22nd of May
Let’s get up the most important peak of Valencian Community – Penyagolosa. This time we are going to take an alternative route, scrambling up the steep Eastern side of the mountain.
Important! This route is not suitable for beginners. Even though there are no actual climbing, you do need to be accustomed to scrambling up steep rocks.
We’ll meet in Valencia, in front of Mestalla stadium (the parking lot on av. Aragón) and drive to Vistabella de Maestrazgo. Once there, we’ll have a coffee on a terrace and then drive a bit more to the San Joan de Penyagolosa monastery. THe first part of the hike goes along the GR-7 trail. We will need to go all the way around the mountain to get to the Eastern side. That’s where the fun part starts! From here on we will have a long and steep ascent, first hiking up on some small loose rocks and then scrambling up bigger ones. Eventually, we will get to the top, which offers splendid views on a clear day, covering the entire Castellón province and beyond. This will also be a perfect place for lunch stop. The return will be done along the Pegunta ravine, a very big change from naked rocks to green forests with a stream running alongside the trail. Finally, we will have a drink after the hike and return to Valencia.
Photo Credit: Catherine Salsbury
Difficulty: high (14km with 650m elevation gain).
Technical level: high (lots of scrambling).
Transportation: 7-seater minivan (alternatively, you can drive to the start of the hike)
Price: 28 euros (22 euros for members)
Meeting point: Mestalla, entrance on av. Aragón, 8:30 (return to Valencia ~19:00)
Bring at least 1l of water, lunch, warm clothes and hiking shoes.
COVID-19 Safety Measures:
– the temperature of all the participants will be measured prior to getting in the minibus
– hand gel use (provided) is mandatory
– wearing a mask is mandatory in all closed spaces