10th of June
A classic route through the Sierra Calderona natural park – the ascent to the Serra Castle. This time we will have an advantage of sunset accompanying our visit to the castle.
The route starts from the Town Hall and crosses the traditional orchards of Tóixima and Ría. Following the route along the GR-10, it passes by Torre de Ría. Upon reaching the forest track, the route offers two possibilities of arrival at Serra Castle: the path on the right, along the traditional Castell path, and the one on the left, along the path that leads to the spring of l’Ombria. The two options lead us to the base of the castle. From there, a steep path takes us to the Serra castle itself.
It is worth taking a walk around the municipality, following the green hiking route, to discover the Serra castle and the views it offers over the coastline and the Sierra Calderona. The fortress rises majestically on the mountain of the same name at an altitude of 536 meters, dominating the Turia valley and the access to the mountains.
Built in the 8th and 9th centuries, Serra Castle is a fortress that has a floor plan of 600 square meters. The powerful main tower stands out, with a square plan and about ten meters high, in the extreme northwest. Attached to the tower there are two crenellated walls that converge with it. In the lower part of the enclosure a cistern is preserved. There are remains of a second tower, located to the northwest, smaller than the previous one, as well as fragments of the perimeter walls and vestiges of the exit of those walls and that allow to recompose the irregular plan of the castle.
The castle and its set of watchtowers and fortifications that accompany it must have been part of a much more extensive defensive system. System that was developed around the orchard and the city of Valencia for territorial control and for the defense of Taifa, and later the Kingdom of València.
Difficulty: medium/low (9km with 200m elevation gain)
Technical level: medium (a rocky trail leading to the castle in the final part of ascent)
Meeting point: Mestalla, parking lot on av. Aragón, 18:00 (return to Valencia ~22:30)
Price: 32 euros (28 euros signing up before Thursday, 02.06) / 12 euros coming to Serra.
The price includes professional guide, transportation, accident and public liability insurances.
Bring at least 1l of water, snacks and hiking shoes.
Become a member and get a 6-euros discount for every hike.