Excursions in the Los Serranos offers remember that caring for Other outdoor Publications and scale maps from the Los Serranos magnificent conditions nature is everyones activities maps regional Institut Cartogrfic for hiking and walking, district responsibility. Do not light Valenci and some making use of the trails fires or leave rubbish Los Serranos has lots of Before going on an 1:25,000 scale from the This district is a fine known in Spain as long- behind; take it with you to interesting proposals for excursion or doing national Instituto cycling excursions. Local outdoor sports in the example of a land distance and short- the next town until it can Geogrfico Nacional. Castell dominated by distance routes be disposed of. Respect roads with very little district it is Visitors interested in Mediterranean mountains Senderos de Gran croplands and rural traffic enable cyclists to recommendable to excursions can consult the from the Iberian System. Recorrido (GRs) and buildings, and plant and make short trips, longer consult maps and obtain Valncia book by R. Cebrin The natural habitat varies Pequeño Recorrido animal life in general. journeys and demanding detailed written Montaas Valencianas vol. greatly due to its complex (PRs) and traditional ascents to the mountain information. Los III(Centre Excursionista de geography, ranging from footpaths. These are passes. Mountain bikers Serranos district is Alacant Valncia, 1986), but in two hundred metres in signposted by hiking have a wide range of covered by the following view of its publication date, altitude on the eastern side groups to show hikers tracks and trails where 1:50,000 scale maps: some itineraries may have to one thousand six the way. They can be they can choose their Landete 26-25 (637); changed due to the hundred at the peak known used by anyone in good own way to get around. Alpuente 27-25 (638); opening of new routes, or as La Ceja de Alpuente. physical shape and The town of Sinarcas has Jrica 28-25 (639); overgrowth or destruction There seems to be a moderately accustomed quite a few mountain bike Mira 26-26 (665); Chelva of the natural habitat by Useful tips Tourist information offices harmonic mix of natural to walking in the routes, and these are 27-26 (666); Villar del forest fires. landscape with a rich mountains. Please described in leaflets. A Arzobispo 28-26 (667); The local CV-35 is the You can obtain further information cultural heritage to be Signposted trails book in Spanish by J.M. Utiel 26-27 (693); main communications on the area by contacting the local route in Los Serranos. town councils or the following found in the eighteen Los Serranos is crossed AlmerichSerranaRincn Chulilla 27-27 (694) and On the southern stretch it tourist information offices: towns and some twenty by three long-distance de Ademuz(Centre Llria 28-27 (695). Also reaches the city of villages in the district. routes (GRs) signposted the Topo-guía GR-7 guía GR-10 Andilla-Puçol Excursionista de Valencia, available are 1:10,000 Valencia in the form of a The best way to discover with white and red sector I Arteas de Arriba- (Centre Excursionista de 1999) also provides dual carriageway. To the Tourist Info Alto Turia these enchanting rural markings. The Sendero de Rebollar (Centre Valncia, 1999). suggestions and technical north it connects the town Carretera CV-35, km 73 lands is to leave your Gran Recorrido GR-7 Excursionista de information. The The GR-37 connects the of Santa Cruz de Moya in 46177 Tuejar car behind and make (European E-4) crosses Valncia, 1986). The Benagber dam offers municipalities of Aras de neighbouring Cuenca Tel. and Fax 96 163 50 84 excursions on foot, the Land of Valencia from Sendero de Gran canoeing and other water los Olmos, Titaguas, province with the national Email: [email protected] by bicycle or even south to north. From the Recorrido GR-10 sports. The Turia river Alpuente and La Yesa route N-330 which in turn on horseback. neighbouring district of (European E-7) connects gorge in Chulilla has a using old livestock trails. links to the A-3 Valencia- Tourist Info Camp de Turia Alto Palancia, it runs the Mediterranean to the climbing school offering A description of these Madrid motorway and the C/ Pla de l’Arc, s/n through the municipal Atlantic by crossing the various routes, and more has been published by N-234 that joins the region46160 Lliria, Valencia areas of Andilla, Chelva entire Iberian peninsula. information can be the hiking club Centre of Aragn to the Tel: 96 279 36 19 and Benagber before It borders the northern obtained at the climbers Excursionista de Mediterranean. There are Fax: 96 279 26 61 continuing through the limits of the district, hostel called El Altico. Valncia. This zone also regular buses from Email:[email protected] Altiplano area of Requena- cutting through Andilla has a good network of Valencia to towns in Utiel. Further information where it crosses the short-distance routes Los Serranos. Tourist Info Chulilla GR-7 and Alcublas. is provided in an (Senderos de Pequeño C/ de las Eras, s/n Further information can explanatory leaflet Recorrido), signposted 46167 Chulilla be found in a general published by the regional with white and yellow Tel: 96 165 79 79 leaflet also published by ministry of the markings and passing Email:[email protected] environment (Conselleria the Conselleria de Medi through interesting de Medi Ambient) and in Ambient and the Topo- landscape. www.comunitatvalenciana.com /$1'2)9$/(1&,$ • ALCUBLAS • ALPUENTE • ANDILLA • ARAS DE LOS OLMOS • BENAGÉBER • BUGARRA • CALLES • CHELVA • CHULILLA • GESTALGAR • HIGUERUELAS • LOSA DEL OBISPO • PEDRALBA • SOT DE CHERA • TITAGUAS • TUEJAR • VILLAR DEL ARZOBISPO • LA YESA ••ALCUBLAS • ALPUENTE • ANDILLA • ARAS DE LOS OLMOS • BENAGÉBER • BUGARRA • CALLES CHULILLA • he district of Los Serranos is located in the plantations combining with extensive forestlands. Towards the southeast is an area that was once the Viscounty of Chelva. The Turia canals found here. The harmoniously designed Plaza Mayor presents the impressive waters. Higueruelas is a village situated on the TITAGUAS T • northwestern section of the province of Valencia, on Exceptional Spanish junipers extend to the north of river flows through this area in a spectacular canyon that winds archpriest’s church of Our Lady of the Angels with a grandiose baroque doorway. skirts of Peñas de Dios, a striking mountainous terrain that honours its name, meaning “high” Alpuente and Aras de los Olmos, with many specimens now through the mountains. Along the banks there are The neighbouring town of Calles is a small settlement on the banks of the Chelva river, geographical feature of the district. The former CHELVA CHELVA Turia, and offers stark, rugged scenery with its own kind of over one hundred years old. A large pine forest occupies the west various camping and recreational areas – Los with a group of whitewashed houses containing a small historic quarter village of Domeño provides a view over the • beauty. It extends from the mid-course of the river Turia, or flank of Aras de los Olmos and Titaguas, contrasting with riparian species Rubiales, Zagra, Agua Tomás, La Caballera, etc.– built over a rock. From Calles visitors can travel out to a narrow defile valley populated with almond trees. Blanco as it has traditionally been known in the area, which flows along the river Turia. that enable visitors to enjoy the beauty of nature through the mountains to see a spectacular aqueduct and On the eastern edge of the Los Serranos down from the meseta to the seacoast at Valencia. This extensive district here. It is the Chelva or Tuéjar river valley, various water tunnels built by the Romans at Puente Alta The town of Alpuente sits on a unique location at the foot of the ruins of its district, the Turia river runs through the Gestalgar SOT DE CHERA CALLES measuring over one thousand four hundred square kilometres contains a diversity however, that contributes to the socio-economic strength of the and Peña Cortada. former castle that once commandeered an impressive pass. Houses nestle around waterwheel straits and then opens out into a wider valley set • • of landscapes, from high mountain land up to one thousand six hundred metres, to district. Dominated by the Remedio peak, the agricultural land, the slope of the hill in a spectacular potpourri of walls and terraced gardens. Of its Andilla is an attractive little town situated on a small hill between the sloping hills of Pedralba. The river water has contributed the lowlands under three hundred metres where orange plantations are still part of mostly non-irrigated, is given over to almond and olive plantations, historic past the church of Our Lady of Grace (Virgen de Gracia) is still preserved, as crowned by a few remains of its erstwhile castle. It still has to the development of irrigated croplands along its banks, with three the picture. mixed with terraced market gardens on the slopes, the work of past generations are parts of the walled town, with a main tower serving as the seat of the Moorish fragments of its town walls, such as the gateway known as towns located on the left side, set amongst extensive orange plantations, of local farmers. The ruins of Domeño and Loriguilla and their abandoned Extending to the north are the last spurs of the Javalambre quarter and marketplace – today the Town Hall or Ayuntamiento – and other El Portal, where a small local museum is located. with a backdrop of well-clothed mountains. Pedralba is set on a gentle slope BUGARRA croplands show the impact of the construction of the Loriguilla dam.