Via Ferrata Fuente del Chorrico Tous Valencia, is a great, fun, and easy via ferrata. It is perfect for kids and beginners. The total elevation gain is about 60m. The rungs of the ferrata are aligned in a nearly straight line going up the rock face. There are rungs about every half meter. Less than vertical rock, a short total distance, and closely spaced rungs, make this one of the best introductory via ferratas in all of Spain. The rating difficulty is K1, which is the easiest. The difficulty range for via ferratas is as follows: K1 easy, K6 expert.
The ferrata is located on the edge of the Tous reservoir near the town of Tous. This is located in the province of Valencia and is about a 1hr drive from the city of Valencia. Easy access is just another plus of this ferrata. There are two main parking lots, depending on the water level of the reservoir. Usually you can access the lower parking lot, which is found near some of the ruins from the old town of Tous. The other parking lot is located about 200m up the road.
Ascent
The approach to the ferrata takes about 30min hiking. From the lower parking area, take the PR-CV-263 hiking trail north and follow it along the edge of the reservoir. This trail leads to the Fuente del Chorrico, a natural water spring, that comes out of the rocks and drains into the reservoir. This is a nice hike even if you're not interested in doing the via ferrata. The PR-CV-263 continues around the reservoir and then loops back to the main road which leads back to the parking. This hike is 17km long and passes two caves in the area, the Cueva del Candil and the Cueva de Tortero.
From the Fuente del Chorrico, the via ferrata is clearly visible on the wall directly in front of you. It's a beautiful gray and orange limestone wall. A nice clean sheet of rock with rungs and a cable going straight up to the top. Hike up to the base of the wall on the obvious trail that leads upwards. Put your gear on and head up!
The first 50m are relatively straight up the gray rock. The ferrata leads to scoop in the wall with orange rock. Here there is a nice ledge where you can rest. The rungs of the via ferrata enter the scoop and ledge on the left hand side. The cable then follows the ledge to the right for 4m. From here the rungs continue straight up the final 10m to the top of the wall. The views of the reservoir improve as you gain elevation. In no time you'll be at the top. Congratulate yourself for a job well done! Enjoy the view of the reservoir, the dam, and the surrounding mountains. This is a great place for lunch.
Descent
To descend don't take off your via ferrata gear just yet! You will need your harness, via ferrata lanyards, and helmet for the descent. From the top of the ferrata follow the trail east (to the right) for about 30m. Before you reach a small canyon there are two large cairns that mark the descent. Follow this trail down the hillside. After about 100m of hiking you will encounter a short section of via ferrata rungs and a cable. Follow these down for about 10m. Nice and easy down these rungs, just like climbing a ladder. Always stay clipped into the cable.
Once you reach the ground continue along the trail for about 1min until you reach the second section of rungs. Repeat the same procedure, downclimbing the rungs until you reach the safety of tierra firma. From the ground, simply follow the trail until you reach the beginning of the via ferrata. The place where you first started up the wall. And now, it's just a matter of following the same hiking trail all the way back to the parking lot.
Guiding Via Ferratas and Canyons
If you are here in summer, a swim in the reservoir is a given! For an alternative descent by means of canyoning, read our blog on Castellet Canyon Tous. This is a great combination activity. Go up the via ferrata and down the canyon. It adds a little extra fun for the day! Join Bigtime Aventura for a guided excursion of the via ferrata, the canyon, or both.
An important point is that guiding a via ferrata falls under the auspices of a rock climbing guide while canyoning needs to be guided by a canyoning guide. These are two separate certifications and run by distinct mountain guiding professionals. The requirements and training for a rock climbing guide are very different than the training for a canyoning guide.
One of many defining characteristics that make Bigtime Aventura special is that we have Valencia's only Spanish Mountain Guides Association guide that is certified in both rock climbing and canyoning. Help protect the mountain guiding profession from fradulent, unauthorized, unqualified, and unprofessional practices. Contact us today and we will happily guide you on the via ferrata, the canyon, or both activities. Hope to see you soon in the mountains!