For
the short walk the best parking space is just
near the col on the road below the castle. From
Abdet drive to the Eagles Nest Restaurant, this
is signposted near Confrides. Continue past the
Restaurant and drive around several hairpins
until the Castle comes into view. Drive until
you see a small parking area on the left side
of the road. The castle is now directly above
you.
Start by walking back along the road until at
a bend a track heads left up to some flattened
grassy terraces. A good track heads up the hill
(marked with occaisional red dots). After a steep
section it bears left towards the coll between
the Castle and the impressive rock butresses
above it.
Take your time on this section as the views
to the multiple ridges of Serella are excellent.
Soon you reach the col and the shattered pinnacles
that guard this side of the Castle. The path
heading right drops down to Benitfato, we bear
left between some of the pinnacles and past some
recently collapsed cave entrances. In cooler
weather you can feel the warm air blowing out
of these holes. Now come a couple of rocky steeps
and the remains of an arched doorway before the
final steep climb to the castle.
Be careful of
the hole in the floor (a vaulted roof has collpapsed).
Also the Southern side of the castle has completely
vanished so there are unguarded drops at this
side. In the walls you will see some prominent
stones that once supported wooden floors and
there are alos many smaller holes that were probably
used to support wooden scafolds during the building
process. It is possible to walk to the Eastern
edge as well to get a good view of the whole
castle.
The panoramic views are worth the effort. The
Bernia ridge with it's Matterhorn profile, the
immense white butresses of rock to the South,
the villages of Confrides and Abdet and of course
the Serella ridges are just some of the views
to absorb.
When ready descend via your approach route to
the col. You have a choice here. The direct route
goes down a steep path towards the parking place.
If you are confident on steep and occaisionally
loose path/scree then it gives a bit of variation.
Otherwise retrace your steps. If you timed your
walk right the castle should be lit up by the
setting sun whilst you decend into the shade.
Spare a thought for the people who built the
castle in such a dramatic loaction |
