Now that the heat of summer has passed and daytime temperatures are very much more suitable for outdoor activities, I decided to take my partner Nigel out on a mountain biking expedition, along with my mountain biking coach Dave Warrington we set off on a day’s excursion into the beautiful mountains and countryside around us.
We transported the bikes in the back of Dave’s minibus to Pla de Corrals, which was to be our starting point for the day’s outing. And a beautiful day it was too! The sun was shining and the weather was just perfect for the trip, so we were able to fully enjoy the wonderful scenery in this part of the La Safor region. Starting in the morning and up in the mountains it was still chilly to begin with but once we were on the trail, the warmth of the sunshine came through and made for a great day out.
We biked along trails, roads and pathways through the villages of Barxeta and Genoves before reaching the beautiful inland town of Xativa where it was time for a well-earned refreshment break and a look around the old town. Xativa is a warren of narrow streets and traditional houses painted in vibrant colours and a fascinating town to explore, all dominated by its ancient castle.
Next, it was back on the bikes and along more mountain biking tracks to our lunch spot at Aventador, where there is a public picnic area overlooked by a stunning climbing crag. Not only was it time for lunch here, it was also a necessary stop for a puncture repair – but what a beautiful place to have to carry out some running maintenance! The final stretch of the day took us back to Pla de Corrals via Alboy along a mixture of trails and minor roads – and all again with more beautiful scenery through the citrus groves.
After the heat of the summer it was great to have another day out mountain biking through the stunning countryside around here, and a wonderful reminder of the fact that this area has so much to offer to the nature lover who is willing to explore inland, rather than just catering to the holidaymaker who never strays far from the beach and the sea.
Alzira mountain biking
Below are also some picture of a separate expedition,… the Alzira mountain biking route (PR-CV303), through the La Casella Nature Park. La Casella is a valley situated in the southeast of the flood plains of the Xuquer River, surrounded by two mountain ridges: El Cavall and Les Aquilles.
The mountain biking route is 23km long and runs at an height of some 400 meters. For a variation we started our day in the village of Simat and after quick stop at the local tourist information centre, we set off on the 20km to Alzira. A gentle start on tracks through the orange groves, and a mixture of on and off-road conditions. A coffee stop in Alzira was next and then we discussed the route ahead.
The mountain biking route starts with a gentle climb, that gets progressively steeper, finally ascending to the roof of the valley at some 300m, from there on the going gets easier, and some lovely riding in a very remote and beautiful valley.
After a lunch break it was time to tackle the decent,….Yehaa!! 15 minutes of crazy, steep, down-hill exhilaration back into the village of Simat. A day fell spent!!!