Why this ride
A 432 km round trip from Rugat - roughly 7 h 22 in the saddle. It goes by way of La Sarga- Abric I, Barranc de Bolulla, Cova del mig dia and Cueva de los Arcos. It was put together for the scenery rather than the shortest line.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l and Cueva de los Arcos
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 432 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 7 h 22
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l
Castelló de Rugat sits on the southern rim of the Vall d'Albaida, a broad valley in the south of Valencia province hemmed in by mountain ridges. On one side rises the long saw-toothed crest of the Benicadell, on the other the Serra de la Solana, and between them lies a patchwork of vineyards, olive groves and small towns with church towers. The Barranc de les Coves, the ravine of the caves, cuts into the slopes near Castelló de Rugat, Ràfol de Salem and Beniarrés, and its first shelter holds painted figures.
Read the complete Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l is where the day begins. Next is La Sarga- Abric I.
2. La Sarga- Abric I
Alcoy, or Alcoi in Valencian, is a city of bridges, built where three rivers meet in deep ravines, in the mountains of northern Alicante. It was one of the cradles of Spain's industrial revolution, with textile and paper mills powered by its rivers, and its streets have fine modernist buildings from that era. It is also famous for its Moors and Christians festival in April, one of the most spectacular in Spain, with parades, music and mock battles in honour of Saint George. The rock shelters of La Sarga lie in the hills about eight kilometres from the city, toward Ibi.
Read the complete La Sarga- Abric I write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
La Sarga- Abric I comes up 46 km in. Next is Barranc de Bolulla.
3. Barranc de Bolulla
Bolulla is barely a village, a few hundred people tucked into a valley of the Marina Baixa behind Benidorm, and the ravine that carries its name cuts into the limestone hills just outside it. The mountains here are steep and close together, terraced for centuries with olives, almonds and loquats, and their caves and shelters hold traces of prehistoric painting that place this corner of Alicante within the wider family of Mediterranean rock art. What you see on the ground is a dry, rocky gully scented with pine and wild herbs, with the ruined castle of Bolulla perched on a ridge above, a reminder of the Moorish centuries when these valleys were densely settled.
Read the complete Barranc de Bolulla write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
92 km in you reach Barranc de Bolulla. Next is Cova del mig dia.
4. Cova del mig dia
The Montgó dominates the coast between Dénia and Xàbia, a massive limestone mountain rising to 753 metres straight from the sea, its profile said to resemble a sleeping elephant. The Cova del Mig Dia, the cave of midday, is in the flanks of the Montgó, one of several caves and shelters on the mountain, some with traces of prehistoric occupation and rock art. The Montgó is a natural park, with paths leading through scrub and pine to caves, viewpoints and the summit.
Read the complete Cova del mig dia write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Cova del mig dia, about halfway. Next is Cueva de los Arcos.
5. Cueva de los Arcos
Behind the Costa Blanca, only a few kilometres from the busy beaches of El Campello and the high-rises of Benidorm, the land climbs steeply into limestone mountains that feel surprisingly wild. The Cabeçó d'Or, a jagged massif above the village of Busot, dominates the area, and its slopes are riddled with caves and shelters. The Cueva de los Arcos is one of the sites in this area included in the World Heritage inscription of the rock art of the Mediterranean Basin, with faint painted motifs on the rock. Nearby, the Cuevas del Canelobre, a huge cave with towering stalactites, is open for visits and is one of the most impressive show caves in the region.
Read the complete Cueva de los Arcos write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Cueva de los Arcos sits at 183 km, about halfway. Next is back through Cova del mig dia.
6. back through Cova del mig dia
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Cova del mig dia write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Cova del mig dia comes up 229 km in. Next is back through Barranc de Bolulla.
7. back through Barranc de Bolulla
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Barranc de Bolulla write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
275 km in you reach back through Barranc de Bolulla. Next is back through La Sarga- Abric I.
8. back through La Sarga- Abric I
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete La Sarga- Abric I write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through La Sarga- Abric I, late in the day. Next is Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l.
9. Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
The route ends here after 432 km.
Leg by leg
Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l to La Sarga- Abric I
Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l → La Sarga- Abric I is 34 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
La Sarga- Abric I to Barranc de Bolulla
La Sarga- Abric I → Barranc de Bolulla is 40 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Barranc de Bolulla to Cova del mig dia
Barranc de Bolulla → Cova del mig dia is 34 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Cova del mig dia to Cueva de los Arcos
Cova del mig dia → Cueva de los Arcos is 75 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.
Cueva de los Arcos to back through Cova del mig dia
Cueva de los Arcos → back through Cova del mig dia is 75 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.
back through Cova del mig dia to back through Barranc de Bolulla
back through Cova del mig dia → back through Barranc de Bolulla is 34 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Barranc de Bolulla to back through La Sarga- Abric I
back through Barranc de Bolulla → back through La Sarga- Abric I is 40 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through La Sarga- Abric I to Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l
back through La Sarga- Abric I → Barranc de les Coves- Abrigo l is 34 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.