Montgó – the back route part 3
LAST week we were following the GR-330 footpath from Jésus Pobre on the ‘back route’ ascent of the Montgó mountain.
We had reached the ridge of the mountain, where the path turns south and starts to follow the undulating, snaking spine of elongated Montgó.
Walking up here is very pleasant – amongst wild herbs, dwarf fan palms and with wonderful views along the coast of Denia and inland. The white/red waymarks of the GR-330 help to let the walker know that they are on the right path.
As the path progresses, the going underfoot becomes a bit more awkward, with small protruding rocks breaking the stride.
Pass through small groupings of dwarf fan palms before coming to a junction.
The path that bears left goes up the to the Denia cross (Creu de Denia) – maybe a route for another day. Keep straight on for the summit.
Soon afterwards the path becomes a little steeper. It has now moved from the seaward side of the ridge to the western extreme. Take care on the ascent of a short, steep section which leads to the final tranche up to the summit.
The last bit is much easier walking – and again extremely pleasant, with panoramic views over a vast area of Alicante province.
There is a trig point at the top to mark the peak which is at 753 metres above sea level.
There are terrific views over Jávea and the ‘south side’ from the summit. We return on the same path.
The information boards down below state that this route will take four hours, which is a little ambitious. Walkers should allow between five and six hours – more if they want longer rests.
The route is 6.3km each way, making a total of 12.6km. The height gain according to the official information board is 746 metres.