Our tour starts in Banyeres de Mariola, in the district of l' Alcoià, on the banks of the river Vinalopó and runs through the lush valley that is formed by the Fontanella and Onil mountain ranges, among cereals, pines and holm oaks. After entering the town of Biar we reach the town of Onil, by taking a path of great environmental interest nestling in the Maigmó and Foia de Castalla mountain ranges.
We leave Banyeres de Mariola from the Molí l'Ombria Alcoi on the banks of the Vinalopó near its source. We follow the Route dels Molins next to the river, surrounded by impressive riverbank vegetation.
After some 500 metres we cross the river to reach a track amid farmland and pine trees, which will take us up a steep slope to the top of the Blasca, 1.120 metres above sea level. The summit offers us some beautiful views.
Once we have gathered our strength, we descend down a pleasant road crossing Sierra Fontanella, an area of great scenic value, populated by Aleppo pines, some isolated holm oaks and low scrub with rockrose, rosemary and gorse. After several miles we will reach the turn-off for Cova Negra, an old shepherd's refuge which we can visit by taking a detour some yards off our route.
We continue the descent through the Lomas de Jara Alcoi, to reach the sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Gracia, located some two thirds of a mile from the town of Biar, which we recommend you visit.
From the sanctuary, leaving Biar behind us, we start to ascend in the direction of the summit of the Reconco, leaving to our right the botanical path that as- cends to the top. This area is located in the Sierra del Maigmó and the Foia de Castalla, declared a special protection area for birds, inhabited by the golden eagle, the peregrine falcon or eagle owl among others.
We will pass next to the Fuente de So- riano, a place of environmental interest which hosts species such as the silver poplar, elm and Iberian orchids. We follow the track as far as the turn-off for Fuente del Xorro, passing next to the Fontalbres hostel. The spring is some yards off the track, down the ravine. It is a good place to cool off.
Following the same track we find the turn-off to Onil we must follow to get to the ravine, and which we descend.
We enter the village descending by the Escalera or Staircase ravine track, passing the Pouet de la Neu, an ice pit built in the 19th century, a sign that this ice-making activity also existed in this town in times gone by.