Pou Clar Ontinyent: Everything you need to know (August 2024)

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Pou Clar Ontinyent is the perfect place to visit on a hot summer´s day if you are an adventurer who wants to climb, jump and explore, or to relax and unwind in beautiful tranquil surroundings.

Read ALL of the tips and tricks here based on my recent visit in August 2024.

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What is Pou Clar Ontinyent?

Pou Clar is part of the Río Clariano near Ontinyent.
It consists of beautiful natural pools with cold crystal-clear water and sculpted limestone rock. It is made up of 4 distinct areas…

Pozo de los Caballos. This is the lowest round pool.

Pou Fosc. At the back of the Pozo de los Caballos, there is a rocky area hiding this beautiful oasis with green plants and the waterfall flowing into it, which then flows down into the pozo de los caballos

Pou de la Reixa. This is the biggest, deepest and coldest water: 50 metres long!
Pou dels Esclaus, Pou Clar and Pou Gelat. This is the highest area, technically joined to the biggest pool, and consists of a series of smaller pools.

Want to visit INCREDIBLE WATERFALLS?

Who is it suitable for?

Anyone who is capable of walking on flat and slightly sloped ground, as
well as steps without a handrail (the number of steps depends on the
entrance you decide to use
There are some small shallow areas of water suitable for young children at Pou Clar Ontinyent.
It is also suitable for the more adventurous…

TOP TIPS for Explorers

There are two mountains with interesting looking Moorish caves incorporated into them, both which you can see from inside of Pou Clar in Ontinyent, and one which you can access from the biggest pool. I have searched around for the entrance, but could not find it.

Since doing this, I have visited another section of these caves in Bocairent, and discovered their purpose as well as their means of access.

If you would like to visit these places there is a guided tour which includes a visit to the Moorish caves, a picnic at Pou Clar, and a 6km hike.

If you climb up here, you can walk to the left to find another secret entrance, or you can walk right to reach the picnic area, and re-enter Pou Clar Ontinyent by going down the steps to reach the lowest pool.

Want to discover more AWESOME CAVES?

TOP TIPS for Adventurers

If you like scrambling/climbing up rocks and cliff jumping there are plenty of opportunities at Pou Clar Ontinyent – supplemented by my completely subjective grading system of EASY/MEDIUM/HARD/SUPER SCARY climbs/jumps…

Pozo de los Caballos (the lowest round pool)

You can climb up the rock at the back of the pool. There is evidence of a rope being present, but it seems to have deteriorated over time. However, it is not really necessary, and there are at least 2 ways up (EASY-MEDIUM climb).

Pou Fosc (the oasis). From the rock…

You can jump from the rock into this pool (MEDIUM jump)
You can also go a little higher up the rock to the left and jump in from there – but you will have to jump out and away from the rocks below! (HARD jump)
You can attempt to climb the waterfall! I have seen a couple of people try, but fail at the last handhold. I am keen to give it a go when there is a little less water in it, because I´m a wuss and I don´t like water splashing in my face (HARD climb)
You can exit this pool and jump into the pozo below (EASY jump)
At the pool´s exit you could climb up the mountainside and jump from the (SUPER SCARY jump)
You can walk on the path up to the top of the waterfall and jump in from there – but watch out for slippery wet rocks! (HARD jump).

Pou de la Reixa (the biggest/longest pool)

You can jump from the path – but it is cold! (EASY jump)
You can walk further up, cross the pool, and climb up the mountainside behind the big pool, and then jump from a ledge there – but watch out for the big rock in the water below! (SUPER SCARY jump).

Pozo Claro (the highest pool)

Here you will find a small circular pool with steps cut into the rocks. You can jump in here, then easily climb out again to the return to the jumping point (EASY jump, EASY climb).

Want to find more awesome places to CLIFF JUMP into CRYSTAL-CLEAR WATER?

Safety first!

Warnings and recommendations

The water is cold at Pou Clar Ontinyent!! Especially in the upper pools. So please make sure you acclimatise yourself to the temperature before jumping in

If there is no water running down the “spillway” (i.e. directly from the biggest pool down into Pou Fosc) then the water level is quite low and you should avoid the jumps where there are rocks below. (this is different to the waterfall on the left which is fed from a separate water channel).
There is NO life buoy/safety ring, so you swim at your own risk.

How to book Pou Clar Ontinyent

TOP TIP for booking in English

Automatically translate the website to ENGLISH with your internet browser if necessary.

For example, using the Google Chrome™browser…

(Google Maps™ mapping service is a trademark of Google LLC and this blog is not endorsed by or affiliated with Google in any way)

Open the Chrome browser
Open the Reserves Pou Clar website
Click the 3 dots in the right-hand corner
Click translate
Click on ENGLISH (or choose another preferred language)
The page will now be translated

Happy browsing!

TOP TIP for booking in July and August

In July and August it is necessary to book Pou Clar Ontinyent. The dates open 6 days in advance (e.g. if you want to visit on Saturday, go to the website on Monday morning to book).

Weekends are particularly busy during these months and a will likely become fully booked by the Tuesday/Wednesday before so you need to get in there fast!

The website is available in Valencian, or you can choose Castellano. You need to create an account but it is very simple and only asks for a few personal details as well as login details, which you can use to book again in the future.

Book here

Once you have booked Pou Clar in Ontinyent, QR codes will be sent to the email address(es) you entered.

TOP TIPS for group bookings

Bookings are limited to 5 people, because they want to discourage large groups from visiting in summer. However, you could book more if you have additional email addresses, even if they are registered to the same person (wink wink).
I recommend that you get all 5 QR codes sent to one email address, because sometimes the emails don´t arrive at their destination! On one occasion I typed the wrong email address (silly me). However, on another occasion, the email address was definitely correct but it simply didn´t arrive (not even in the spam folder). Also, if somebody in your party cancels, and you want to invite another person instead, at least you will have the ticket in your possession to easily pass on.

How much does it cost?

Entry into Pou Clar Ontinyent is free, even when you have to book.

They only implement this system to make sure that it doesn´t become overcrowded during peak times.

How to get there

Parking and walking route for ticket holders in July/August

In July and August, ticket-holders are encouraged to park in a big free parking area on Carrer Vicent Lluís Montés Penadés, Ontinyent (PARKING PÚBLIC. 95 PLACES)

Park here

There is a slightly closer place where you could park on the opposite side of the roundabout, which could save you 5 minutes walking, but it is limited to just a few cars. However, the rest of the route is completely no parking

Hiking route

From the parking it is a nice flat 30-minute walk through a quiet, pretty and largely traffic-free part of the town.

TOP TIPS for passing security

There is no mobile phone signal once you get down into Pou Clar Ontinyent, so make sure you download your ticket beforehand, zoom in, and take a screenshot of the QR code on your phone
When you reach an old factory there will be a security guard who will scan your QR code. They will also take some measures to ensure that you are following the rules. For example, they may ask to look in your bag to make sure that you don´t have glass bottles, and they will not allow you to access with items that you are not supposed to have
After passing security, make sure you turn left where there is a chain blocking access to the track, in order enter Pou Clar Ontinyent (do not keep following the road)
Check out the rules to see what you can/cannot take in.

(Google Maps™ mapping service is a trademark of Google LLC and this blog is not endorsed by or affiliated with Google in any way)

What do I need to take?

THINGS TO PACK

Get ready to visit Pou Clar Ontinyent…

Swimwear
Beach shoes are highly recommended because the wet limestone rock is slippery
Beach towel
Snorkel (the water in the upper pools is crystal clear)
Water
“Small snacks” are allowed
Sun protection: Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, skin cover for when you´ve had enough, such as a t-shirt
Insect repellent
Personal medication (there is no signal down in Pou Clar Ontinyent, so if you have a medical emergency, it could take longer to get help)

I recommend taking just a rucksack/bag. This is less to carry, and security are less likely to check.

TOP TIPS for food and drinks

There is a natural water source in Pou Clar Ontinyent. I´m pretty sure that this is located in the second small pool as you walk up. It consists of a pipe leading directly into the shallow pool, which is right next to the path so easy to find. I have seen the security guards collecting it, and when asked, they told me that it is safe to drink. It is cold and fresh and I am still alive after drinking it
If you enter with just a rucksack/bag, security are less likely to check. However, if you´re not sure whether your food would be considered as a “small snack” or a picnic, I recommend that you place it at the bottom of your rucksack with your towel on top, just in case.

Rules: Prohibited items

No dogs
Absolutely no glass bottles
No alcoholic beverages (although I´m sure you could sneak a couple of cans of beer in the bottom of your rucksack)
No picnics/barbeques/cool boxes. However, “small snacks” are allowed
No tables/chairs/parasols/other furniture. I have seen somebody sneak a tent in but they were told to take it down.
No smoking, music
No inflatables. Although it doesn´t specify this on the website, they are not allowed…I wanted to take my inflatable unicorn with me to play on, so I contacted them but they said no. I suspect that items like bodyboards also would not be allowed, although I haven´t asked.

At the entrance, I have seen several people hiding their cool boxes/chairs/parasols in the nearby bushes, ready to collect on the way out.

TOP TIPS related to prohibited items

Picnics. If you want a picnic in a nice shaded forest area, I recommend using the picnic Pineda de Galindo before/after visiting the pools (located just above Pou Clar Ontinyent)
Safety inflatables. I have seen lots of very young children this summer wearing the inflatable life jackets, which I think are great! Technically you are not allowed to take inflatables, so I recommend that if you want to take one, hide it in the bottom of your bag just in case
Confiscated items. If you or someone in your party accidentally takes something they cannot take in, it can be left with the security guard. They might changeover during the day, but there will be somebody there until 6pm
Shade. Parasols are not allowed, but don´t worry. There are several large trees around the lower pool, which can provide shade throughout the day, despite the movement of the sun.

What facilities are at Pou Clar Ontinyent?

There are two 2 portaloo toilets, rubbush/recycling bins and few picnic benches.

However, there are NO bars/restaurants or other services either in Pou Clar Ontinyent or very close nearby.

Can I leave the site and return again during the same day?

I haven´t tried this, however I am quite certain that you cannot (since it is possible to set them up for 1 time use, and the purpose is to limit the numbers of people who attend).

Another very similar place in the Costa Blanca operates a wristband system specifically to allow re-entry (e.g. because there is a bar very close by). However, there is nothing much in walking distance of Pou Clar Ontinyent, so it is generally not that useful.

Can I get in without booking in July/August?

Spoiler alert…yes you can!

The tickets are valid from 9am to 6pm.

Before and after these times, basically there is no security at the entrances, so the area is open for anybody to enter without having to comply with the rules enforced during reserved times.

TOP TIP for entering before the 9am reservation time

Don´t bother trying.

You would assume that it is possible to enter before the security arrive at 9am, right?

Admittedly I haven´t tried it at Pou Clar Ontinyent, but I have tried it at another very similar place in the Costa Blanca, and the cleaning staff who were on site told us several times to exit and wait at the entrance.

TOP TIP for entering after 6pm

If you search for parking pou clar it will take you to the Southern end of Pou Clar Ontinyent. It states online that this is ´temporarily closed´ which I suspect they have done on purpose to try and deter people from going there, and I can see why. SO many people try to enter via that gate that there are cars parked all along the sides of the roads, and at 6pm on a Saturday in August I saw police there monitoring the situation.

There are 2 main entrances from this car park…

The parking pou clar entrance is padlocked during the day, but perhaps they unlock it from 6pm
There is another entrance just a few minutes North up the main road. If you look on Google Maps™ mapping service (satellite) you will see it clearly leading down to the water.

So you can join the crowds there, or check out my secret tip…

A SECRET TIP for the rebels

If you haven´t booked, but you want to visit Pou Clar Ontinyent last minute during peak times, there is one secret entrance that isn´t guarded by security 😉

This is at the beginning of the street: Camí de Galindo 2, just after the Pineda de Galindo kid´s play area.

You can park on the white part of the road to the right, but spaces are limited, and there are also a lot of steps to walk down.