Variant: Road to Sierra de Bernia and Coll de Rates

Last update: 14-Jan-2019: due to the construction of roundabouts on the N332 just north of Calpe, the traffic situation has changed to take the inner road to the Hermitage of Lleus.

From Benidorm you pedal to Altea, partly along the beach, and then go up to Puerto de Benissa. However, only partly via the busy N332. After passing Calpe you quickly get off the N332 and then the roads become really quiet. Through narrow secondary roads with less quality asphalt in the lower part and sometimes holes in the road, you drive through Ermita de Lleus to the main road that leads to Pinos. And then follow the steep Monte Bernia. The 10 km long descent takes you to Xalon.

The busiest CV-750 (Xalón - Alcalali) is largely avoided by taking paved roads through olive groves. Note that there is a market in Xalon every Saturday, and then the passage is blocked (then you need to continue to follow the main road towards Parcent). If you take the tarmac roads through olive groves, you also pass a point where a stream flows over the road and the road surface is unpaved here along about 10 meters in length. Arriving at Parcent, follow the ascent of the Coll de Rates, and not to the colbordje at an altitude of 626 meters, but beyond climbing to the real summit (the antennae). The path to the antennas appears unpaved, but after 250 m of unpaved road follow a concrete path that takes you to the antennas. The concrete road is considerably steeper than the main road. If you decide not to climb the antennas, the route will be 6 km shorter and there will be 300 fewer altimeters to overcome.

Via Tàrbena, Callosa d'en Sarria returns to Benidorm.