Leave Abdet and turn onto the
minor road climbing above the back of the village.
Follow this underneath the crumbly cliffs and after
a few hairpins take the surfaced track on the right,
just before the road swings back left. This track
often this has a chain across it to stop cars. The
track now contours around the hillside before coming
to a junction near a ruined building. Take the left
fork here passing through some well tended terraces,
then just past a water storage reservoir the track
swings around to the left and drops down into the
Barranco del Maneceillo. Ignore a path that joins
on the right and follow along the bank of the Barranco
until you end up having to cross the stream two or
three times before climbing up a narrow track on
the other side of the stream. You will probably end
up pushing your bike part way up the steep track
that climbs past a fig plantation and a reaches a
wide track just beyond a rambling house.
The track now heads up the valley, climbing
gradually past the "Artists House" and after two more kms
it drops down to the main road. Turn right here and after
a further kilometre turn onto a track just before a house
with a small windmill - pass under the barrier.
There is now a long section of climbing,
but the views are spectacular enough to take your mind
of this. You are now reaching the hidden valleys of the
Serella. Eventually you reach a water tank, used to store
water in case of forest fires. Here you must ignore the
left turn and carry on in the same direction with superb
views toward Guadalest, also you can look down on the first
part of the ride.
Another
junction is soon reached, turn left here to start
the descent past a rock arch to Font Roja and Quatrotondeta.
The font has a tap so you can refill your water bottles
and refuel before the next section. Take the signposted
path to Quatrotondeta, you will have to push/carry
your bike along the first section of this until the
path widens into a track. Keep an eye open for the
rock wall covered in "lucky
crosses" and good views toward the forest of
pinnacles on the slopes of Peña del Moro.
Ignore a track on the right and continue on the last
section to Quatrotondeta. If you turn right at the
main road you can then go right through the narrow
streets of this quiet town.
After leaving the town you continue
along the main road only for a short distance. Turn
left on an unsignposted, but surfaced road and follow
this along for 5 undulating kilometres to Benasau.
You will find a good bar/restaurant at the far end
of the village (more or less the last building heading
in the direction of Abdet).
Now it's time to tackle the last section.
Locate the track at the East edge of the village,
it climbs past a forestry centre and then some very
steeps sections have to be tackled before it levels
of at the edge of the forest. Once you do reach the
forest virtually all of the rest of the ride is downhill.
Top marks if you managed to cycle all of this section!
You now rejoin your outward route -
the rapid descent is a thrilling end to the ride.
When you rejoin the main road keep on this all the
way through Confrides until you reach the turn for
Abdet.
We hope you agree that Serella Grand
Travese is a first rate challenge!
