The day began cold, windy and sunny as we rode along the valley to Ibi where we bought lunch provisions. We found the via verde again on the edge on town but soon it came to an abrupt end with a barrier beyond which a roundabout gave access to a motorway. We had to remove our bags to lift our bikes over, there was no sign of the track after this. However there was a quiet service road which passed through the Font Roja, a spectacular gorge with towers of rock.
The cycling was enjoyable with a long gradual downhill gradient in the sunshine. Later we spotted the via verde high up on the cliff with its tunnels. As we rode towards Alcoy we saw no access signs for the track so continued along the road, arriving in town in time for lunch, we could have waited and bought it here. We checked into the Savoy at 14:00, not as exclusive or expensive as its London namesake but adequate for our needs.
Alcoy was where the Spanish industrial revolution started, and many decaying former factories lie deserted along the bottom of the gorge.
Distance cycled : 32km with 415m of ascent