El Grifo Picnic Area in the Sierra Espuña
Área Recreativa El Grifo
The Sierra Espuña is a vast wooded area spread across several municipalities including Totana, Alhama de Murcia, Aledo, Mula and Pliego, and is the ideal venue in which to enjoy walking and picnics throughout the year.
Several picnic areas have been created to offer services and facilities, and one of these is the recreation area “El Grifo” which is very close to the Sanctuary of La Santa, or Santuario de Santa Eulalia within the Totana municipality.
This is the closest picnic area to Totana, and is located by turning right just before reaching the sanctuary, climbing up a short hill which leads to the casas rurales associated with the complex, behind the main sanctuary buildings and gardens.
The El Grifo area has distinctive red soil and offers toilets, bins, handwash facilities, parking and a number of BBQ and picnic points.
This is one of only two areas which allow the use of the BBQ points, as most of these have now been dismantled due to the fire risk. The period during which these cooking points can be used varies from year to year, and they are generally closed off some time after Easter, re-opening in the autumn once the first rains have fallen. Check for the latest information before visiting the picnic area.
El Grifo is a useful parking point for anyone undertaking the two walks which start close by at the Mirador de la Virgen Blanca, the PR MU 64 and 65. This viewing point is just a short walk uphill from the picnic area.
El Grifo is also close to the El Ángel picnic area which is on the opposite side of the road from El Grifo and the sanctuary, and is more popular than El Grifo as it has large areas of grass and soft scrubland, with shaded areas and trees, as well as an attractive Vía Crucis sculptural route leading up to an enormous figure of Jesus resurrected and a viewing point out over the surrounding countryside.
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