Monnegre: Hiking Trail, River Landscape and Cultural History

When looking for a hotel for a trip to Monnegre, three distinct points of interest can help you choose a destination: a specifically named hiking route, a river landscape shaped by geology, and cultural and historical themes. The SL-CV 151 is defined by its length and waypoints; the river area is notable for its rock formations and riverside vegetation, while the Séquia dels Enamorats offers an archaeological point of interest. This can help you decide whether hiking, landscape or history is more important for your stay in Monnegre.

SL-CV 151 hiking trail

The linear SL-CV 151 hiking trail runs for 8.00 km from Parc del Barranc de la Font to Montnegre de Dalt. From Font del Moratell, via Barranc de Salines and the hills of Sílm, the trail continues to the Ermita de Montnegre and the old school. The start and end points, along with the stops along the way, give the route a clear profile; its length is listed as 8.00 km.

The trail is also connected with the Riu Montnegre. The river is classified as a ZEPA, a Special Protection Area for birds. Thus, in addition to the waypoints, a protected area for birds is another point of interest associated with the route.

There is an important current caveat when it comes to navigation: it is unclear whether the signage and maintenance currently provide optimal conditions for relying exclusively on the markings.

River landscape and geological formations

Between the houses of Monnegre and the Valle del Sol urbanisation, the Monnegre River forms a colourful badlands landscape in clay-rich Keuper rock. The rock colours contrast with the riverside vegetation, while the area is also shaped by a dry, semi-arid environment. Geological formations and distinctly contrasting vegetation meet here.

Near Monnegre, in the area of Silim, Mascuna and Salines, there are colourful geological formations, meanders and hollows. These landscape features offer a different focus from the hiking route, which is defined by its length and waypoints: here, the river formations and rock take centre stage.

The geological area along the Monnegre can be reached via the Carretera del Monnegre (CV819). The CV819 is accessible from the Tibi–Jijona road (CV810) at kilometre 4.5. The area can also be viewed from the PR-CV 142.

Aqueduct and historic sites

The “Séquia dels Enamorats” is a Roman aqueduct. Its construction features include galleries cut into the rock and open sections cut through the rock. These are two distinct forms of the structure: galleries within the rock and open sections that pass through it.

An archaeological field campaign in Montnegre de Dalt in 2017 aimed to document the aqueduct. A visitor route from October 2022 also listed the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles and the former schools of Montnegre de Dalt as stops. The dates refer to different events: 2017 marks the field campaign, while October 2022 refers to the visitor route featuring these sites.

If you mainly want to include a clearly defined hike in your travel plans, the 8.00 km distance and named waypoints of the SL-CV 151 offer a clear point of reference. If you are more interested in geology, you can explore the badlands landscape and formations around Silim, Mascuna and Salines. For those interested in cultural history, the aqueduct and the sites associated with specific dates offer a different focus.

Discover more destinations: Santa Faz, El Moralet.

For the main travel guide: Alicante.