PR-CV 388 Riberers Route

ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

The walk begins at the Municipal Cemetery's car park. Facing the main entrance to the cemetery the trail starts towards the

west that is to say to the left along the tarmac lane. After 150 metres turn right at the crossroad in a northerly direction. At 1 km

the route reaches the spot where stood in the past the Roca de la Salve (003), place of great importance in the history of the

Benissa folk. After a further 370 metres and a slight uphill climb the lane passes alongside the Canor water tank and at this point

becomes a dirt track. After passing through two tunnels and covering a distance of 2.2 km turn right at the crossroad up a steep

path that after 100 m leads to another dirt track.

Continue for 740 m and at the cross road take the turning towards the Font de la Mata, where you can refill water bottles at

the well and enjoy the surroundings. After a well earned rest make your way back to the last cross road and the ruins of the

"Casa de Xaparrundos" a farm house that dates back to the 19th Century where you can see the remains of a 11 metre long

"aljibe" (underground water tank) that with 2 archways at each is of great architectural interest. The route continues along the

lane that leads south in front of the farmhouse. This lane turns into a path that leads through the woods. After 1,54 km bear left

to climb to the highest point of the route "els Serrellars" at an altitude of 430m that offers wonderful views of Montgó, Bèrnia,

Oltà, Segaria, Benissa, Gata de Gorgos, Teulada, etc.

Continue downhill along the path through the "Mallada Verda". After passing some ruins you will reach a dirt track that after

500m turns into a lane. After 1,3 km turn right at the crossroad and then after 180 m turn left at another crossroad.

Turn right at each of the following crossroads until you reach the lane to the cemetery and the end of the route.

Enjoy the walk!

THE "CAMÍ VELL DE VALÈNCIA" ROUTE

The "Cami Vell de València" was the old route that was used by the "Ribereros" on their seasonal journeys to the Jucar riverside

to plant or harvest rice. It passed through the "Garganta" gorge and ended at the "Ventas de Pedreguer". This yearly migration

allowed the farm hands to increase the meagre income obtained from the local farming land that in the main belonged to landed

families. The farm workers carried their work clothes that included "garramanxes", rudimentary leggings that they tied to the

bottom of their "saragüells" (short trousers) and helped to ward off the leeches and finger guards that protected their nails and

fingers that become soft and sore due to the constant contact with the water. These rudimentary garments weren't effective

against the painful bites of the "cotimanyes", the water fleas. The farm hands also carried in their wide based baskets salt fish,

cured meat and sausages and potted "mullador" (a mix of cooked tomatoes and peppers) for their lunch breaks in the rice

paddies. When they arrived at the Garganta gorge, at a rock known as the "Roca de la Salve", the Ribereros turned to face the

Benissa church and said a prayer to the "Puríssima Xiqueta" asking the Virgin Mary for protection against malaria, typhus and

cholera, illnesses that due to the unhealthy work conditions were rife amongst the farm hands.

LA FONT DE LA MATA

The "Font de la Mata" nature spot in the municipal area of Gata de Gorgos.

Mata is the common name in the Valencian language of the mastic (Pistacea lentiscos).

The mastic is a small evergreen bush that grows up to a height of 3 metres. The branches are of a

reddish colour in the younger plants but turn grey as the plant matures. The leaves remain green

throughout the year and are smooth and without down. The plants are either masculine or femenine.

The flowers are small and red and produce a pea shaped fruit that turns from green to black depending on the season. This

shrub grows on hillsides throughout the most of the peninsula although it is typical of the Mediterranean region. The importance

of this nature reserve is the presence of two mastic bushes of different ages of unusually large size. These mastics have rooted

in a formation of flat rock and during their growth they have uprooted the stones. Below these mastics is located a well that

dates back to Arabic times that, together with the mastics, has given its name to the spot, and counts with stone water troughs

and a stone table and benches.

PR-CV Riberers Route