The municipality of Tormos has suffered in the past century, a significant decrease in agricultural income from its rainfed mountain agriculture that has practically disappeared, a loss and aging of the population that has moved to nearby cities such as Denia. Although this demographic trend seems to be reversed in recent years, the reality that the new population is mainly residential and elderly. At the same time, some social changes that we explain in the context section have opened up the possibility of generating some complementary income through tourism.
The climatic characteristics, the good communications, its location between the plain and the very well-preserved mountain, the large number of residents of central and northern Europe in the region, make Tormos have a good position to attract hiking enthusiasts.
The enhancement requires, in addition to the preservation of heritage and its dissemination, the creation and marking of pedestrian accesses and information in situ through the marking of resources as an inestimable contribution to physical, intellectual and emotional access to our heritage.
BACKGROUND.
Tormos currently has two itineraries marked as PRs, The traditional path to Vall d’Ebo that connects with other marked itineraries in the area of Vall d’Ebo and Pego and the one that leads to the cave paintings along the Barranc de the Palla.
Both itineraries were marked by the Pego Excursionist Center years ago and therefore suffer the impact of time and the need to be updated to current standards of demand. None of the itineraries have information panels to encourage potential visitors or to make their experience easier and more interesting. They also do not have interpretive or toponymy panels to help them understand the meaning of the landscape they travel through and the direction signs have deteriorated. On the way to Vall d’Ebo there are some layout errors, where the itinerary does not coincide with the traditional path and both require certain maintenance work on the platform. Access to the cave paintings from the Barranc de la Paila path is only practicable for mountaineers and young people, since it runs, in part, through a very steep area where there is no path. The cave paintings, although they are protected, do not have any type of information that helps to understand them.
There is a recreational area that does not have any information about the trails.
PATHS AND ITINERARIES
DESCRIPTION.
The itineraries referenced in the attached cartography will be equipped with tracking signals, such as direction arrows and beacons. Other explanations will also be installed that will help to know and value the natural and historical heritage and an initial panel that will explain the characteristics of the route and the context in which it is located.
ITINERARIES.
Criteria for choosing the itinerary and routes. All the itineraries are supported by traditional bridle paths, although the one in Orba coincides entirely with a rural road suitable for cars that, however, has little traffic.
Priority has been given to traditional bridle paths that have not been invaded by other roads for motorized traffic, over livestock and road traffic routes. Because the bridle paths have not received attention from the institutions, they are in greater danger of disappearing and, furthermore, the cattle trails often present steep slopes or make large detours, which make them unsuitable for hiking.
On the contrary, the bridle paths have much more suitable paths and slopes and in Tormos they preserve a platform prepared with step margins and even cobbled sections that allow you to walk safely and comfortably while offering the possibility of enjoying a historical heritage. On the other hand, the roads for road traffic, in addition to being a potential danger for the walker, have much less hiker’s interest and the new pedestrian paths that can be opened would lack the value as public and historical heritage and legal protection.
The itinerary to the cave paintings along the Camí del Barranc de la Palla will last approximately 1 hour and is of low difficulty.To access the paintings with the necessary safety, it will be necessary to install a rope handrail to overcome a gap in the access and another to protect the environment of the coat from falls.
CONTEXT:
In recent years we have witnessed an important change in our society. On the one hand, globalization and the opening of some markets have caused Mediterranean mountain agriculture to have serious subsistence problems.
Tormos has abandoned almost all rainfed lands to focus on growing citrus with significant overproduction problems. Therefore, the need to find alternative sources of income to the primary sector is faced.
On the other hand, society has undergone profound changes that have affected the forms of leisure and tourism. Urban life, work in factories and offices, the homogenization of culture have led to a search for identity and roots. As a natural reaction, we have witnessed a return to traditions, to “the natural” and to “the rural.” But at the same time we have turned our eyes to the past, often through historical heritage.
Orba road
Garden road currently expanded for the passage of trucks and machinery whose interest lies in the possibility of traveling through the garden and communicating Tormos with Orba, which is very close, which could be a walking area for people of any age and physical...
Path of the Barranc de la Palla
It is an old access road to grazing and cultivation areas, except for the last section of access to the paintings, where a new one will be built. This path was most likely used to go to the Juvees d'Enmig farmhouse and the quality of its factory indicates a certain...
Phat to Ebo
It is the old bridle path between Tormos and Vall d'Ebo, used for all merchandise exchanges between these two towns and for the movement of people. It was also used to bring the wheat from Valí de Ebo that they used to grind in Tormos. The inhabitants of Tormos used...
