ARCHIVED - December 4 Country ramble in the mountains of Sierra de la Pedrera in Jumilla

ARCHIVED ARTICLE -

Historic and prehistoric remains including rock art in the countryside of Jumilla

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - December 4 Country ramble in the mountains of Sierra de la Pedrera in Jumilla This walk is being held in the Sierra de la Pedrera, which although it reaches a maximum altitude of no more than 765 metres above sea level, is covered in esparto glass and aromatic plants and is home to historic and prehistoric remains.

In one rock shelter there is a series of schematic rock art paintings which are part of the World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO, dating from between the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, and other features include the fossilized footsteps site at Hoya de la Sima, the cartwheel tracks on the old road between Jumilla and Ontur and the historic quarry of the Puntal de la Librería, which was in use during the 15th and 16th centuries.

There is also a site of petroglyphs – small, rounded holes in the rock - which have been speculatively linked to ancient rituals, route markers or maps, or even maps of the stars.

Those wishing to take part should meet at 9.30 in their own vehicles in the car park of the indoor swimming pool of Jumilla, from where they will travel on to the starting point of the walk.

Further information and bookings at the tourist office of Jumilla (telephone 968 780237, 663 300779).

For more local events, news and visiting information go to the home page of Jumilla Today.

Address

Plaza del Rollo, 1 30520 JUMILLA

Tel: 968 780237 / 663 300779

Oficina de Turismo Jumilla

The tourist office in the centre of Jumilla is easily found by driving straight into the centre of the town along the Avenida de Murcia and following the signposts. The tourist office is alongside the Parque de Don Albano Martínez Molina, where there are a number of parking spaces.

Jumilla, in the north of the Region of Murcia, has become internationally famous over recent decades due to the quality of the wines produced in the municipality, and wine tourism has begun to attract visitors from other parts of Spain and the rest of Europe.

The tourist office is happy to provide a range of maps and leaflets showing the different bodegas which can be visited within the municipality. Some of these form part of the Rutas del Vino de Jumilla, the Jumilla wine route, and can either be visited as a guided tour or sell their produce directly to the public.(see feed below for more details)

However, the town and the surrounding countryside have plenty of other attractions for visitors, and the popularity of Jumilla wines is leading more and more people to discover other facets of the tenth largest municipality in Spain.

Jumilla Tourist Office

These include the spectacular countryside and birdlife in the Sierra del Carche, the historic remains which range from cave paintings and a Roman mausoleum to the castle, the Iglesia de Santiago, the Town Hall and the Teatro Vico, and the gastronomy: rich stews are accompanied not only by the wines of the area but also by Jumilla pears, which also enjoy Denomination of Origin status.

Tourism in Jumilla is not as seasonal as it is in the coastal areas of the Region of Murcia, but the town is at its liveliest during the fiestas in Holy Week and the August Fair, which incorporates the grape harvest celebrations and the Moors and Christians parades.

The Altiplano of the Region of Murcia, which consists of the municipalities of Jumilla and Yecla, is only just over an hour by car from the Mar Menor, Cartagena, Mazarrón, Torrevieja and Alicante, and anyone wishing to visit real inland Spain and world-class wineries is advised to include Jumilla in their schedule.