We did a challenging 12km route to two peaks, Puntal de l’Aljub and the Acorn Peak (Pico Bellota). These peaks have the best views of the Sierra Espadán and further afield. The route goes through the municipalities of Eslida and Chóvar via the pine and cork tree forests that are typical of the Sierra Espadán. We partially followed the PR-CV-352 and the old Chóvar road.
We started in Eslida which is a pretty village that is popular with cyclists. Our rote began at the top of the village with the option to go to the ruins of the castle or take the opposite trail to the L’Aljub peak. We took the route to the peak. The trail went up steeply and is quite rocky which gave us an idea of what was to come.
Although the trail is steep, it has plenty of attractions. There are great views of the castle and later on, vistas across the Sierra Espáden. The trail also has many interesting rock formations which are great for climbing on and we enjoyed taking a variety of funny photos.
The final part of our ascent to the first peak, Punta de L’Aljub (944m) was via rocky path through forest. At the peak we got great views of the sea in one direction and mountains in the other. The peak also has various red and white ariels and a lookout for forest fires.
We took a different trail down from the summit towards Acorn Peak. The trail descended steeply through forest before coming to a crossroads. At the crossroads we had to start going up again to get to the second peak.
The Acorn Peak (959m) has 360° panoramas of the Sierra Espáden and in the distance you can see Valencia city and Peñagolosa. The rocky outcrops at the peak provided plenty of opportunities for epic and also some silly photos. There are acorns at the peak so the name is accurate.
We descended the way we came until we got to the crossroads. Here we turned left to get back to Eslida. The first part of the trail down is quite easy to follow, it goes through the forest and then onto a gravel road. We walked along the gravel road for a short while before missing the unmarked turning for the next part of route. Fortunately, we soon turned around and were back on the correct trail.
The trail down is narrow and steep and once again it is through forests. As with most of the trails on this route, the rocky terrain required careful walking. The trail eventually comes out on a road to Eslida and from there it is an easy walk back to the village.
The two peak route, although challenging, is certainly worth the climb. The views are stunning and it’s the perfect place to take lots of photographs. All the trails require steady footing as they are either steep, rocky or often both! It’s a very fun hike and a great way to explore the Sierra Espadán.
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