Ferrata del Cid (Petrer)
One of the first ferrata stablished in Spain which runs along the north face of the Sierra del Cid mountain, its design corresponds to the time it was built by mixing sections of ferrata, nails, logs, some demanding climbs and cable crossings (without staples), … one of the most authentic ferrata in the area.
| Name | Ferrata del Cid. |
| Province | Alicante |
| Nearest town | Petrer |
| Difficulty | K4 (difficult) |
| Best season | All year around. There are no restrictions |
| Escape points | Yes, in the middle of ferrata there is an escape point to the right |
| State of the Ferrata | In general good, considering that it is more than 30 years old (build in the 1970’s) |
| Crashes | yes |
| Bridges | No |
| Zip Lines | No |
| Rappel | No |
| Other facilities | No |
| Total difference in heights (ferrata + approach + return) | 500 meters |
| Approach time | 30 minutes |
| Ascent time | 1 hour and 20 minutes |
| Return time | 50 minutes |
| Total route (approach + ferrata + return) | 6600 meters |
| Total height equipped section | 250 meters |
| Observations | Being north face in summer best do it in the morning time |
Approach by car :
We drive on the Madrid-Alicante A-31 highway and exit at the Petrer-Pol. Industrial Salinetas exit (km 205). As soon as we leave we drive across a tunnel that goes under the highway to enter into Petrer. Before the tunnel we take a small asphalted road parallel to the highway in the direction of Madrid, then we continue along this one and take the second crossing on the right. The road is ascending and there are PR walking tracks marks (white and yellow stripes) and after several bends you will reach the car parking lot, known as a forest hut.
Approach ferrata :
From the car parking we take the track on the left handside, ascending way up which prevents the passage of cars blocked with a chain. The way up takes about 25-30 minutes long, with several bends that we will find reinforced with cement, and without leaving the track we find on the right handside the beginning of the ferrata where two milestones mark the starting point.
Description of the Ferrata :
The beginning of the ferrata passes through a not very vertical section in a trough. At this point the first steps and cable begin, but sections equipped with unmatched sections are combined. We follow the path of the ferrata that is evident until a first vertical section of about 20 meters, then we continue on the path to the left to start climbing on the right handside on a diagonal over a small ledge, little by little the ferrata is gaining height and the views of the surroundings are beautiful. We save a stretch of reinforced rock with a chain and after a stretch we reach the escape point, so from here the ferrata is complicated and the most demanding sections are about to show up. We find a first section with almost no steps and we have to use the rocks to help us climb (climbing IV). After saving it the ferrata gives us a small truce with a horizontal section that is gradually gaining height, again we have another quite long vertical section that in the final part tends to the left handside and takes us close to the the summit of the Silla del Cid.
Return : From the summit of the Silla del Cid (geodetic vertex) a path goes to the right handside (West, marked with white and yellow signs) that after 50 minutes of beautiful descent and zig-zag area takes us back to the parking lot.
We drive on the Madrid-Alicante A-31 highway and exit at the Petrer-Pol. Industrial Salinetas exit (km 205). As soon as we leave we drive across a tunnel that goes under the highway to enter into Petrer. Before the tunnel we take a small asphalted road parallel to the highway in the direction of Madrid, then we continue along this one and take the second crossing on the right. The road is ascending and there are PR walking tracks marks (white and yellow stripes) and after several bends you will reach the car parking lot, known as a forest hut.
Approach ferrata :
From the car parking we take the track on the left handside, ascending way up which prevents the passage of cars blocked with a chain. The way up takes about 25-30 minutes long, with several bends that we will find reinforced with cement, and without leaving the track we find on the right handside the beginning of the ferrata where two milestones mark the starting point.
Description of the Ferrata :
The beginning of the ferrata passes through a not very vertical section in a trough. At this point the first steps and cable begin, but sections equipped with unmatched sections are combined. We follow the path of the ferrata that is evident until a first vertical section of about 20 meters, then we continue on the path to the left to start climbing on the right handside on a diagonal over a small ledge, little by little the ferrata is gaining height and the views of the surroundings are beautiful. We save a stretch of reinforced rock with a chain and after a stretch we reach the escape point, so from here the ferrata is complicated and the most demanding sections are about to show up. We find a first section with almost no steps and we have to use the rocks to help us climb (climbing IV). After saving it the ferrata gives us a small truce with a horizontal section that is gradually gaining height, again we have another quite long vertical section that in the final part tends to the left handside and takes us close to the the summit of the Silla del Cid.
Return : From the summit of the Silla del Cid (geodetic vertex) a path goes to the right handside (West, marked with white and yellow signs) that after 50 minutes of beautiful descent and zig-zag area takes us back to the parking lot.