the epidemic of cholera morbus that was ravaging the whole coast.

P. N. de la Serra Gelada

In the Serra Gelada mining activity, based on extracting ochre, has been known of since the times of the Phoenicians. This resource was exploited until the mid-nineteenth century. The outstanding view from these mountains also made it an important vantage point for keeping lookout for the presence of Berber pirates in the sea, which is why the “Punta Bombarda” and “l’Escaleta” watchtowers were built.

Cave of Elephant

B. Albiach Galán

Geology and landscape The land side is dominated by the spectacular Serra Gelada mountain range, a small but rugged range dividing the bays of Benidorm and AlfásAltea. As well as this land area of the park there are several islands, two in the municipal area of Benidorm, l’Illa de Benidorm and l’Illa Mitjana, while in the municipal area of Altea there is the island of l’Olla and La Galera islet. The elongated shape of the nature reserve is due to the range facing northeast-southwest, with the Albir lighthouse in its centre and Benidorm island and Morro del Toix at each end of it. Its morphology is very different depending on whether one is standing on the southeast slope, with huge cliffs topped by the Alt del Governador at 438 metres,

which rise almost vertically from sea level, while on the northeastern side it has much more gentle slopes.

Geomorphologically, the presence of a “hanging fossil dune” consisting of materials known as eolianites is of special importance. This formation started to originate over one hundred thousand years ago, when the sea level was lower than it is today. On the other hand, the limestone composition of the range fostered the formation of different caves and cavities through the effect of rainwater seeping through, some of these being the Cova de Far and the Boca la Balena.

Vegetation and flora The heterogeneity of the landscape has encouraged the formation of different plant communities, the most significant of these being the ones found in the dune zone of Serra Gelada, through containing endemic species such as the “Palomilla” (Linaria arabiniana), the “Llunetes” (Biscutella montana) or the Prickly Juniper (Juniperus macrocarpa), or the Corema album, a unique plant in the whole Mediterranean through being a species with Atlantic distribution, which probably reached this coast transported by birds.

B. Albiach Galán

J. Segovia

The flora communities on the cliffs also include some highly valuable plants, species which

P. N. de la Serra Gelada

P. N. de la Serra Gelada

“Silene de Ifach” (Silene hifacensis)

Rock Samphire (Crithmum maritimum)

botanists call “rupicola” or cave plants, one of these being the “Silene de Ifach” (Silene hifacensis), which is at present recovering in the reserve area, the “Orelleta de Ratolí” (Sarcocapnos saetabensis) or the “Canyeta d’or” (Asperula paui subp. dianensis).

amongst other species, by Kermes oaks (Quercus coccifera), Lentisc (Pistacia lentiscus) and Blackthorn (Rhamnus lycioides).

In most parts of the Serra Gelada one can find thickets consisting mainly of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Many-flowered heather (Erica multiflora), Juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) and Esparto grass (Stipa tenacissima) often accompanied by Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis) and some specimens of Holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia), rather small in size. There are also remains of old crops, for example some scattered specimens of the Carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) and Olive (Olea europaea).

These abandoned terraces have been colonised,

On the reserve’s islands there is a predominance of Pauquy (Whithania frutescens), Shrubby seablite (Suaeda vera) or the thorny shrub known as Lycium intricatum. On the island of Benidorm, the prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica), a species proceeding from America introduced in the Mediterranean, is prevalent in certain zones.

One of the plants of greatest ecological value is the seagrass known as Posidonia oceanica, which forms large underwater meadows of vital importance for the breeding and growth of numerous marine fauna.

Fauna

This nature area also covers one of the few populations of the bottlenose dolphin (Turciops truncatus) in the Spanish peninsular waters. This is a family group that swims and feeds fairly often in the area, included in a larger area which probably covers the whole coastal strip of Alicante province.

Through covering both a marine and a land medium, the diversity of animals that can be seen in the park is very great, covering all the major groups of fauna, from small invertebrates, fish and large mammals. The plentiful variety of commercial species in its waters has been well known since times immemorial, which has made these highly appreciated fishing zones for the inhabitants of coastal villages, especially the deeper waters around the Island of Benidorm, where at present the submerged promontory known as la Llosa has great renown in the diving world.

As regards the land fauna, the group of sea birds is significant as they have major breeding zones on the reserve. The Storm-petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis), nesting on Mitjana and Benidorm islands, has one of the breeding colonies of greatest size in the western Mediterranean on the latter, with over 500 couples.

Storm-petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis) José y Tomás Santamaría

José y Tomás Santamaría

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Polop

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Illot de la Galera

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Rio

La Nucia

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Illot de la l’Olla

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Altea

L’Alfàs del Pi

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Platja del Racó CV-

Minas de Ocre AP -7

Albir Lighthouse

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Boca de la Balena

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Alt del Governador

Benidorm

Illa Mitjana La Cruz

Torre de la Cala del Tí punta del Cavall Ximo

Mediterranean Sea

Illa de Benidorm E: 1/85.000 0

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4.000 m

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Punta de l’Esparralló 2

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Barreta de les Mines

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Route 1: The

Albir lighthouse

Length: Duration: Maximum ascent: Accessibility: Difficulty:

5 km (there and back) 1h 30 mm to 2 hours 112 metres Asphalted route. Hiking.

Bicycle tourism.

Wheelchairs.

Low

Starting from El Albir information point (Alfás del Pi) (1), go up the street known as “Camí de la Cantera”, which, as its name indicates, ends up in an old quarry from which stone was dug; but do not go as far as this and turn to the left down “Sirio” and “Neptuno” streets, until you come to a car park where one of the entrances to the Nature Reserve, the Albir lighthouse path (2) is located. A few metres further on there is a small picnic area (3).

The Albir lighthouse

P. N. de la Serra Gelada

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10

From this point the yellow route 2 leads off towards the crest of the Serra Gelada (4).

“Caleta del Metge” and vantage point Go along the asphalted track to a tunnel through the mountains (7), but before you get there on the right there is an earthen track (5) along which you can go down to a small cove known as “Caleta del Metge”, and a little after this there is a circular vantage point which gives you a wonderful view of the entire Altea bay, with the Penyal d’Ifach (6) in the background, surrounded by the spectacular mountains which envelop this corner of the Marina Baixa When you get to the mouth of the tunnel (7), you will find another vantage point, smaller than the previous one (8).

“La Mina” ochre mines and cove Go on towards the lighthouse and after 300 metres you will come to the path (9) which gently drops towards the mines, originally Phoenician and later exploited by the Romans, from which the ochre used as a colorant was extracted until well into the last century, when it fell into disuse through the usage of new substances for this purpose.

The “Boca de la Balena” At about 500 metres from the tunnel you will reach a curve in the track (10). If you look up to the right from here you will see a large natural cavity known as “Boca de la Balena (The Whale’s Mouth)” or “Cova de Bou” (Bull’s cave) in the shady part of the mountain.

The Serra Gelada, and the Illa Mitjana

P. N. de la Serra Gelada

El Albir Lighthouse At the end of the road you will come to El Albir Lighthouse, (12) to which access is not allowed.

Just before you get there a small rise leads you to the edge of the cliff, from which there is a good view (11).

L’Estufador 1 3

Punta de la Pila 2

Morro de San Jordi Illot de la Caleta B. Albiach Galán

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5

L’Illa Mitjana

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illa Mitjana

Route 2: Crossing

the Serra Gelada

6 7

Length: 8 km (only one way) Duration: from 4h to 4h 30 min Maximum ascent: 438 metres Accessibility: Only suitable for hikers.

Difficulty: Moderate-high.

The lack of any freshwater springs on the way means that plenty of water has to be taken with you. The route covers steep upward and downward slopes, which can be avoided by taking branches keeping more to the level.

El Morret Negre

8

9

Cantal Roig 11

The route starts from El Albir picnic area (1), on route 1 (red), with a constant upward zigzag which starts with stone stairs as far as the road for access to the relay station and antennas (3), going beside an old quarry (2).

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Coves de Paltra

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1

4 2

3

Cala Almadrava

“Alt del Governador” At the end of this track you will reach the highest point on the Serra Gelada (438 m), where you will find a telecommunications relay station.

Going on downwards along an asphalted track you will link up with the path again (4). Almost at the edge of the cliff you will find a geodesic vertex (5), from which you can see the majesty of these sheer precipices, seeing the yellow-legged gulls wheeling hundreds of metres below your feet, looking really tiny.

“L’Illa Mitjana” The route across the range goes on with continuous ups and downs, going by the ruins of an old coastal vigilance house (6) and a small cistern in the river bed (7). Half way along you will find a spot where there is a small pine spinney which is a good place to take a short rest (8), while you enjoy a beautiful view of “Illa Mitjana”.

The cross The last section of the mountain that the route covers goes over a last rise from which you can again see the cliffs (9). From this point you must pay attention so as not to miss the track that goes between the low vegetation or bare rock. A few minutes later you come to a cross (10) located over the Raco de l’Oix, from which an asphalted path starts out (11) connecting up with itinerary 3 (blue).

Cala Ti Ximo

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Route 3: “Punta del Cavall” or“Punta de la Escaleta “ Length: Duration: Maximum ascent: Accessibility: Difficulty:

5.2 km (there and back) plus 700 m of the Cala del Ti Ximo.

From 2h to 2h 30 min 75 m Asphalted route. Hiking.

Bicycle tourism.

Wheelchairs.

Low

The route starts at the end of Levante beach (1), at the slope which leads to hotel Benikaktus, in Alcalde Manuel Catalán Chana street Along the asphalted road you should leave the crossroads that goes to the cross on the left (route 2, yellow) and go on as far as a turn-

ing (2) which drops to the Punta Llisera vantage point and the Cala del Ti Ximo.

can be visited. Fishing with rods and spending the night there are not allowed. Domestic animals cannot be taken onto the islet.

“Cala del Tio Ximo” This is a peaceful Mediterranean cove, relatively separate from the busy beaches of the centre of Benidorm. Beside the beach you can see the old ochre mines (4), where, not so long ago, Ti Ximo and his mules worked away.

Illa Mitjana.

Access is not allowed. Sailing around it must always be at a speed of under 3 knots.

Watchtower Go back to the road and on the right-hand side you should take a road with restricted access to motor vehicles (3), from which you should head towards the Punta del Cavall, where there is a 17th century watchtower (5). From this point

Illa de Benidorm.

Visits are allowed (though it is not allowed to take domestic animals on to the island) but fishing with rods from the island and spending the night on it are forbidden. Sailing around it must always be at a speed of under 3 knots.

you can see one of the best views of the cliffs of Serra Gelada and very close to these Illa Mitjana.

Both this point and the Punta Bombarda, in El Albir, are excellent viewpoints, which is why in medieval times they built the watchtowers from which the people could be warned of the presence of Berber pirates.

Marine area of Morro del Toix Sailing is allowed always at a speed under 3 knots.

Public use The reserve is governed by specific legislation (Planning System for the Natural Resources of the Serra Gelada and its coastal environment -DOGV 16/03/2005) which includes the planning of the area covered by the park, distributed into zones with different degrees of protection and their uses and activities. The different zones can be seen on the enclosed map and some general norms are summed up below: L’Olla and la Galera islets.

Only a small part of the shoreline of Illot de l’ Olla

Serra Gelada.

Hiking and bicycle-tourism is allowed along the established itineraries.

Accesses Benidorm Information Point and Benidorm Island The best way to find this centre, located in the old town centre of Benidorm, very close to the port and nautical club, is to look for these. You can access the town centre from different roads whether you come from the N-332 or from the AP-7 motorway. The most convenient way is to come in from the south along the Avenida de la Armada Española by Poniente beach. Go right along this and up Avenida Jaume I; when you come to the first traffic light, turn right along Calle Marqués de Comillas until you reach the Avenida de los Almendros, and there you are forced to turn right and go down to the start of the Elche Park, where the

Avenida de la Carretera starts on the left-hand and the reserve's information point is located.

On the way in to Elche Park, there is a small street leading to the port and from there you can take one of the passenger boats known as "golondrinas", to get to the Illa de Benidorm.

El Albir Information Point and El Albir Lighthouse On the N-332 just by a well-known supermarket, you should turn towards the sea at the traffic lights where you will see a sign saying "Playa del Albir". Go on along the Avenida del Albir as far as the information point at the beginning of Calle Oscar EsplĂĄ which you will see on the left in a house surrounded by a garden and fence.

Access to the reserve from this centre is easy, by taking the "CamĂ­ Vell del Far" which you have left on the right when you went into the street with the information centre.

Rules Do not leave the marked paths to take short cuts

Dogs must be on a leash

No picking flowers and plants

Do not bother or catch any animals

Do not drop litter in the reserve. Use the litter bins

No camping in the nature reserve

No motor vehicles allowed on the tracks

It is strictly forbidden to light fires

Please do not make noise