Walking holiday in Alicante
| country: | Spain |
| location: | Alicante, Valencia |
| trip type: | Self guided, introductory / moderate walking holidays |
| price: | From £425 (7 nights) excluding flights, half board. Group discounts: 4-6 persons €940 each or 7+ persons €670 each. Inn to Inn trek and Self Guided holidays depart any day of the week. Guided holidays depart Sat |
read 3 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
Guided individuals and self guided tailormade walking tours.
Self guided walking tours: Do you like to do your own navigating? You choose the dates, the grade of walks, type of accommodation and meals you prefer and we supply you with the route maps and notes you need for any of the fifteen routes we have prepared. You can also combine this option with one or two day's guided walks. These holidays are designed for walkers who enjoy doing their own navigating. Based in the village you can choose any five from fifteen different walks of distances from 6 to 24 km. You can also combine this option with one or two day's guided walks too.
We will supply you with the maps and directions you need so you can explore the countryside at your pace and see the sights you want to see. Car transfers to get to walks are less than 30 minutes, otherwise routes start and finish in the village. We will be on hand to give you local advice about the area and the walks
Inn to Inn Holidays: If you are an explorer then this is the holiday for you. We provide the maps and directions you need for six day's trekking through beautiful mountainous countryside with overnight stops in whitewashed mountain villages. Options to shorten, lengthen or navigate with an electronic compass.
If you enjoy exploring beautiful mountainous countryside then this is the holiday for you. Discover the secrets of ancient Moorish villages hidden away in the high sierras. Visit Moorish castles, abandoned ice houses, drink crystal clear spring water and climb peaks with commanding views of mountains and out to sea. We provide you with everything you need: maps, clear directions, a packed lunch and transfer your bags on to the next hotel leaving you free to enjoy the walking, about 17 km and 550m of ascents daily. You will travel almost entirely on good tracks and quiet country lanes so you can really enjoy the scenery, fresh air and peace and quiet. You also have options to stay for longer at one hotel or combine with one or two day's guided walks. We also offer alternative routes where possible so you can adjust the trek to suit yourself as well as 24 hour emergency support and a mobile phone service.
Enjoy a unique Mediterranean walking holiday; venture into the heart of the Spanish countryside with five great walks each exploring a different aspect of the natural environment.We offer a variety of quality walking while you find out the secrets of one of Europe's most beautiful and diverse landscapes. Your guide will take you on an innovative voyage of discovery through unspoilt Mediterranean countryside that puts you in the picture, all you have to do is find a flight and we will do the rest.Our holidays are designed for people who enjoy moderate walking, who want to know about the countryside and who like to try something different from the usual.
At 550m above sea level Tarbena enjoys an ideal climate for walking, rich in wildlife, steeped in history and set in rugged mountainous terrain with views out over the Mediterranean Sea some 15 miles away. Walks are usually circular, starting and finishing in the village they average 12km and some 450m ascent on footpaths, tracks and quiet B roads. We walk from 9.00am to 2.00pm and then stop for a leisurely Spanish lunch in a local restaurant. You'll travel through a variety of Mediterranean landscapes, identifying key features and how they relate to past and present use of the land. We'll also be taking advantage of fresh water springs and shady places for breaks. Each day introduces you to a different aspect of the countryside, see below to find out more...
Wildlife
As your safety is our priority on today's walk we'll point out plants and animals which you should treat with caution, as well as looking out for the mammals, birds, reptiles and plants to be found around Tarbena. We'll also find out why the Mediterranean has such high biodiversity and why the area around Tarbena so unique and important within Europe. Most mammals are rare, nocturnal and shy but you should see tracks and signs of wild boar. From time to time we are able to offer an excursion to watch wild boar if we know where they are feeding.
History
Spain has long been the preferred destination for a succession of invaders and colonisers, but predating them all native Iberians founded one of Europe's forgotten civilizations whose language and writing has still to be deciphered. Onto this native root-stock were grafted the effects of Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, and Moors. Around Tarbena we will be visiting sites of an Iberian settlement, a Moorish village and hill fort, and an ancient track used during the Christian reconquest of Valencia.
Farming
Olives, almonds, carobs, figs and vines have been the mainstay of life in the mountains for centuries, we'll be looking at how Tarbena's inhabitants earn a living out of their steep terrain and sampling whatever fruit's in season.
Landscape
A veritable forest of paper has been used to write about the degradation and erosion of the Mediterranean, accusing fingers point to Ancient Greece and Rome as culprits citing their insatiable demand for timber to fuel industry, construction and wars. This has now become the conventional wisdom, but is it really true? On this walk landscape history is viewed from a new perspective that questions the idea of the Mediterranean as a ruined landscape.
Geology
The rugged mountains and deep gorges of our area seem to be a timeless part of the landscape, but if all of this rock started out as sediments on the seabed why is it now perched 1000 metres above sea level? This walk takes a non-technical amble through the last 250 million years to find out how these mountains got to where they are today. Along the way we'll be looking for the fossils that help us reconstruct this fascinating story.
Your hosts: Erik Brockdorff is a graduate in Environmental Sciences (Bsc) and Resource Management (Msc). He ran his own forest management company in Norfolk before moving to Spain in 1996 where he met Esperanza Molines Ripoll, native of Tárbena and principal source of information about local culture and customs. The youngest member of the team is Carla, aged 6, who finds more fossils than anybody else.
Self guided walking tours: Do you like to do your own navigating? You choose the dates, the grade of walks, type of accommodation and meals you prefer and we supply you with the route maps and notes you need for any of the fifteen routes we have prepared. You can also combine this option with one or two day's guided walks. These holidays are designed for walkers who enjoy doing their own navigating. Based in the village you can choose any five from fifteen different walks of distances from 6 to 24 km. You can also combine this option with one or two day's guided walks too.
We will supply you with the maps and directions you need so you can explore the countryside at your pace and see the sights you want to see. Car transfers to get to walks are less than 30 minutes, otherwise routes start and finish in the village. We will be on hand to give you local advice about the area and the walks
Inn to Inn Holidays: If you are an explorer then this is the holiday for you. We provide the maps and directions you need for six day's trekking through beautiful mountainous countryside with overnight stops in whitewashed mountain villages. Options to shorten, lengthen or navigate with an electronic compass.
If you enjoy exploring beautiful mountainous countryside then this is the holiday for you. Discover the secrets of ancient Moorish villages hidden away in the high sierras. Visit Moorish castles, abandoned ice houses, drink crystal clear spring water and climb peaks with commanding views of mountains and out to sea. We provide you with everything you need: maps, clear directions, a packed lunch and transfer your bags on to the next hotel leaving you free to enjoy the walking, about 17 km and 550m of ascents daily. You will travel almost entirely on good tracks and quiet country lanes so you can really enjoy the scenery, fresh air and peace and quiet. You also have options to stay for longer at one hotel or combine with one or two day's guided walks. We also offer alternative routes where possible so you can adjust the trek to suit yourself as well as 24 hour emergency support and a mobile phone service.
Enjoy a unique Mediterranean walking holiday; venture into the heart of the Spanish countryside with five great walks each exploring a different aspect of the natural environment.We offer a variety of quality walking while you find out the secrets of one of Europe's most beautiful and diverse landscapes. Your guide will take you on an innovative voyage of discovery through unspoilt Mediterranean countryside that puts you in the picture, all you have to do is find a flight and we will do the rest.Our holidays are designed for people who enjoy moderate walking, who want to know about the countryside and who like to try something different from the usual.
At 550m above sea level Tarbena enjoys an ideal climate for walking, rich in wildlife, steeped in history and set in rugged mountainous terrain with views out over the Mediterranean Sea some 15 miles away. Walks are usually circular, starting and finishing in the village they average 12km and some 450m ascent on footpaths, tracks and quiet B roads. We walk from 9.00am to 2.00pm and then stop for a leisurely Spanish lunch in a local restaurant. You'll travel through a variety of Mediterranean landscapes, identifying key features and how they relate to past and present use of the land. We'll also be taking advantage of fresh water springs and shady places for breaks. Each day introduces you to a different aspect of the countryside, see below to find out more...
Wildlife
As your safety is our priority on today's walk we'll point out plants and animals which you should treat with caution, as well as looking out for the mammals, birds, reptiles and plants to be found around Tarbena. We'll also find out why the Mediterranean has such high biodiversity and why the area around Tarbena so unique and important within Europe. Most mammals are rare, nocturnal and shy but you should see tracks and signs of wild boar. From time to time we are able to offer an excursion to watch wild boar if we know where they are feeding.History
Spain has long been the preferred destination for a succession of invaders and colonisers, but predating them all native Iberians founded one of Europe's forgotten civilizations whose language and writing has still to be deciphered. Onto this native root-stock were grafted the effects of Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, and Moors. Around Tarbena we will be visiting sites of an Iberian settlement, a Moorish village and hill fort, and an ancient track used during the Christian reconquest of Valencia.Farming
Olives, almonds, carobs, figs and vines have been the mainstay of life in the mountains for centuries, we'll be looking at how Tarbena's inhabitants earn a living out of their steep terrain and sampling whatever fruit's in season.
Landscape
A veritable forest of paper has been used to write about the degradation and erosion of the Mediterranean, accusing fingers point to Ancient Greece and Rome as culprits citing their insatiable demand for timber to fuel industry, construction and wars. This has now become the conventional wisdom, but is it really true? On this walk landscape history is viewed from a new perspective that questions the idea of the Mediterranean as a ruined landscape.Geology
The rugged mountains and deep gorges of our area seem to be a timeless part of the landscape, but if all of this rock started out as sediments on the seabed why is it now perched 1000 metres above sea level? This walk takes a non-technical amble through the last 250 million years to find out how these mountains got to where they are today. Along the way we'll be looking for the fossils that help us reconstruct this fascinating story.Your hosts: Erik Brockdorff is a graduate in Environmental Sciences (Bsc) and Resource Management (Msc). He ran his own forest management company in Norfolk before moving to Spain in 1996 where he met Esperanza Molines Ripoll, native of Tárbena and principal source of information about local culture and customs. The youngest member of the team is Carla, aged 6, who finds more fossils than anybody else.
travellers' tales
The most memorable part was the wonderful walks with varied scenery and terrain. Erik was kindness itself and quickly assessed our modest ability and tailored the walks appropriately, while providing options. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend this holiday--all so very memorable (more)
how this holiday makes a difference
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You will be travelling to southeastern Spain where the climate is typically Mediterranean with mild winters and hot, dry summers. During the winter nighttime temperatures can drop below zero with daytime temperatures of 8 to 12 ºC. September, October and November are the months when semi-tropical storms, with high winds and up to 500mm rainfall, can occur depending on sea surface temperatures and meteorological conditions. In the event of this we will not be walking and have an alternative itinerary of slide shows and visits to local museums.
Should you wish to buy souvenirs we suggest you buy something from the village such as olive oil, almonds or locally produced spicy sausages. This provides direct benefits to the community and to the environment by supporting those that care for the land. Water is a scarce resource and so to reduce water consumption we recommend that you shower rather than use the bath and use the short flush on toilet cisterns when available. During the walks we will be advising you on all aspects of the countryside from local customs to good practise but we would like to point out four cardinal rules before you arrive. 1. Do not light any sort of fire. 2. Do not leave the footpath unless your guide indicates otherwise. 3. Do not pick any flowers or remove fossils you may find unless your guide indicates otherwise. 4. Do not pick any fruit unless your guide indicates otherwise. |
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