Walking in the mountains of the Costa Blanca
Walk in Las Marinas
For anyone planning a winter walking break, the name 'Las Marinas' serves two important roles. Firstly, it defines the sierras, valleys and small farming villages of the Spanish Mediterranean hinterland stretching from the Xalo valley to Calpe - the Marina Alta, and from the Bernia massif to Alicante - the Marina Baja. Secondly, it sounds a lot more credible as a walking destination than saying you're off to the Costa Blanca.
In 1995 Bob Stansfield prefaced his Cicerone Press guide to Mountain Walks on the Costa Blanca with the observation that "The Las Marinas area has the potential to rival Mallorca as a winter walking venue". Twelve years on and this potential has still not been realised. Walking in Mallorca has become big business but the hills behind the Costa Blanca are empty - except on Sunday when local walkers take to the hills in the hundreds.
What these locals know, but very few British walkers are aware of, is that Las Marinas has spectacular walking trails - a combination of mountain tracks, farm lanes and old mozarabic paths - which have traditionally linked the small villages of the interior. They pass between rugged limestone peaks whose lower slopes are covered with almond and olive trees, through high valleys with cherry and nispero (medlar) orchards down to the orange groves of the coastal plane. From September to May this virtually unknown part of the Costa Blanca offers some of the best winter walking in Europe under sunny skies with temperatures in the 60´s (13-18 C). The few walkers who have discovered the area have been impressed by the beauty and variety of the walks and found it to be a great alternative to better-known but more expensive winter walking areas.
Until recently, there were three drawbacks to Las Marinas as a walking destination: lack of maps, transportation to and from the better walks and the image of infamous Benidorm that inevitably pops up at any mention of the Costa Blanca. However all these objections can now be overcome.
Las Marinas, in common with the rest of Spain, doesn't have a good selection of maps or trail-guides for planning routes. The maps are barely adequate with no trails marked on them and can be as much as 20 years out of date. Bob Stansfield's Cicerone guide was updated five years or so ago to mixed reviews and he has a new guide to Strolls on the Costa Blanca. Apart from these, Montañas Valencianas by Rafael Cebrian is excellent but only available in Castilian Spanish. A few walking guides have been published locally in English but none are consistently dependable and some are dangerously idiosyncratic. However we are planning to make a selection of Las Marinas walks, accessible by public transport, downloadable here in the Spanish section of Walkingworld. They will have the usual GPS track - marked with waypoints, photos and useful information about the walk - and most importantly for this region they will be regularly updated.
The second difficulty facing walkers is the lack of public transportation outside urban areas. The coastal strip is served by rail and bus connections but access to the more rewarding walks is only possible by vehicle. Taxis - much cheaper than in the UK - are a possibility but drivers are usually unwilling to leave the coast other than for the lucrative airport run and, even if persuaded, are unlikely to wait or return to pick you up after a walk. One solution is to rent a car locally and car rental, like everything else on the Costa Blanca, is significantly cheaper than in other areas because of the intense competition. Visitors are often put off this idea by the volume of traffic around the coastal towns, but inland roads are empty, driving is uncomplicated and the trip to and from the walk can be a very enjoyable part of the day.
Lastly, for British walkers, the Costa Blanca is usually associated with infamous Benidorm and its 'lager lout' image of the seventies. However these days the lager louts have either succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver or are baby-sitting their grandchildren. Although Benidorm may still kick up her heels occasionally in the summer, in winter things are much calmer - while still deserving the title of a 'year-round resort' providing entertainment from the unashamedly tacky to the internationally sophisticated to be enjoyed or ignored - with plenty to do on days off from walking or for non-walkers in a group. Those who are adamant that Benidorm is a non-starter will find there are several attractive alternatives in the area with the towns of Altea, Albir & VilaJoiosa all being quieter - and perhaps easier to admit to as walking holiday destinations.
Here are a couple of ways to arrange a winter walking break in Las Marinas.
Walkers who like everything taken care of have an easy choice. The major tour operators, with decades of experience in getting people to the Costa Blanca cheaply, are keen to attract the huge winter walking market. Tui (Thomson / Portland) has had walking packages in Mallorca and Madeira as a pre-bookable option in their winter sun brochures for several years now and introduced the Costa Blanca as an alternative five years ago. Thomas Cook is also offering identical four or seven day walking packages to the Costa Blanca which should make prices still more competitive.
For semi-independent walkers, who like to find their own travel and hotel deals but would like an experienced introduction to a new walking area as part of a small group, using a local guiding company makes a lot of sense. Walks-Plus (at [http://www.walks-plus.com] or mail@walks-plus.com) specialises in day walks to less accessible parts of the region and offers a wide selection of routes from rambles to mountain hikes with the advantage of transportation and a wealth of useful local knowledge thrown in.
Those who prefer to make all their own arrangements and walk by themselves can find their flights and accommodation on the Internet or teletext.
By any of these methods, Las Marinas now makes a very attractive destination for walkers planning a break from the British winter - without breaking the bank.
Neil & Vanessa Simpson, Walks-Plus
Visit the Walks-Plus website at [http://www.walks-plus.com]
For anyone planning a winter walking break, the name 'Las Marinas' serves two important roles. Firstly, it defines the sierras, valleys and small farming villages of the Spanish Mediterranean hinterland stretching from the Xalo valley to Calpe - the Marina Alta, and from the Bernia massif to Alicante - the Marina Baja. Secondly, it sounds a lot more credible as a walking destination than saying you're off to the Costa Blanca.
In 1995 Bob Stansfield prefaced his Cicerone Press guide to Mountain Walks on the Costa Blanca with the observation that "The Las Marinas area has the potential to rival Mallorca as a winter walking venue". Twelve years on and this potential has still not been realised. Walking in Mallorca has become big business but the hills behind the Costa Blanca are empty - except on Sunday when local walkers take to the hills in the hundreds.
What these locals know, but very few British walkers are aware of, is that Las Marinas has spectacular walking trails - a combination of mountain tracks, farm lanes and old mozarabic paths - which have traditionally linked the small villages of the interior. They pass between rugged limestone peaks whose lower slopes are covered with almond and olive trees, through high valleys with cherry and nispero (medlar) orchards down to the orange groves of the coastal plane. From September to May this virtually unknown part of the Costa Blanca offers some of the best winter walking in Europe under sunny skies with temperatures in the 60´s (13-18 C). The few walkers who have discovered the area have been impressed by the beauty and variety of the walks and found it to be a great alternative to better-known but more expensive winter walking areas.
Until recently, there were three drawbacks to Las Marinas as a walking destination: lack of maps, transportation to and from the better walks and the image of infamous Benidorm that inevitably pops up at any mention of the Costa Blanca. However all these objections can now be overcome.
Las Marinas, in common with the rest of Spain, doesn't have a good selection of maps or trail-guides for planning routes. The maps are barely adequate with no trails marked on them and can be as much as 20 years out of date. Bob Stansfield's Cicerone guide was updated five years or so ago to mixed reviews and he has a new guide to Strolls on the Costa Blanca. Apart from these, Montañas Valencianas by Rafael Cebrian is excellent but only available in Castilian Spanish. A few walking guides have been published locally in English but none are consistently dependable and some are dangerously idiosyncratic. However we are planning to make a selection of Las Marinas walks, accessible by public transport, downloadable here in the Spanish section of Walkingworld. They will have the usual GPS track - marked with waypoints, photos and useful information about the walk - and most importantly for this region they will be regularly updated.
The second difficulty facing walkers is the lack of public transportation outside urban areas. The coastal strip is served by rail and bus connections but access to the more rewarding walks is only possible by vehicle. Taxis - much cheaper than in the UK - are a possibility but drivers are usually unwilling to leave the coast other than for the lucrative airport run and, even if persuaded, are unlikely to wait or return to pick you up after a walk. One solution is to rent a car locally and car rental, like everything else on the Costa Blanca, is significantly cheaper than in other areas because of the intense competition. Visitors are often put off this idea by the volume of traffic around the coastal towns, but inland roads are empty, driving is uncomplicated and the trip to and from the walk can be a very enjoyable part of the day.
Lastly, for British walkers, the Costa Blanca is usually associated with infamous Benidorm and its 'lager lout' image of the seventies. However these days the lager louts have either succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver or are baby-sitting their grandchildren. Although Benidorm may still kick up her heels occasionally in the summer, in winter things are much calmer - while still deserving the title of a 'year-round resort' providing entertainment from the unashamedly tacky to the internationally sophisticated to be enjoyed or ignored - with plenty to do on days off from walking or for non-walkers in a group. Those who are adamant that Benidorm is a non-starter will find there are several attractive alternatives in the area with the towns of Altea, Albir & VilaJoiosa all being quieter - and perhaps easier to admit to as walking holiday destinations.
Here are a couple of ways to arrange a winter walking break in Las Marinas.
Walkers who like everything taken care of have an easy choice. The major tour operators, with decades of experience in getting people to the Costa Blanca cheaply, are keen to attract the huge winter walking market. Tui (Thomson / Portland) has had walking packages in Mallorca and Madeira as a pre-bookable option in their winter sun brochures for several years now and introduced the Costa Blanca as an alternative five years ago. Thomas Cook is also offering identical four or seven day walking packages to the Costa Blanca which should make prices still more competitive.
For semi-independent walkers, who like to find their own travel and hotel deals but would like an experienced introduction to a new walking area as part of a small group, using a local guiding company makes a lot of sense. Walks-Plus (at [http://www.walks-plus.com] or mail@walks-plus.com) specialises in day walks to less accessible parts of the region and offers a wide selection of routes from rambles to mountain hikes with the advantage of transportation and a wealth of useful local knowledge thrown in.
Those who prefer to make all their own arrangements and walk by themselves can find their flights and accommodation on the Internet or teletext.
By any of these methods, Las Marinas now makes a very attractive destination for walkers planning a break from the British winter - without breaking the bank.
Neil & Vanessa Simpson, Walks-Plus
Visit the Walks-Plus website at [http://www.walks-plus.com]
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