GATA – Colegio to Nature reserve – Tue

Walk leaders: Jacqui & Andy

Meeting Point	At end of carrer San Josep(calle san jose) turn left, Car park in Via Pista next to Colegio. GPS: 38.770584 N, 0.082254 E Use View Venue Website below for precise location.
Walking Route	Distance : 5 km	Walk though the nature reserve behind the Colegio and before the AP7, passing the aeroclub of model airplanes.
Terrain	Walking Surface	Mostly good tarmac roads, some dirt/gravel and rocky tracks.
	Ascent	1km ascent, 2 short steep ascents and 1 km descent
Directions to Meeting Point	From Moraira: Drive through Teulada and take the N332 to Gata. When reaching Gata, after the sharp S-bend , take the next road to the left, carrer sant Josep, over the bridge of the river. Drive the road to the end until the T-junction with Via Pista. Turn left. 50m up the road there is a gravelled parking area to the right (the school is on the left). Park here.

Walk Description

1. Walk up the tarmac road, via Pista. After about 250m you reach a Y- junction. Take the right road.
2. Follow this road for 700m. You reach a junction with a tarmac road to the left. Take this road left.
3. After 200m uphill on the tarmac you reach a Water Works building on the right. Continue past here across the open space and up the gravel track.
4. The track now winds though the bushes and fields. You will reach another junction, a dirt track to the left and a rocky track to the right that goes uphill through the woods. Take the track to the right that goes through the woods. The track is 2m wide and you pass a dew pond in an open space to your right.

5. You will reach another junction. Ignore the track to the left and continue on the wider track slightly right.
6. This track narrows and becomes a single track uphill before reaching a right and left zig-zag up two terraces. Care is required here.
7. After the zig-zag follow the narrow uphill path to the road and turn left. The road is fairly level and has great views to the sea.

Option 1 – walking time 1hr 10min:

8. The road goes now downhill, ignore any sideroads, eventually you pass the Gata Areoclub , then the ecopark.
9. You pass the Y-junction where you left. Continue right downhill until you reach the parking.

Option 2 – walking time 1h 30min:

8. The road now goes downhill. Before reaching the Gata Aeroclub (can be seen in the distance to your front left) you reach a Y junction and join a tarmac road. Take the road to the right. The road winds downhill for 500m or so and levels out before a sharp bend to the right. There are villas around this area. On the left at the start of the bend is a gravel track (Via Senda). Take this track.
9. As the track approaches the road bridge over the gorge it divides – take the right hand track downhill and under the bridge and then bear left onto the paved promenade.
10. Continue along the promenade taking the lower path overlooking the gorge on the right. Eventually this path reaches the road.
11. Walk along this road, over the crossroads to the ‘T’ junction at the end, and turn left up the hill and return to the parking.

Strong walking shoes or boots are essential on this route.