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WALK 5

Castell d’Aixa

Start/finish	Font d’Aixa
Distance	10km
Grade	Moderate
Time	3hrs 30mins to 4hrs
Terrain	Limestone paths and a high, easy ridge
Height gain	490m
Map	IGN Pedreguer
Access	Leave the N332 on the CV 750 to Xalo and after 4km take a narrow road on the right signed to Lliber. Follow it to the village where it emerges on the main road at a tricky exit where you turn right for 100 metres and then left on the CV 748 to Gata de Gorgos. After 3.8km, opposite a large white house, turn left onto the Camino Font d’Aixa, which winds between houses and on for another 2.5km to the pool of the Font.
Parking	By the font.

Little remains of the old fortress of Castell d’Aixa sitting high upon its ridge but that is no reason to shun a visit. This route follows a steep path to a col below the castle and returns via a high ridge with fine views to the coast and inland mountains, as well as over the Vall de Pop.

From the parking area by the Font d’Aixa carry on forwards following yellow and white markings. After about 100 metres look out for a turning to the left where the path begins to climb the hillside, following signs to Castell d’Aixa and Font de la Xima. At the next junction with a three way sign carry on climbing, following signs to the Castell.

Castell d'Aixa rises above the orange groves

The path goes up steeply until it reaches a band of rock where it climbs rightwards up a narrow shelf and passes below a fallen boulder before regaining the open hillside and soon afterwards breasts the ridge to open up excellent views across the valley to the castle ruins perched on the rocky summit opposite. From the col the path traverses the hillside making for another col at the head of the valley with views down into the Vall de Pop and across to a pair of dramatic shark’s fin ridges on the opposite hillside below the castle. Now turn rightwards up the broken limestone slope, the route still marked with yellow and white paint flashes.

The rock ramp climbing to the first col

At a fork take the lower right hand option which traverses the hillside before coming back leftwards through old terraces and walls to reach the summit of Castell d’Aixa. Crowned with a round concrete post, the summit is an ideal place for a refreshment stop to admire the wide-ranging views.

Leaving the summit, set off along the ridge with the isolated massif of Montgo directly ahead to the northeast. After about 150 metres look out for a cairn on the edge of the left hand slope and a path leading downwards. It initially heads back left before cutting back right aiming for the col between the summit and the next knoll on the ridge. It drops down an eroded section to a well, a surprising find at this altitude.

The path continues along the ridge line, by-passing subsidiary tops and passing another well before it drops down to the right with a long level section. As it drops again continue heading downwards with Montgo still ahead. At a crossroads of paths continue straight across and onwards past a ruin. At the next junction ignore a path heading downhill but continue ahead along a now much narrower path still marked with yellow and white paint. At the end of the ridge a sign points the way back right to Font d’Aixa. The path now heads back up the valley through old terraces aiming for a col. It then passes through an area of renovated terraces planted with olive trees. At the end of the restored terraces continue across the hillside, ignoring a path down to the left, and still aiming for the shallow col. Cross this and continue heading down leftwards aiming for a concrete road where you turn right downhill signed to Font d’Aixa.

After about 250 metres on a left hand bend a signpost points down the road to Font d’Aixa per Barranc de Aigua. Ignore this and instead take the path which heads rightwards away from the road. This is unmarked but is in fact part of the PR-V53 and leads to Font d’Aixa via Aspres. At first it runs horizontally across old terraces into the valley, whose skyline you have just walked before, dropping steeply downhill. It passes an old casita before becoming broader and then reaching the concrete road used on the approach. Turn right along this for a 200 metres to Font d’Aixa.