Cava de Don Miguel and Bolumini Cave in the Sierra de Mariola

Park in the car park at Les Fonts de Mariola campsite; for directions, see the ‘Practical Information’ section.

(S/E) Walk back about a hundred metres along the road you’ve just come along. You’ll immediately see a sign by the roadside indicating “Cueva de Bolumini 2.1 km^PR®-CV370”. So, head in that direction – in other words, turn left. You’ll then come to a signpost indicating the direction of Cueva de Bolumini.

(1) As the walk described here doesn’t go there directly, we ignore this sign and instead turn right onto a wide path. At the junction with another very wide path, we turn left towards El Refugio. Then, at the next junction, we turn right and follow this wide dirt track through the pine trees, ignoring the various crossroads.

(2) In just under half an hour, you’ll reach the Font del Cerrer, also known as the Font del Cirer or the Font del Mas dels Arbres. You’ll notice that this spring feeds not only the large pool where you are standing but also a smaller pool that you may have spotted about a hundred metres earlier. You then continue along the^GR®7.

(3) You leave the wide path by taking a narrower track on the left. This track becomes increasingly narrow and steeper, eventually leading to the Cava de Don Miguel, a monumental snow well dating from the 19th century, with a diameter of 14.5 m and a depth of 11 m.

(4) Walk carefully around it, as the well is in a state of disrepair, then follow the^PR®-CV370 path marked with white and yellow markings. You’ll immediately reach a summit, the ‘Alt de la Cava’, at 1,077 metres.
Please note: from this point onwards, you’ll need a very good sense of direction, as the trail often becomes unclear, particularly amongst the rocks, and you’ll need to constantly look out for the next mark or small cairn. In my opinion, it’s absolutely essential to have the route map for this hike with you to avoid getting lost.
After a short climb over the rocks, where you’ll need to use your hands for support, you reach the summit of El Portin (around 1,090 m). This summit is easily recognisable as it features a triangulation point (a large cylinder on a cube) with a very large cairn beside it.

(5) You descend a little to rejoin the path and then, a short while later, make a very short detour to see the Cava de Portin (another snow pit). Be careful not to get too close to the large hole as there is no safety barrier.

(6) Here you need to leave the path you’re on and head towards the path visible a little further up, as there’s no real junction between these two paths. You then continue on your way and will find yourself walking along the ridge.

(7) You’ll pass close to a very large mushroom-shaped rock known as the Roca dels Taulellets (take the time to have a closer look). A little further on, you begin the descent and follow a circular route (you’ll come across a sign pointing to Cueva de Bolumini, 15 mins via the^PR®-CV370) to visit the immense Bolumini Cave.

(8) The cave is 15 m high and 30 m deep. It was inhabited during the Neolithic period and the remains of an Iberian settlement have been found all around it.
After the visit, we complete the circular route by following the sign for “Senda des Ibers”. We then pass the sign mentioned a little earlier and begin the descent.
After a short while, you’ll leave the wide track to take the path on the right; then, further on, when you see the campsite, take the path on the left, which will bring you back very quickly to your starting point (S/E).

How to get to the start by car:
From Alicante city centre, take the A31 motorway (from Calle Mexico) towards Madrid and, shortly afterwards, take exit 236A towards Benidorm and Valencia. Then, shortly afterwards, take exit 17 towards Alcoï (or Alcoy). Once past the roundabout towards Alcoy, follow the A77 motorway, which becomes the A7.
Further on (about 49 km further), take exit 449 towards CV70/Benilloba/N340/Alcoï just after the tunnel exit.
At the roundabout, take the^3rd exit onto the N340 towards Alcoï Universitat.
At the roundabout, take the^first exit onto the N340 towards Alcoï Universitat.
At the roundabout in front of Mercadona, take the^third exit towards Banyeres.
At the roundabout, take the^3rd exit onto the bridge towards CV795/Banyeres.
At the roundabout, take the^3rd exit towards Banyeres.
At the roundabout, go straight on towards Banyeres.
At the roundabout, take the second exit towards Banyeres.

You are now on the CV795. About 3 km further on, follow signs for the CV794 to Bocairent (19 km), veering slightly to the right.
(You’ll also see the sign for Font Mariola, 8 km)

You’ll find yourself on a mountain road with some lovely bends (speed limit 50 or 40 km/h) which gradually narrows.
At the 9 km mark, you’ll see a ‘camping’ sign; follow this sign and turn right onto the track. Carry on and park on the right-hand side opposite the campsite entrance.

For your information: by car, the journey covered approximately 75 km in about 1 hour.

Note: on the return journey by car, you’ll need to follow the signs for Alcoï.

If you only wish to visit Bolumini Cave, there is a direct path from the campsite, which is much shorter than the route suggested here. Simply follow the signposts indicating the direction.

You may need a torch to visit the cave.

For your information, do not confuse ‘cava’, which refers more to a well or a hole, with ‘cueva’, which refers to a cave.

The route isn’t always very obvious. I therefore recommend carrying the map with you so you can check your position at any time.