Ten kilometers from the coastal city Oliva on the Costa de Valencia, a disused railway line has been converted into a beautiful hiking and cycling route. The route runs through lush and green terrain along the Serpis river in the Racó del Duc gorge, or Barranc de l'Infern as it is also called. It runs from Villalonga to l'Orxa and is approximately 12 km long. This post describes the route from la Reprimala in Villalonga to the disused Fábrica de l'Infern which is located approximately halfway.
The hike starts at La Reprimala just outside Villalonga. Take the steep downhill path at the sign in the picture above. The first two kilometers go down a long hill on a narrow, partially paved road in forest terrain. At the fork in the road after about 2 km (see picture below), follow the arrow to the left. After about 100 meters you will reach the first tunnel, which is 240 meters long and is so dark that it is best to bring a flashlight. Then just continue on the gravel road in the disused train line until you reach Fábrica de l'Infern after 4 kilometers where you turn around and go back the same way. The road continues along the Serpis river through a long gorge surrounded by beautiful mountains.
The railway line that ran here was a result of the second industrial revolution that began in the mid-19th century. Alcoy, which is located a few miles further inland, needed coal from England for its industry and a transport route to export its products. The solution was "The Alcoy and Gandía Railway and Harbour Company Limited" which was commissioned to build a railway line from Alcoy to the coastal town of Gandía, a distance of 51 km. Since English investors were behind it, it was called Tren dels Anglesos (the English Train). Impressively, it only took two years to plan, design and build the train line. It was completed in 1892 and inaugurated on January 24, 1893. In 1969, it was closed after 76 years of operation because it was no longer profitable.
In addition to transporting coal in and industrial products out, the English train gave the population of Alcoy and villages along the route an opportunity to travel to the tempting beaches of the Mediterranean. Thus, Gandía became a tourist town. Alcoy had some metallurgical industry, but at first paper and textiles were the main exports. The train usually had three passenger carriages that could carry 20-25 people. On the most difficult climbs from Gandía, passengers had to get off the train and follow it on foot in order for the steam engine to cope with the load.
The Ruta de Vía Verde is a collective term for disused railway lines that have been rehabilitated and converted into gravel paths for hiking and cycling. There are 3,300 kilometres of such paths in Spain. Walking on these paths brings you closer to nature in a different way than you would otherwise. The stretch between the villages of Villalonga and l'Orxa is one of the most beautiful routes. It runs along the Serpis River, which winds through the Barranc de l'Infern (or Racó del Duc) gorge, which the river has carved out over millions of years.
This post describes the section from La Reprimala near Villalonga to Fábrica de l'Infern or Fábrica de luz as it is also called. It is a hydroelectric power station that was built shortly after the railway was put into use. The train line - and thus the walking route - runs along the river all the way from Alcoy where it starts, to Gandía where it flows into the Mediterranean. The train had 8 stations: Alcoy, Muro de Alcoy, Beniarrés, l'Orxa, Villalonga, Potríes, Gandía and Puerto de Gandía.
The line cuts through slopes and cliffs, but 8 tunnels and 12 bridges were also built, 6 of which were made of iron. Several of the bridges have been removed, but in some places the bridgeheads can still be seen. On the route from La Reprimala at Villalonga to Fábrica de l'Infern there is one long tunnel and three short ones.
Along the route you can see the ruins of some installations that were used by the railway or during its construction. For example, there are small houses - Casillas - that were used for accommodation and storage of tools by the workers who built the railway line. There is also a villa that still seems to be in use where you can see a number of sculptures on the site.
On weekdays outside of the high season, you have this route almost to yourself, but on Sundays this is a popular outing spot all year round.
Along the river there are several places where dams were built that were used for various purposes. The dam in the picture below was used for grain mills further down the river and to supply farms with water. On the right side of the river you can see the aqueducts that still lead water down to the plains in the lowlands at Villalonga.
At the power station where this route ends, the trail goes all the way down to the river. Here, a nice area with benches has been created that makes it nice to take a break with some food and drink before starting the journey home. This place is located on the border between the provinces of Alicante and Valencia and between the municipalities of Villalonga and l'Orxa. The train line did not go down here, but on a route a little higher up in the terrain. It passed over the river just below. The bridge is gone, but the foundations are still there.
The Vía Verde del Serpis route can be walked from both Villalonga and l'Orxa. As the name suggests, it runs through terrain that is unusually green and lush in a Spanish context. You can walk the entire route continuously from Villalonga to l'Orxa, but it will be a long walk of about 12 km each way, for a total of 24 km. It is possible to use two cars and leave one in l'Orxa and one in Villalonga, so that you do not have to walk the route back again, but it takes about 50 minutes to drive between the two towns. Therefore, it is best to divide the route in half and take one half at a time. The route from Villalonga to Fábrica de l'Infern is described in another post. Here there are lower mountains and fewer cliffs, but in return even more lush vegetation.
For those who want to cycle, you can cycle round trip on the same day either from l'Orxa or from Villalonga.
The Museo de Ferrocarril Alcoy-Gandía, located 3 km from Gandía, has collected photos, plans, documentation and objects from the life of the railway. The museum is open on Sundays from 11 am to 1 pm. It costs 1 Euro to enter, which also covers a round trip on a small train.
More excursions: www.turideer.com
This week's excursion: Hike along a river on a disused railway line from La Reprimala to Fábrica de l'Infern.
Length: 5.9 km - a total of 11.8 km round trip. Estimated time is 3-4 hours total.
Suitable for: Anyone in normal physical condition. This is a safe and easy route where you can't get lost, but remember to bring a flashlight as the first tunnel is long and dark. The last two kilometres of the return journey can be a bit strenuous as it is a steady climb, but the 4 kilometres from the tunnel to Fábrica de l'Infern have little elevation gain.
Getting there: Drive first to Villalonga. Just after entering Villalonga, turn right at the first roundabout after a petrol station on the right. Then turn left at the next roundabout. After that, continue straight ahead through orange groves and narrow streets with old houses. Along the way, you will pass Font de La Reprimala where you can fill your bottles with clean spring water if you wish. Continue on narrow, winding roads until you reach the top of a hill. Where the road starts to go down again, there is a quarry where you can park. You can also park a little further down the road in the bottom before it goes upwards again. There is a sign that points to Racó del Duc, which is the name used here.
Alternatively, you can first enter Villalonga in Google Maps, and then enter Les Majones when you approach Villalonga. Then you will pass the quarry.
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