The Coca Trail at Aspe in the province of Alicante

The starting point for this walk is on Avenida Juan Carlos 1 near the Ermita de Santa Cruz in Aspe.
To get to the starting point by car, see the "practical information" section below.

(S/E) From the parking area, head towards the roundabout and take the street on the left where the pavement is topped by a large cement wall.
This is Calle Pasos, which is a Via Crusis, i.e. a Way of the Cross with different stations, and at the end leads to the Ermita de Santa Cruz. Go straight ahead until you reach the Hermitage.

(1) Take the opportunity to look inside the Ermita (usually closed), through two openings in the door. You can also walk around the square in front to see the end of the Stations of the Cross and some superb views of the town and surrounding mountains.
Retrace your steps and take the first turning on the left.
There is a post with white and yellow markings corresponding to the path known locally as the "Sendero de la Coca" or ^PR®®-CV 242.
These markings will be followed throughout the walk.
The route then follows a path known as the Temerosa path, which is a via pecuaria, i .e. an old path once used by herds during transhumance. Reach a fork in the road.

(2) Take the left-hand path towards "Urbanización Santa Elena". Reach the crossroads of the ^1st loop.

(3) Continue straight on towards "Fuente de la Coca" and follow this direction until you reach a fork in the road.

(4) Take the left-hand path until you reach another junction.

(5) Turn right and cross the bridge over the AVE high-speed train line. Reach the junction for the^2nd loop.

(6) Turn right, following the signs for "Carrizal del Rio Vinalopó por el Camino de la Temerosa". For information, a carrizal is reed vegetation. At the next junction, turn left to reach the ruins of the Castillo del Rio, which served to protect a population of Arab descent until the ^13th century. At its foot are the ruins of an old mill and the Rio Vinalopo.

(7) Continue downhill, following the signs for Fuente de la Coca. You will come to a fork in the road.

(8) Leave the wide path and turn left, following the signs for "Fuente de la Coca". You will come across an ^18th-century aqueduct.

(9) Pass under the aqueduct, which was once used to transport water (puente dos ojos) and come to a small post.

(10) To find your way around, look for the small post at the top, coloured White and Yellow. Find a second post coloured White and Yellow.

(11) Continue and you will come to a small part of the path taken earlier at the junction of the^2nd loop.

(6) Turn right, in the opposite direction to the outward journey. Cross the same bridge over the railway tracks and come to a fork in the road that you passed on the outward journey.

(5) Turn right to reach the Fuente de la Coca, located at your feet, with lots of vegetation.

(12) Stay on this path until youreach a tarmac road belonging to Urbanización Santa Elena.

(13) Go left to reach the junction for the ^1st loop.

(3) Turn right and retrace the route back to the parking area (S/E).

How to get to the start of the walk by car.
From Alicante city, take the A31 motorway (from Calle Mexico) towards Madrid.
Take exit 224 for CV-847 / Aspe / Benidorm / Valencia and continue straight on for CV-847 / Aspe. Get into the left-hand lane to follow signs for Aspe and then continue straight on.
At the roundabout take the 3rd exit for CV-847 / Aspe (and A7 Murcia).
At the roundabout take the 1st exit for CV-847 / Aspe and continue on the CV-847.
At the entrance to Aspe, at the roundabout take the 4th exit for Av. Juan Carlos 1 and at the next roundabout continue straight on Av. Juan Carlos 1.
Park on this avenue as close as possible to the next roundabout, or go around the roundabout to park on the other side of the avenue.

By car from Alicante, it takes around 30 minutes to cover 28 km.