From 21 to 29 November, the 5th Fira de Muntanya de la Safor fills Gandia and Marxuquera with guided walks, climbing, mountain films, talks and workshops for all ages. On the weekend of 21 and 22 the fair sets up in the Plaça de Marxuquera, at the foot of the serra Falconera; on 26 and 27 the Mostra de Cinema de Muntanya moves into the Teatre del Raval; and a climbing rally and a gravel ride round off the programme on 28 and 29.
Contents
Organised by Gandia Town Council, Medi Natural Gandia and the Societat Excursionista de la Safor, the programme features 58 activities: guided walks in the serra Falconera and its surroundings, guided visits to the heritage of Marxuquera, workshops and games for families, film screenings with Q&A sessions and two sporting events that require registration.
A weekend in the Plaça de Marxuquera
The opening ceremony takes place on Saturday 21 at 11.30am. The Fira d’Entitats, in the square, and the Espai Llibre de Muntanya, in the Centre Social de Marxuquera, open on Saturday from 10.30am to 6.15pm and on Sunday 22 from 10.30am to 2pm.
- For families: a cycling gymkhana, the Espai Criança, a firefighting helicopter demonstration (Saturday, 11am), a beginners’ climbing wall (Sunday, 10.30am to 2pm) and a children’s drawing competition.
- Workshops: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, knots, edible wild herbs, insect hotels, bicycle repair, cyanotype printing and Nordic walking.
- Talks and presentations: books such as «Rewilding Iberia», the scale model «Els relleus de la Safor» and, on Saturday at 6.15pm, the debate «La natura inundable», on DANA storms, flood risk and land-use planning.
- Music and food: «Rock al terrat» with Low Kost (Sunday, 12pm), a craft beer tasting and the closing community lunch on Sunday at 2pm, with arròs amb fesols i naps for €12. Tickets are sold in person only, at the SES headquarters (c/ Pare Carles Ferri, 14).
Guided walks and visits
Places on the walks are booked through the fair’s website; the Falconera walk is free, with compulsory booking.
- Saturday 21, 8.30am: «Conéixer la Falconera», a circular route from the Morabit past caves and rocky cliffs to the Molló de la Creu. It is a demanding walk, intended for people with hiking experience.
- Saturday 21, 8.30am: the geological history of the Bassa de Pares and the tossal Redó, starting from the Ermita de Marxuquera.
- Saturday 21, 9am: an interpretive wildlife walk along the barranc de Lloret.
- Sunday 22, 8.30am: serra Falconera, Pas de la Rabosa and Ermita de Marxuquera, starting from the Parc del País Valencià.
- Saturday and Sunday, 10am and 11.30am: guided visits to the Morabit de Marxuquera and the Cova de les Meravelles, with its Palaeolithic art.
5th Mostra de Cinema de Muntanya at the Teatre del Raval
On Thursday 26 and Friday 27, from 6pm, the Teatre del Raval hosts the 5th Mostra de Cinema de Muntanya del País Valencià, with free entry.
- Thursday 26: «Cinc anys de Fira de Muntanya de la Safor», «El mestre marroquiner. Pastors del Pirineu» and, at 7.30pm, «Jordi Pons, una vida d’escalada», a documentary by Jaume Altadill about the mountaineer, born in 1933, followed by a Q&A with him.
- Friday 27: «Turbio IV», the story of a route on the big walls of Patagonia; «Gel vertical. 50 anys després», by Joan Quintana; and, at 8pm, «Que 20 anys no són res», about the mountaineering group Dones Trangoworld, followed by a Q&A.
Climbing rally and gravel ride
Marxuquera is one of Gandia’s climbing hotspots, with crags such as Penya Roja. The week closes with two sporting events that require prior registration:
- Saturday 28, 8.30am to 5.30pm: 2n Ral·li d’Escalada de la Falconera, for roped pairs on the Cova Oberta (Bovedón), Bovedín, Bovedós and Bovesponja sectors, meeting at the car park of Càmping L’Escalada. It costs €25 per person and requires valid sports insurance covering climbing, plus a helmet, harness and climbing shoes.
- Sunday 29, 8am to 12pm: 1a Pedalada Gravel de la Safor, a non-competitive ride of around 64 km and 800 m of ascent through Marxuquera, the area around Sant Jeroni de Cotalba and Terrateig, the coll de Martinent and the Racó del Duc, a spot also on the Serpis Greenway. It starts from the SES headquarters and costs €25, including insurance, refreshments, paella and a prize draw.
Full programme and bookings
Times, meeting points and registration for every activity are on the official website of the Fira de Muntanya de la Safor. For the weekend fair, the Plaça de Marxuquera is the place to head for.