There is nothing I like better than cycling off for a couple of days or so. As we live on the coast, surrounded by mountains, nearly every trip starts with a climb. Once in the mountains, there are many valleys to explore, each quite different, but all sprinkled with small villages that are picked out from a distance by their village church in the centre, looking like a mother hen with her chicks huddling in for protection.

Today’s ride was to end further up the coast, near Gandia, taking a wide arc through the interior. After reaching Orba and then Pego, the road snakes higher and higher, offering panoramic views of the Pego marshes and the Mediterranean Sea beyond.

At the top of the pass, you really have to stop. If the climb has not already taken your breath away, the views will!  In front of you lies the long valley of Val d’Ebo (and the village of the same name),while to the south you look down the Baranc d’Inferno, the Gorge of Hell. I love this valley, for the small river that sustains it, the apple orchards and the perfect tranquility.

After lunch in the village square, I began the climb out of the valley towards the village of Margarida, and then Planes with it’s prominent castle.Although the almond blossom has long passed on the coast, here the bloom was still captivating, in white, pink and an intense lilac.  Now I careerred down to the Beniarreis reservoir, crossed the dam and before long was in the next valley.I had only been through this particular valley once before. Nothing had changed. The Serpis river, carrying water from the reservoir as far down as Potries, quenches the rich soil and permits intense horticulture. On my last visit, I had somehow  missed seeing the castle,  perched up on the left,  just before entering L’Orxa. Taking the little detour up to it,  I came to the old Gandia-Alcoy railway track, now a 70 km. bicycle track. I got chatting  there to a group of young mountain-bikers from Valencia. They were having a few days away while the Fallas were on. Typically Spanish, they invited me to eat with them. It was a kind gesture, but I had to keep moving.

The village of L’Orxa  itself appears to be a dead end to the valley as the mountains rear up around it. There is no indication of the steep lane that takes you quickly (well,depending on your mode of transport!) to the top. From there, another hour took me higher still, before crossing La LLacuna and then dropping to Villalonga  at the mountain base and along to Potries for 6.15pm.

There I stayed the night with my wonderful friends of 11 years , Simeon and Conchin.  He is a builder, a specialist in stonework (mamposteria). Once, I went with him to the house of his aunt, in the centre of the village. I remember him lifting a slab in the main room, and there below was a torrent of water charging through. Apparently , all the houses of the village are connected to the system of  underground channels, undoubtedly built by the Moors many centuries ago, to supply fresh water from the Serpis.

After a few tapas, at 9 o’clock we enjoyed the lovely meal Conchin had prepared. By 10, I was in bed and out like a light.

Note for cycling enthusiasts: normally I record my time, distance and average speed of all my rides. Unfortunately, my clock has broken and will be replaced for the 3rd. ride. Today’s ride was about 90-100 km.