Sanchet
is almost a hidden mountain - many people in
the area will not know that it even exists. It
is composed of huge fins and butresses with some
steep terraces in between. There are only three
possible ways onto the summit apart from long
rock climbing routes.
Approach
Simliar to that of the Sanchet
Circuit - heading to the coast on
the CV70 from Guadalest the road drops steeply.
Towards the bottom of the hill there is a wide
cutting with stone walls on either side. Turn
right immediately at the end of the stone walls
and follow the surfaced track up to it's end
and in all but wet weather continue along the
unsurfaced track until it is possible to park
next to a farm building down to the left of the
track 3.5 kms from the main road. If you come
to the brightly painted house you have gone too
far. From the parking place continue along
the track to the brightly coloured house and then
follow the signposted track towards Finestrat for
20 minutes or so until you come close to some shattered
cliffs a couple of hundred metres before the track
ends. (see
photo). go slightly past the gully
and then head up to the base of the cliff and find
the best way between the bushes back to the gully.
There are two short sections of easy scrambling
here, up the back of the gulley. Up above
you there
is a group of large trees in the gulley. This
is what you are aiming for. We found the best way
on to be on the left of the gulley to start with,
then on the right heading for some old terraces.
There is no worn track as such, so look ahead
and plan your way carefully and you shouldn't get stuck
in any of the sharp gorse bushes! On
one walk we were surrounded by a group of Dartford
Warbellers (beautiful small birds with a long tail
held up at a very steep angle) flitting through
the bushes.
Above you there is a section of scree,
head for this and pick the best way up the
steep slope as you come closer to the base of the
impressive rock buttress on your left (The Eastern
butress). We found a reasonable route by traversing
across the slope to this butress and then up to the
the top of the slope to a point where you would be
able to walk along the top of the buttress (good
views). You now get a clear view of the summit of
Sanchet which from here appears as an impressive
rock dome.
Now f ollow along (traversing) reasonable
but intermittent paths across terraces towards rock
walls and then on to the obvious broad col with great
views down over the El Realat ridge near Sella.
Now you head to the far
end of this col and make for a scree trail on the
steep slopes of the summit of Sanchet. Follow this
steep slope with a vague path to the left of a steep
wall until you can scramble up to the ridge. Now
keeping just right of the ridge find a zigzag route
which takes you almost to the very summit. The small cairn
that marks the summit is the ideal place to take
in the great views in all directions. The easy route
up the Ponoch, the "back" of the Puig Campana,
the El Realet ridge, Divino, Aitana, Serella and
Pena Roc are all in clear view. Also you will now
see the obvious ridge that marks the way on. There
is no real path still as your route takes the left
side of the Sanchet ridge. Follow this by the easiest
route until you start to descend a steeper scree
slope. At
the base of this it is possible to keep heading down
and left until you are level with the base of a steep
rock face (on your left). Now pick your way down
the steep slope until your reach the footpath at
the base of the scree and rock slope. (it is possible
to continue to the very end of the ridge, and join
the footpath at the ruined house).
The footpath is a pleasant change
from the rough ground of the ridge, it takes you
to Col de Llam and the easy descent back under the
impressive rock faces of Sanchet. It is satisfying
to know that you have traversed above these sheer
rock faces.
Follow the path down until you return
to the the bottom of the steep gully near the start
of the walk. Carry on down to your starting point.
|
