May 30 Guided visit to the snow wells of Sierra Espuña
The restored snow wells in Alhama and Totana show how ice was created and stored for the city of Murcia in the past
This unusual tour takes visitors to the snow wells near the highest point of the Regional Park of Sierra Espuña, centuries-old structures which were used in the past to supply ice to the cities of Murcia, Lorca and even as far away as Cartagena. The wells have been declared an Item of Cultural Interest and this route is a relatively easy one at only 3 kilometres: it is categorized as being suitable for anyone aged 6 and over.
Some of the curious dome-like structures have now been restored, and they stand as monuments to the ingenuity of the Murcianos in the past as they strove to thrive in the sometimes hostile climate!
The snow wells were in use from the 16th century to the early 20th and were used in the summer to preserve food and to make ice-cream! They are located at altitudes of 1,400 metres and over, where in the past there were frequent and heavy snowfalls in winter, and on the northern side of the mountains so as to minimize exposure to sunlight.
Here they functioned as a factory for ice until the year 1926, when the first ice factory was built in Totana, and for many generations workers flocked to the wells as soon as the first snow fell. Up to 9 men worked in each, collecting ice and transporting it on the backs of mules to the wells for storage, and then to the towns and cities of Murcia for sale, travelling by night when possible to avoid melting.
Trade was so busy that it is known that in 1794 as much as 450,000 kilos of ice were sold in the city of Murcia!
The walk on 30th May begins at 10.00 and is expected to last until around 13.00 with registration available online here or through the tourist office of Totana (turismo@totana.es, telephone 968 418153). Inscription prices are 9 euros for adults, 7 euros for those en titled to discounts and 5 euros for children up to the age of 12. The tour is conducted in Spanish.
For further information contact Idiarta (telephone 968 069202, email reserva@idiarta.es.)
The meeting point is the car park of the snow wells next to the Collado Mangueta viewing point - click here for map.
For more upcoming events in the Region of Murcia go to the What’s on section of Murcia Today.
Address
Parque ‘El Real’ Antas Almeria 04628Tel: +34 950 096 166
Mobile: +34 671 716 597
Mobile: +34 671 716 597
ECOCORP SOLAR BUSINESS LISTING
Almeria’s Nº 1 family run solar installation company is now covering Camposol, Mazarrón and many other parts of the Region of Murcia, including La Manga Club, La Torre Golf Resort, Las Terrazas de la Torre, Los Alcázares and the Mar Menor Golf Resort, as well as the province of Alicante!Ecocorp Solar SL has nearly two decades of experience in the design and configuration of bespoke solar power system for their clients. They are experts in providing solutions and supplying systems for all types of properties, and their knowledgeable and friendly team will work closely with you to provide and install a system that meets your unique requirements.
Using cloud-based technology, Ecocorp Solar offer their virtual battery service to those customers who are tied to the grid, enabling the customer to feed back excess energy. This energy is stored in their virtual battery and drawn down when the sun isn’t shining. Thus, the client has the opportunity to use 100% of their solar energy production and to reduce the price of their electricity bill significantly. All systems are linked to your computer, mobile or tablet so that you can monitor your consumption AND your savings on the App.
Customer service is paramount for Ecocorp Solar – in a recent* customer satisfaction survey, 100% of their customers said that they would recommend them to others.*Based on a 9-month client satisfaction survey dated between August 22 and April 23
For a friendly, free, home survey and good advice contact Ecocorp Solar to assist you in setting up your solar cloud service and for help with government solar grants where they are available.
Opening/Contact Hours
- Monday – Friday: 9am to 6pm
Phone the Ecocorp Solar Office on +34 950 096 166 or the Sales team on +34 671 716 597, or use the contact box above to get in touch with Ecocorp Solar today.
