Half an hours hike and yor are on the top of the world eleven hundred meters above the Mediterranean. On your way you can pick wild saffron or track for wild boar. On the top you can cut a bit of the Aloe Vera plant and rub the healing juice on your skin - or just enjoy the view.
The small moutain village Sella is situated right below the towering Sella mountain. The city is far enough away from the tourist zone to maintain the original spanish characteristics. On restaurants you will meet spaniards.
The hike is mostly on an idyllic cart trac.
The tracs of wild boar are easily recognized, but you will not meet them. They are quite shy. Where they have searched for plant roots, it looks like someone has plowed up the ground.
Can you identify the track in the image below?
Close to the summit you can go to the left and follow one of the smaller paths or stake out your own course. If you follow the cart trac you will end ut at a simple cabin which is yours for 2 million Euro.
On the top it's time for a break and let the gaze wander.
This 10 cm larva will probably become a beautiful butterfly.
The dustbars from this saffron flower contains the valuable dye from the saffron. One kilo costs 7 000 Euro. But to get that amount you will need to pick 70 000 saffron flowers.
The juice from the Aloe Vera plant has medical effects - good for wounds, dry skin and eczema.
The cultivated areas along the mountain sides were landscaped by the Moors who occupied Spain for 800 years. When they were expelled they had made cultivable fields where nothing was supposed to grow.
On your way back it's obvious that Sella lies on a hill.
In the centre you will find an amusing restaurant called Fonda where they serve a four course meal for 16 Euro. For this price you can drink as much wine, bear or limonade as you care for. The premises have previously been used as a garage, and the standard is simple, but the cook Mercedes is a treasure. If you want to experience spanish culture and simple, but tasty food, Fonda is worth a try.
More excursions: www.turideer.com
The excursion of the week: Sella
Duration: 45 minutes by car from the coast (Villajoyosa) - thereafter 30-45 minutes walk.
Difficulty: Easy, suits everybody, even small children.
Getting there: Take the exit to Villajoyosa and Sella from N-332 a few kilometers south of Benidorm. Follow CV 70 until you reach Sella. Continue through the city. After apporximately 4 kilometers you will arrive at a sharp left curve where a small asphalt and dirt road continues right a head. Turn right here and follow the partly asphalted road for approximately 12 minutes. Then you will reach a point where the roads stops or is converted to a cart trac. There is a small space there which you could call a turnaround. Park your car at the side of the road. And now comes the important part. Your shall not continue right ahead, but turn right and follow the cart trac that goes upwards. This trac will take you to the top of the Sella mountain. Just before you reach the top, you can turn left on one of the paths and you will soon be able to enjoy the marvellous view. If you had taken the cart trac right a head, you would hade come to another part of the Sella mountain. This is a far longer hike which eventually will lead you to Benifato and Guadelest.
