This walk is a circuit of the craggy major ridge line of the SIERRA BERNIA, a mountain known as the Costa Blancaīs "Alpine Ridge". The views offered by this walk are tremendous; of the mountain itself, of the stunning coastline, of the Escret Gorge; of the old town of Altea and of the rural Pinos Valley.
The walk commences in a small pine wood and follows a meandering country lane, which leads to an attractive natural spring with ancient troughs. Here a narrow path climbs steadily uphill, crossing several scree areas and rocky patches before reaching the Forat, a manmade tunnel giving access to the far side of the ridge. Going through the tunnel is an optional diversion.
The path contours along a dramatic mountainside until ascent begins up the zigzag loops of a Mozarabic mule trail. Reaching the ridge line the way crosses from North to South of the mountain close to the Greenwich Meridian.
The route now descends, gently at first but later more steeply, through a boulder field and scree section, until it eventually reaches another spring bubbling from the rock.
The walk continues along a track through a pine forest but soon emerges into the open to route between the overgrown terraces of long abandoned almond groves and then passes close to a tiny ruined hermita or chapel. After threading through some enormous boulders the route takes to a narrow path ,which climbs steeply up the mountain to a level just below the ridgeline cliffs.
From here the way alternates between rocky scrambling and scree crossing until a broad plateau of abandoned terraces appears. This plateau is the site of some impressive ruins of a mediaeval fort.
The route now recrosses the ridge through a small gap amidst large rocks and takes to a narrow path on a shelf above a lofty and extremely steep slope. This path later becomes a winding goat track through an area of tall machia leading to a heavily eroded track. This track, with itīs bramble borders, leads eventually to the start point.
