Saturday 9th March
Following a cancellation, a couple of places are now available
– please contact the group leader, Angela, at the email address below, if you would like to join this guided walk.
The hiking trail starts in the small village of Calles and makes its way up to the Peña Cortada Roman Aqueduct. We will go through numerous tunnels carved into the mountain along the trail which were made with the aim of letting water pass through. Some of the tunnels seem to have windows, since it is possible to see the natural landscape from inside the caves. After Peña Cortada, the trail continues onto the picturesque village of Chelva, with its preserved Jewish, Arab and Christian neighbourhoods. Then it’s time to go down to the river and follow the Ruta del Agua past the old abandoned hydropower plant and back to Calles, following the course of the river.
The Roman aqueduct in Chelva, dating back more than 2000 years, is nowadays accessible on foot. The aqueduct gives you the opportunity to walk through tunnels carved in rock, cross impressive bridges, and admire the unique scenery of the area. There will also be a more relaxed stroll through the village of Chelva itself, walking along its streets you can enjoy visiting various historical neighbourhoods, such as the Arab Quarter of Benacacira, with its narrow streets, the sound of water from its countless fountains, its whitewashed houses, which evoke the memories of a medieval city built on a hill and surrounded by walls to ensure its defence. Admire the tiles of the 18th and 19th centuries and visit the square that was occupied by a souk and the Muslim mosque, on which the chapel of St. George was erected, and since
the beginning of the XVIII century, the current Soledad shrine. The neighbourhood was built in the 11th century on a promontory and the Muslim medina retains its intact urban layout.
The Trail: a circular route graded as “low/medium”, 14km (8.7 miles) with 300m of elevation, gravel roads and easy trails, led by a professional guide, who will also organise our menu del dia lunch. This will be a small group tour (max. 24) for those members who enjoy a longer walk and are not troubled by vertigo!
Itinerary
08.15 hrs: Departure from Javea Arenal, 2nd pick up in Javea port; 3rd pick up at Mas y Mas on the N332 if required.
10.30 hrs: Arrival in Calles, refreshment break in a local bar.
11.00 hrs: Commencement of trail.
14.00 hrs: Approx. arrival in Chelva and walk through the historical area, followed by a menu del dia lunch in a local restaurant.
15.30 hrs: Continue the trail.
17.30 hrs: Approx. return to Calles; refreshment break.
18.00 hrs: Reboard coach for our return to Javea; comfort stop en route and arrival at approx. 20.00 hrs.
COST: 45 euros per person plus the cost of a menu del dia lunch in Chelva, organised by the professional guide.
Includes transport by a 25-seater minibus, professional guide and gratuities; the menu del dia lunch is at own cost.
If you would like to join this guided walk, please send an email to Angela:
getaway.guided.walks@u3ajavea.com (copy and paste into your web browser)
It is your responsibility to look at the walk characteristics and ensure that you are capable of doing the walk. Members participate at their own risk and are responsible for their own medical cover.
