Benitatxell (Alicante, España)
I had to get out and this path is right on our doorstep. A short walk over a paved road up the hill, then through a ravine over rocks and stones.
A group of four people came towards us, followed a little later by two young men. And then, suddenly and surprisingly, out of nowhere, a barking dog appears in front of us. With its legs spread and its mouth open, baring its teeth, it closes the path to us.
Frozen with fright, we try to keep calm. Then a voice calls out to him and he disappears as quickly as he appeared. A man passes us with a dog on a lead.
With the shock still in our bones, we walk on. And then we hear the roar. A few more steps and we are standing in front of the open sea, in the middle of a landscape of large stones on which the waves break.
From here, the path climbs steeply up the mountain. At the top, we walk along the path, with a massive, high rock face to our left and a slope to our right that leads into the turquoise blue sea.
I am moved by the rugged landscape, the sea, but above all the absence of civilization. But knowing full well that we will be immersed in it again at the end of this path. Into one without people. Into a ghost town that serves only one purpose, to give the rich another refuge.
Activity: Walk the SL-CV 50 Ruta de los Acantilados.
Distance: 7,3 km
Elevation: 468 m
Total Time: 1 h 10 min
Start/End: 38°42’05.2”N 0°09’31.2”E