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WALK 2

Tossal Grau

Start/finish	Pego
Distance	11km
Grade	Moderate
Time	4hrs
Terrain	Good paths, steep descent
Height gain	773m
Map	Costa Blanca Mountains (Discovery), Les Valls (Terra Firma)
Access	It is worth avoiding Pego’s intricate one-way system if possible and to approach the town via the CV 715 from the southeast. Pass the road to Vall d’Ebo on the left and shortly after take a prominent fork on the left just before a white church. Continue along this road following signs to the Calvaria. By a children’s play area turn left up a wide road lined with cypress trees. Just before it crosses a riverbed turn left again following signs for Climbing.
Parking	Roadside at a fork where the tarmac runs out and becomes concreted.

Pego and Vall d’Ebo lie at the northern limit of the area that can be reached easily from the main Costa Blanca resorts and the Tossal Grau sits neatly between them, a fine limestone peak blessed with two dramatic barrancs and a network of paths from which to explore them with relative ease. This walk begins from the edge of Pego but is soon among wild mountain country and leads to an airy summit with extensive 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains and coast.

From the fork go up the concrete road to quickly reach another junction. Take the right hand branch following a sign for the PR-CV 58 to Figuereta and Xical passing orange groves and houses. The track soon takes a right hand bend and 20 metres further on an unsigned path climbs up the banking into the undergrowth on the left to begin the ascent. When it reaches a broader unmade road carry on uphill. Ignore a junction to the right and follow the yellow and white paint flashes. After 50 metres take a track climbing off left still following the paint marks. When the path reaches another concrete road turn left.

After another 200 metres up the road turn sharply back leftwards on a footpath marked with yellow and white paint. Eventually, about 50mins from the car, the path emerges onto the rim of a plateau by some ruins and continues along a spur, following the line of a wall, with the deep Barranc de les Coves to the left. Eventually it switches sides of the ridge, now overlooking the equally impressive Barranc de la Canal while ahead masts crown the summit of the Miserat.

Looking down into the Barranc de la Canal

When the path reaches a small col, a painted arrow points off downhill. Ignore this and instead carry on leftwards up the slope to reach a signpost. Turn right to follow the signed PR-CV 58 to Figuereta. The other path, a green and white marked sender locale goes to Pego and will be part of our return route. For now carry on uphill.

The path reaches the Refugi Figuereta, a fine looking building blessed with a pump and shaded picnic tables grouped around it and a good place for a rest.

Leave it, still on the PR-CV 58, now signed to Ebo, which departs from the bottom left corner of the grounds and descends towards a barranc, which it crosses and then goes onto more open slopes, squeezing between dwarf palms, until it meets a finger post at a fork with a sign pointing back to Figuereta. Here leave the PR-CV leftwards, aiming for the rocky knoll of the Tossal above.

When the path, now marked by green and white flashes, reaches a col with a marker post Montgo comes into view ahead. Here turn right to climb the final slopes to the summit of Tossal Grau. The top is boulder-strewn with Vall d’Ebo below, hills all around and views to the coast and the rice-growing marshes between Pego and the Mediterranean, now also a haunt of birdwatchers.

From the top go back down to the marker post passed just before the final climb and this time turn right, following a path which traverses the hillside across old terraces and walls. This is the continuation of the SL used earlier and it descends to pass a farm building before coming to a T-junction. Turn left, now back on the PR-CV 58 signed to Figuereta and heading back to the refuge.

From the refuge retrace your route down the ascent path, now signed to Pego, until you reach the marker post passed on the way up and here turn right along the SL signed to Pego, Barranc de les Coves.

The path crosses the slopes and begins to drop steeply down abandoned terraces before being funnelled into the barranc on a steep and loose path to pass old wells. When it finally reaches the valley floor by wooden railings go straight ahead down the unmarked track heading towards Pego. The track, which seems unlikely at first as it ploughs into the undergrowth, soon improves and takes you past the climbers’ crags on the other side of the gorge before carrying on down to join a road to arrive back at the car.