Why this ride
281 km from Pego to Pego, about 4 h 02 of riding. It goes by way of Cueva de los Arcos, Abric de Gontrán and Cova fosca. It was put together for the scenery rather than the shortest line.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Cova fosca and Abric de Gontrán
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 281 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 4 h 02
- 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. Cova fosca
The cave called Cova Fosca means the dark cave, and the name is as plain as the country around it, a series of pale limestone ravines in the interior of the Marina Alta. Vall d'Ebo, Adsubia and Pego lie at the foot of the mountains, with villages of a few hundred people, and a land of terraced slopes where the Moriscos, the Muslim farmers who stayed after the Christian conquest, grew grain, grapes and almonds until their expulsion in 1609. After that the valleys emptied, and the terraces stand as monuments to a vanished community.
Read the complete Cova fosca write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Cova fosca is where the day begins. Next is Cueva de los Arcos.
2. 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 comes up 75 km in. Next is Abric de Gontrán.
3. Abric de Gontrán
Head south-west from Xàtiva along the old road to Castile and you climb gently into a corridor between two mountain ranges, the Serra Grossa on one side and the Serra de Enguera on the other. The town of Moixent sits where the corridor narrows, with Vallada just downstream and the vineyards of Fontanars dels Alforins on the plateau beyond. The Abric de Gontran lies in the hills just outside Moixent.
Read the complete Abric de Gontrán write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
149 km in you reach Abric de Gontrán. Next is back through Cueva de los Arcos.
4. Back to Cova fosca
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Cova fosca write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Cueva de los Arcos, late in the day. Next is Cova fosca.
5. Cova fosca
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Cova fosca write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back at Cova fosca. That is the ride.
Leg by leg
Cova fosca to Cueva de los Arcos
Cova fosca → Cueva de los Arcos is 60 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Cueva de los Arcos to Abric de Gontrán
Cueva de los Arcos → Abric de Gontrán is 84 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.
Abric de Gontrán to Back to Cova fosca
Abric de Gontrán → Back to Cova fosca is 67 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.