The Water Route - Sella, Alicante, Spain

Maps and general information about Sella.

Spanish Emergency Services - Tel: 112

Sella Town Hall - Tel: +34 965 879 001

POI - Numbered POI (like this one) relate specifically to the walk. Non numbered POI are additional locations and information that may be useful/of interest.

SL Symbols - when walking in the province of Valencia you may well come across these symbols. The colour will vary depending on the type of walk. Our walk today is classified as a SL - Sendero Local (short local walk) and the symbols are White and Green (for more information see the photo below). You may also see White and Yellow which represents a PRV - a longer route but one that can usually be done in a day, or White and Red which represents a LRV - a route that may take several days.

Height Profile - the lowest point on today's walk is 340m (1115ft) and the highest point is 500m (1640ft) with a total ascent of 352m (1154ft). For more information see the photo below.

Maps and general information about Sella.

Fresh bread baked daily in the traditional way in a wood fired oven.
Open every day (mornings only).

Located in the Plaza Mayor Bar Paco is a popular local bar serving drinks and tapas (closed Thursdays)

The small but beautifully decorated Church of Santa Ana is also in the Plaza Mayor and if the doors are open it warrants a look inside.

The Plaza Mayor (main square) is the heart of the village. This is where the local game, Pelota (handball) is played and also where, during fiestas, most of the celebrations take place. Here there is a small market on Wednesdays and Fridays as well as 2 Banks (1 ATM), a Small Shop/Butcher, Tobacconist, the Doctors Surgery, the Sella Town Hall, Postbox and a Public Telephone..

This is the official starting and finishing point of our walk. An information board shows maps and general information about Sella, and from here we start our walk by going down the steps to the right of the information board (La Calle Mayor). As well as following the GPS route you can also keep an eye open for the white and green paint marks.

Although the old wash house is not on the 'official' SL CV 112 route (it should be!) it is only a small diversion away and well worth a look - just turn right when you reach the main road and it is 2 minutes away on your right hand side.

This is where in times gone by villagers would have come to do their washing (see video) and it still gets occasional use today!

There is a second video clip, also taken near the wash house (in 1992) where you can see one of the last working donkeys that resided in Sella.

If you are not visiting the Old Wash house, turn left when you reach the main road.

From here you get a good view of where you are going next - down, towards the bridge (see photo with red dots). So you need to turn right off the main road, go down a few steps and onto a concrete path that will lead you downhill.

Turn right here and walk a short distance along the main road to the bridge - CAUTION TRAFFIC!

Until the arrival of motor cars and the 'new' bridge was built in the 1920's, this ancient bridge was the main route into the village of Sella for anyone coming up from the coast. Also note, as you look down at the bridge from the main road there are the remains of another construction on the right hand side. Two stone archways are clearly visible, this is believed to be all that remains of an ancient watermill that once stood on this site.

From here take the path that leads you down and across the original bridge and back up the other side.

We stood on the new bridge and enjoyed a view of this ancient bridge that we are now standing on, so it only seems right that we should now take a moment to have a look at the new bridge - of course, although I call it the new bridge and compared to the one we are standing on it is, but in fact the new bridge is itself, approaching 100 years old!

This is the first of several information boards you will find during the course of your walk, each one giving specific information about that part of the walk. The information is in Spanish, Valencian (the local language) and English.

From here take the narrow path on the left of the information board, you will pass a lemon grove on your right, and a house before reaching the main road. TAKE CARE when crossing the road to go down the concrete track opposite.

We are now approaching the ancient watermill (moli de baix) at the bottom of the valley, and at this point you get a good view of the natural lagoon below (very tempting on a hot summers day!)

Our 2nd information board relating specifically to the walk. You will have also noticed the small waterfall which can be quite impressive after heavy rain (see video). There is also a bench next to the information board and this is a great spot to sit for a few minutes, relax and listen to the magical sound of the water that surrounds you.

Now, you can also see the ancient building that is the old watermill. The mill was in use up to the 1970's and remains in the same family. It's current owner who was born and grew up here is doing a great job of restoring the mill and can tell many great stories relating to it's history and workings. I must however point out that this is a private property and ask you to respect this fact.

At this point you need to take the narrow path on the left that will lead you behind the mill and up the hill.

No doubt you will have noticed all the terracing and dry stone walls that have been cut into the landscape that surrounds you. This was started many hundreds of years ago by the Moors when they occupied this area (and most of Spain). This enabled them to cultivate the land on the sides of the steep mountains. Some of these walls and terraces are long and high, and because then like now, people prefer to take the quickest and most direct route to get from A to B, stone steps like the ones that you are standing next to, were built into the walls.

One of the nicest things about this walk is the ever changing views that you get of the village of Sella as the walk progresses. You may have noticed the very large walled building/property (lower right) that has a slightly Moorish castle appearance, many people think that this is indeed the remains of some ancient castle from times long gone by, it is actually a private house that was built during the 1960's and 70's!

The plateau directly behind Sella is called the Peña de Sella 1157m (3796ft) and as you follow it along from left to right you will see the defined pointed peak that is the Divino mountain 1120m (3675ft), pictured below. It is possible to walk onto the summit of the Divino mountain, although from here it does look pretty inaccessible! However, there is a way, and it is quite an easy walk and gentle ascent - but that's another walk for another day

People come to Sella from all over the world because of it's great and numerous rock climbing routes, and although there are some routes on the Divino, the main Sella crag and climbing area is a few kilometres further down this valley (Val de Arc).

Here you will find the The Alcantera Spring, try some of the fresh mountain water that comes from the spring - it's delicious! People travel many miles to come to Sella just to collect the water which is pure and rich in minerals. Here there is also another walk information board (La Font de l'Alcantera) that relates to our walk and nearby there is also another general information board and some picnic tables if you are ready for a break.

Then follow the narrow path on the right hand side of the white gate post.

At this point turn right onto the track that will lead up you through pine trees to the highest point on today's walk. Look out for and smell the rosmary and other wild herbs that grow in this area.

If for whatever reason (the weather may have changed unexpectedly) you wish to take a slightly quicker route back to the village, then it is at this point you have the opportunity to do so. Instead of turning right onto the track, simply continue on the road and this will lead you back to Sella.

Go left here off the main track (at first you double back on yourself, before going to the right again and continuing uphill towards the pine trees)

If you lucky enough to be doing this walk walk during the almond blossom season then you are in for a real treat! The season varies slightly from year to year, but is usually between mid January and the end of February.

WELL DONE for getting up the hill! Turn left here and follow the tarmac road all the way back to Sella - its all downhill!

(NOTE - the other walk that is signed to the right (PRV198) is in a completely different league to today's walk, it goes up onto the Peña de Sella and then back down again! It is for fit and experienced walkers and if you are tempted, even consider employing the services of a local guide.)

From here we get a great view of many of the dramatic mountains that surround us. The most striking of these is the Puig Campana (that's Valencian for Bell Peak) which at 1408m/4619ft stands out like a giant.

Talking of giants, the notch in the top of the mountain is called Roldan's Notch - the story (apparently true) is that a giant called Roldan use to live on the mountain. Roldan had a very beautiful wife, in fact she was so beautiful that it angered the Gods and they were so jealous of her beauty that they condemned her to die at sunset! Roldan, who loved his wife very much was furious. As sunset approached, he could no longer control his anger and he kicked the top of the mountain, creating the notch that we see today (the piece of rock that he kicked out landed in the sea and is what we now call Benidorm Island). By creating the notch, it meant that as the sun went down, a ray of sunlight was visible for an extra few minutes, thus giving Roldan and his wife an extra couple of minutes together before she died.

It is possible to walk up onto the summit of the Puig Campana mountain but you should allow a full day for this little outing.

Here is another good opportunity for us to see Sella from a different angle. You may have noticed the small chapel (Ermita de Santa Bárbara) that stands at the top of the village. This is a great spot for a picnic and on the way up there you can enjoy some great roofscape views as you look back down over the village.

Just off the road from where we are standing now is an open air water resevoir or depósito. There are quite a few of these scattered around the countryside and their function is that in the event of a fire the fire fighting helicopters can use them as local refilling points thus saving time and bringing fires under control quicker. Summer is obviously when risk of fire is at its highest, but fires can start at any time of the year like the one on the Puig Campana/La Nucia in 2009 which happened in January.

Sella cemetery is absolutely full of flowers on All Saints Day (1st November).

We are now nearing the end of todays walk. From here it is just a few minutes back to the car park, or maybe into the village to explore its narrow streets and have a drink at one of the bars.

Thank you for visiting Sella, I hope that you have enjoyed our walk and your time here. If so please tell your friends and take the time to write a few words by clicking on the EveryTrail 'Write A Review' button.

If you have any observations or comments about the walk or general questions about the area, please get in touch.

MHS

Hopefully you will have no need to visit the chemist while you are in Sella, but just in case this is where to find it!

Accommodation (casa rural) village house available for rent.
www.villagehouseinspain.com

Fresh bread baked daily in the traditional way in a wood fired oven.
Open every day (mornings only). This bakery is not immediately obvious, but look out for the tiles on the left of the door - 'Forn de Llenya'.

Open at lunchtime only.

Speciality - Paella (open at lunchtimes only)

Bar serving food both lunchtimes and evenings.
Closed Monday evening and all day Tuesday.

Small local estate agent. Opening hours not specified.

Maps and general information about Sella.

Not open all year round.