Puig Campana is an impressive mountain in the province of Alicante, Spain, distinguished by its proximity to the sea and its striking silhouette. With an elevation of 1408 meters, it is one of the highest peaks in the region and offers hikers and nature lovers an unforgettable experience. As we had a holiday home in Finestrat, a hike to Puig Campana was a natural choice, and it was well worth it.
Puig Campana mountain hike is no walk in the park. You'll need to be pretty fit and steady on your feet. Forget about wearing flip-flops! Some parts, like the 'Kilometro Vertical', are really steep and covered in loose rocks. You might even need to do a bit of scrambling
"We opted for the following combination: For the ascent, we chose the longer but safer hiking trail "PR-CV 289 Circular Puig Campana". For the descent, however, we selected the shorter but more challenging route via the "Kilometro Vertical gully". This combination offered us both a pleasant hike and the opportunity to tackle the challenge of the gully.
When in Finestrat, follow the signs towards "Font del Moli". Once there, you can park directly or continue a short distance further to park directly at the trailhead (Pàrquing Puig-Campana). Here you can choose whether you want to take the "Kilometro Vertical" or the easier hiking trail. I recommend the "easier" trail. Many photo opportunities await you there that you would miss on the other route.
Our first stage destination was the "Refugio José Manuel Vera Catral", a small mountain hut that is particularly interesting for climbers and offers overnight accommodations. From there, the trail continues to the "Coll de Pouet" junction. Here you have the choice: either you can circumnavigate the mountain on the marked circular trail or you can attempt the direct ascent to the summit.
Note: We opted for a shortcut back then, which starts shortly after the refugio and is marked with an X. This trail leads through the bushes and rejoins the official ascent path just before the 'Pozo de nieve'.
Pozo de nieve:
The ascent begins now. The trail becomes more demanding from this point on. Some scrambling may be required.
Here is a picture from that part:
Shortly after, you reach the mountain saddle, "Pic Prim". From here, you descend the "Kilometro Vertical" back down the mountain and in the other direction towards the summit. The summit is only about 900 meters away from here and doesn't have many inclines, or rather, they are very easy to manage. This is where we took our first break. The hike to this point takes about 2.5 hours. So off we go to the summit! Once at the top, we were rewarded with a breathtaking panorama: Benidorm, the sparkling sea, and the surrounding mountains stretched out at our feet. An unforgettable experience! Here are a few impressions:
The return trip via the so-called "Kilometro Vertical" was anything but a walk in the park. There was hardly any discernible path, more like a collection of tracks that gave a rough direction but didn't always guarantee the safest way down. The steep terrain and loose ground made the descent a slippery affair, resulting in a few minor injuries.
Although the route didn't offer anything spectacular, it shouldn't be underestimated. In retrospect, I would have preferred the outward journey for the return trip. Not only did we progress much slower here, but the final section to the parking lot also seemed endless and was quite unrewarding.
Nevertheless, this section remains memorable. And that's often what hiking is all about: not just the destination, but also the journey there – with all its challenges and experiences.
My conclusion:
If you're in the area, take the opportunity and gather unforgettable impressions.
Here are a few more tips:
Sturdy footwear
At least 3 liters of water
Hiking poles could be helpful
A small snack
Oh, and I also found a towel to be quite practical at 35 degrees Celsius ;)
Headgear
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