As it turns out, 2020 has become the year of the Coronavirus! For now, I find myself more or less stuck in my apartment in Altea. However, with the stunning mountains, and plenty of hiking trails in Altea, I could certainly be in a worse place.And so, with all my travel plans on hold and avoiding crowds, I’ve shifted my focus to hiking! There is plenty to choose here, in the Sierra Gelada. While I haven’t covered them all yet, here are some of the best hiking trails in the area.
This was supposed to be a part 1 and part 2 blog post about all the various hiking trails in Altea. Well, part 2 hasn’t arrived. The coronavirus turned the world up side down and there was no more hiking in Spain. A full on lockdown followed. You know the rest…
Luckily I managed to go to Lisbon, Madrid and Ronda, as well as ski in Sierra Nevada already this year. Ironically, the same months Italy shut their borders this month, I was there, exactly one year ago, March 2019!
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Sierra Gelada (Helada) National Park
Sitting between Altea Albir and Benidorm, the Sierra Gelada (or Helada) National Park is my weekly go to place. Whether it is cycling or walking the paved path to the light house, or hike up to the Sierra Gelada viewing point, I am here quite a lot. I love this spot.
Given it is a tourist location, it can get quite busy. That said, the hike to the Sierra Gelada peak, (just turn righ at the park entry and follow the yellow/white marking to the ‘Alto del Gobernador’), is an easy 1 hour hike (return), with much less people. And the views are stunning, overlooking Benidorm and the ocean, no matter the weather.
There are so many great hiking trails in Altea Alicante. I love this part of Spain.
The other side of Sierra Gelada – ‘Mirador de la Cruz’
Sierra de Bernia
Sierra de Bernia is a mountain range behind Altea de Vieja. In comparison to the Sierra Gelada National Park, this trail is a little bit longer, although not really steeper.
The official route is the PR-CV 7 Bernia. You can park near the ‘Front del Garroferet’ and just follow the signage. This path will lead you to the top of Font de la Barca (approx. 5.4km and 650m peak)). It is a steep but a pleasant, easy to moderate hike.
From the summit, the hiking trails branch off towards Font del Runar and Fort de Bernia, an old fortress perched at approximately 800 meters. The views from there are spectacular, though during my visit, the sky turned unexpectedly dark. I hope it is not going to rain.
I haven’t explored all the hiking trails in Altea just yet, but I plan to return soon. One of my goals is to find the old natural tunnel that connects the south and north sides of the Sierra de Bernia mountain range. Apparently, it was once an ancient goat path!
I am sure you will find your own hiking trails in Altea and the Sierra Gelada. Let me know your experiences as well. Which one is your favourite?
(P.S. you can actually drive a narrow and steep road up to the base of the Fort de Bernia (Casas del Runar). Once you parked the car, from there it is only an easy, 1.3 km long and 150m steep, hike).
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Penyal d’Ifac National Park
Although there are plenty of hiking trails in Altea, the Natural Park of Penyal d’Ifac is definitely the most unique one. With only 330m in altitude, it is not a very high rock, but given how vertical it is, it seems unreachable.
I have visited this rock in Calpe and the Penyal d’Ifac National Park early December already, during my first week in Altea. But I only walked along the beach side. I wanted to hike this rock for a while now, however, Calpe is a windy spot so I waited until it was the perfect day.
Then, the day came last week. It was a Sunday! Which meant lots and lots of people. Not really ideal during the current Coronavirus state. And, after realising that I would be stuck behind others for most of the hike, I turned around. My second attempt, during the week, was much better. There was hardly anybody around. Perfect!
The Hike
The hike itself is quite challenging and great fitness levels are required. That said, it depends how high you want to go. Most of the people seem to go up to the tunnel, which is an easy paved walk, and back again. Once you pass the tunnel, the trails gets a little bit rockier. For an easy hike follow the path to the left, towards the ‘Mirador de Carabiners’ viewing point. The views over Calpe are great!
Definitely the top of the hiking trails in Altea.
If you want to go to the top, follow the ‘Cim d’Ifac’ sign. For this trail you need a steady foot and a good usage of your hands. Especially towards the end of the trail near the peak. (Last time I had to climb up rocks like this, was Mt. Olympus almost two years ago). So, even on this hike, there are plenty of rocks to conquer and most are quite slippery (and there are plenty of chains you can hold on to). Once you are on top, the views certainly are breathtaking. Don’t be surprised if you have to share the spot with all the Seagulls. They love it up there. And so did I.
I was up and back in just over 2 hours. Going down is always a little bit slower as you really have to watch your step. So be careful!
Summary – Hiking trails in Altea
The Penyal d’Ifac rock is definitely worth the climb. It is one of the more challenging hiking trails in Altea, but also unique. There is more hiking to be done, so let’s see what I have to say after exploring more national parks and hiking trails in Altea.
Good to know! No matter what hike you do, whether it is the easy Sierra Gelada or the Sierra de Bernia National Park, make sure you wear closed-in shoes (hiking shoes recommended). And always take plenty of water. You will need it. Enjoy hiking!
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