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  Walking in the Costa Blanca

Sierra Aitana Peaks - Cumbre Aitana

An 8 kilometre walk amidst spectacular surroundings. Boulder fields, springs, snow stores (Nevaras), rock crevasses, and sheer cliffs are just some of the features of this great route.

The starting point is the car park at Fuente Partagas. This spring and picnic area is approached via driving into Benifato and then turning right and the first junction. Follow the narrow road all the way to the springs. You will already have great views of the Partagas crags and the impressive cliffs of Peña Alta.

Head up on the vehicle track on the left of the recreation area until you come to a signposted junction. Follow the right fork towards Puerto Tudons. The other track is the return route.

This well maintained track swings back right above the springs and soon you are winding your way through a remarkable boulder field. The huge white cliffs of Peña Alta seem a long way above you at this point. As you reach the first minor col you pass a impressively overhanging prow of rock that in the winter months casts a long shadow.

A view with notes of the first part of the walking route from Peña Alta summit - click for large image

The terrain now changes and you pass between some bushes on a short (but sometimes prickly) section. Soon the next spring is reached and you can shelter in hot weather under a large tree. When you have refilled your water bottles continue climbing steeply for a while until the route starts heading along vehicle tracks towards the now obvious summit masts and the large yellow and white "ball". All this time you will still be following yellow and white markers (Sometimes there are gaps for a few hundred metres and if you see a yellow and white cross you have made a wrong turn!).

Follow the main track until you come to a Nevara (snow well) just below a spring and series of drinking troughs. At the point there are many tracks leading of in all directions. You need to walk up to the top trough and turn left along a feint track that soon improves and once again you will see the yellow and white markers. You are now heading away from the summit mast and towards an obvious rock arch high on the cliffs. The track contours but also climbs gradually until after about 600 metres you reach the base of the cliffs and a rock section up to "Fat mans agony", a narrow section between two sections of rock. You suddenly arrive on the summit "plateau" and get great views of the the huge landslides that took place several centuries ago (possibly the same ones that created the pinnacles at Guadalest). The way on crosses a few of these cracks and then climbs the rounded slopes of Pena Alta. In clear weather you now have great views in all directions including he Penon at Calpe, the Puig campana and the Serella/Aixorta ridges.

The cliff edge walking also gives you a birds eye view of the first part of your route and also a very large snow store that you will pass beneath on the return track (although it is hard to spot from beneath).
After Pena Alta the route decends quite steeply until you reach the vehicle track close to Pena Mulero. Follow this track around a hairpin and then down the long straight back to The Partagas Springs. See if you can find the hidden snow hole on the way down.

Route Profile

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