Hiking routes A publication called the Among the extensive Cycling routes in Practical Notes Touris info Topo-guía del sector range of trips that hikers in the Valley of the Valley of You can reach the Valley Tourist Info Rebollar-Venta Boquilla can make, the following Ayora of Ayora via the N-330 (FTVM-CEV, are recommendable: Cyclists have many C/ Industria, 11 towards Almansa, which The magnificent 1989) is available, opportunities for 46624 Jalance Casa de la Hunde / crosses the N-III at opportunities provided covering the section of enjoyment in the district. Palomeras (1,260m) / Requena. Tel 96 189 71 71 by this area for nature the GR-7 crossing the There are many local Cueva Negra / La Hunde: Fax 96 189 71 71 excursions are fully roads and quiet forest Another access to the Valley of Ayora. A circular route through covered by the trails, some of which are valley is along the N-340 E-mail: jalance@ touristinfo.net The course of the GR-7 a scenic wooded area. long-distance and asphalted, providing a Valencia-Alicante. Turn between the Caroig peak Approximate hiking time: short-distance hiker’s local network for off towards and Cortes de Pallás 3’30”. routes known in as interesting excursions. along the CV-585 and traverses interesting Teresa de Cofrente / Las the “Senderos de Gran take the CV-590 to Ayora terrain to culminate in the Quebradas: A trail A few suggestions: Recorrido” (GRs) and and the junction of the ravine through which the leaving from the village - Ayora / Casas de la “Senderos de Pequeño N-330 passing through river Júcar passes, leads to an interesting Hunde: 15km. Recorrido” (PRs). . Excursions in the Excursions should be providing a scenic geomorphological - Ayora / Castelar de These are traditional planned in advance and it synthesis of geography in phenomenon featuring a Meca: 20km. Should you require Valley of Ayora trails marked in red and is always recommendable the Valley of Ayora. series of elongated - Teresa de / further information The Valley of Ayora runs white paint to keep to use detailed maps and fractured ravines. Caroig: 20km. Mountain concerning the area, between high limestone specialized guidebooks hikers on the track. bike route. contact the local town spurs pertaining to the such as the following: - Jarafuel / Jalance / councils in Jarafuel, massif of Caroig on the Montañas Valencianas II, Cueva de Don Juan: Cofrentes, Jalance, east, and the sierras R. Cebrián (Valencia, 17km. Mountain bike , marking the border to 1983) and Montañas route. Castelló Zarra and Ayora. Castille to the west. Valencianas III (Valencia, - Cofrentes / Balneario de The landscape, providing CEV, 1986); F.E.P.E.T. los Hervideros / Casas de València extensive vistas over wide El Basta / Cerro Negro / mountain-flanked valleys, (Valencia, 1986). Cofrentes: 20km. offers numerous The Valley of Ayora is attractions. To enjoy all also included in the Alacant there is to see in following 1:50,000 scale “La Valle”, as the locals maps: Jalance 27-29 call it, you can take to the (745), Carcelén 26-30 hikers’ trails, use a (767), Ayora 27-30 (768) mountain bike or even and Almansa 27-31 (793). glide down the rivers in a canoe.

LAND OF VALENCIA www.landofvalencia.com To the southwest of Valencia, pikes, trouts and crayfish. Like Cofrentes, the nearby town of Jalance is takes you over the impressive heights of the Cortes not-too-distant vistas of La Mancha. The geography, bordering on the neighbouring province of Thanks to the paintings and laid out at the foot of an impressive castle. It is peaks. however, is still quite irregular. On the western side Albacete, there is a stretch of fertile archeological remains found in the rock surrounded by extensive fruit tree orchards in In the sloping fields of Jarafuel, the townsfolk grow next to the frontier with Albacete is the natural park land watered by the Júcar, shelters of Tortosillas, el Sordo, los which the peach tree is queen, with the remaining hackberries, a tree whose branches are periodically area of La Hunde, next to the fast-flowing fountain of La Cautabán and the Reconque rivers. Monteses and in the cave of Don lands in its municipal area occupied by stretches of pine pruned to serve as material for handcrafting walking Cadena. The waters from this spring are collected in a On the banks of these rivers are a series of villages Juan, human habitation of these lands forests. sticks and farming tools. circular lake where bathing is permitted from a pine- sharing a common geography and a common can be confirmed as reaching back to Heading west out of Jalance, there is a lookout point from Teresa de Cofrentes is the next village along the valley. Within tree covered area provided with camping areas and history. Cofrentes, on the confluence of the the Paleolithic. which an extensive view of the valley can be gained, and the municipality, located between the ravine of the Carboneras facilities. Júcar and the Cabriel, is the threshold of this During the 4th century BC Iberian culture continuing along the road for about twelve kilometres we come to and the Argongueña, there is a particularly beautiful area full of From Ayora come the famous “gazpachos ayorinos” (a delicious scenic route touring the villages of Jalance, flourished here, and one of the most spectacular Iberian cities the Cueva de Don Juan. Inside this cave the play chasms and caves known as Las Quebradas (“broken hills”). rabbit and chicken stew with wafer-thin pastas) which are Jarafuel, Teresa de Cofrentes, Zarra and Ayora. on the peninsula was erected in the neighbourhood of Ayora: el of light provides a spectacular view of the Practically all of the municipal area is dominated by the massif of enjoyed throughout the area, although each town The abundance of rivers flowing through these lands have formed Castellar de Meca. Later, lying as it does on the border of the stalagmites, forming a breathtaking the Caroig, which can be climbed by following a forest track has its own particular gastronomical a relief full of ravines, mountains and valleys, with vegetation kingdoms of Castile and Valencia, the area became thickly underground landscape. At the exit of the cave, winding its way through gullies and over hills. speciality: “calducho” (a stew made from which is typically Mediterranean: pine trees, rosemary, thyme, populated with castles during the medieval period. Initially, luxuriant foliage welcomes troglodytes back From Teresa, a turn to the west leads towards Zarra, the town chicken breast, mushrooms, tomato and rockroses, broom and esparto. Other forest areas alternate with following the signing of the Treaty of Almizra in 1244, the area to the overworld, with a recreation area which was once the seat of the governor of the valley. It serrano ham) in Jarafuel, “olla junipers, kermes oak and madrona trees. formed part of the kingdom of Castile, but it subsequently came provided for your comfort. Further up the road, the incomparable is situated on a hill and crisscrossed by cofrentina” (stewed pork, potatoes, pinto On the lower lands farmers grow under the banner of Valencia during the reign of Pedro lll. With a beauty spot known as El Moragete awaits the more picturesque streets leading without beans and cardoons) in Cofrentes, “trigo cereals, olives, grapes and fruit population which was largely Islamic, the expulsion of the adventurous. fail to the 18th century parochial picao” (stewed wheat, beans and spinach) in trees, with a special emphasis on Moriscos in the 17th century resulted in the Continuing the journey along the N-330 running through this church of Santa Ana with a Teresa or “ajotonto” ( mashed cod, tomato and potatoes) in peaches of a kind which are highly abandonment of many villages. area, we come to Jarafuel, located in the Cautabán river freestanding campanile. By the Jalance. After one of these dishes, the dessert platters include appreciated throughout the rest of the Land of Valencia. Cofrentes, on the rivers Cabriel and valley. This village, with steep, narrow streets, sits upon river Zarra there is a “grullos” (honey cakes), “mazapanes” (marzipan) or “aguamiel” The wide valley in which these scenic villages are located is Júcar, is built on a promontory a hill and preserves its ancient medieval recreational area known as La (baked pumpkin slices with honey) bordered on the west by the sierras of the Boquerón, crowned by a Moorish castle layout. Beside the town, in an area called Hoz. Although they share a common valley, these towns have their Palomera and Mugrón and to the east by colossal peaks dominating the horizon. Located on Las Rochas, a campground has been At the edge of the valley lies own special characteristics differentiating them from their called the Cortes de Pallás and the Caroig. These the opposite bank of the Cabriel is mount installed, including modern recreational Ayora, on the left bank of the river Reconque. This is the neighbours, and this is reflected in their festivities, too. One mountainous areas provide natural habitats for hares, wild Agrás, an extinguished volcano known as the facilities, surrounded by almond trees and largest town in the area, extending over the slopes of a hill on original feastday is the refreshing “batalla del agua”, or water boars, mouflons, and the Hispanic goat, which is a rare most important volcanic structure in the entire offering a good view of the town and the valley. which the remains of an ancient castle can be seen. The 17th- battle, joyfully fought in Jarafuel in the second half of August, sight for these latitudes. The red-legged partridge, the Land of Valencia. Four kilometres from Cofrentes, the Modernist Among the numerous springs in the area, issuing century archpriest’s church of Santa María conserves some and Ayora has now fully recovered its ancient carnival. In tawny owl and the golden eagle accompany their four- spa of Los Hervideros (the “boilers”), surrounded by abundant from half-hidden beauty spots, are the Tobarro, interesting tablets by Yañez de la Almedina. addition, there are processions footed neighbours in these Mediterranean forests, and in greenery, welcomes holidaymakers who come each year to Bella and the Fuente del Ral. From Jarafuel, The surrounding landscape is a combination of fruit tree and dances to celebrate each the clear waters of the rivers and streams are carps, barbels, take the medicinal waters. there is a footpath leading to the Cortes de Pallás, which orchards and large expanses of dryland crops, reminiscent of the town’s patron saint.