The snow wells of Sierra Espuña in the municipality of Totana

A great walk and insights into local history for all the family in the mountains of Sierra Espuña

The Sierra Espuña is a pine clad haven of cool in the summer and a glorious place to enjoy a walk at any time of year, with a vast range of options available to those looking for an enjoyable day out in the Region of Murcia.

One of the most popular walks takes in the snowhouses, the Pozos de Nieve, which supplied ice to the cities of Murcia and Cartagena in the days before refrigeration became a way of life.

The snowhouses in the Sierra Espuña are distributed in two distinct groups, known as the "Pozos de Cartagena " and the "Pozos de Murcia" and while most are in a ruinous state of abandon, others have been fully restored and a couple more still have a roof intact.

Snow houses in the Region of Murcia

There are snow houses in various areas of the Region of Murcia - Jumilla, Yecla, Cieza, Abanilla, Totana, Alhama de Murcia, Fortuna, Jumilla, Caravaca de la Cruz, and even in Cartagena.

They were first built in the late 16th century, packed with snow during the winter to produce solid blocks of ice which were then taken to the cities as a luxury for the very rich, or used for medicinal purposes. These snowhouses were a source of employment until the end of the 19th century, when the first ice making-factory was built in the city of Murcia.

In total there were 23 pozos, each holding up to a million kilos of ice which was transported by mules and then horse and carriage to the cities between May and September, when demand was highest. Naturally, the heat of the journey resulted in "shrinkage" approximately 35% of the ice melting before reaching its destination.

Surrounding the pozos were a number of dwellings and a small church dedicated to the Virgen de las Nieves, and it is believed that much of the cutting and packing was done by the gipsy population of Totana (more historical research is underway to try and ascertain the descent of those who inhabited the area and carried out this work).

By the early 20th century the wells had fallen into a sorry state, and it was not until recently that works were undertaken to try and bring the deterioration under control and fully restore some of them.

A visit implies a bracing family walk with an interesting goal; a look inside an original restored Pozo de Nieve.

Location

From Totana, take the MU502 towards Aledo, up past the Monastery of Santa Eulalia. Pass Aledo and continue until it is necessary to turn left or right. Turn right, signposted Las Alquerias, EVA 13. Follow down until you come to a right-hand junction after about 2 km and you'll see a pile of stones on the corner and a big forestry sign, and a signpost to the EVA13 (12km).

The road then splits into 2. a sign sending you left to the Pozos de nieve. The trip from Totana takes 20-25 minutes.

Click for map, Pozos de nieve, Sierra Espuña.

The car park is less than 100 metres from the well and from there you can take a well-worn route around the other snow house ruins. The route climbs to a glorious vantage point, and if you´re lucky you may see herds of Barbary sheep wandering around on the hillsides!

Many families take a picnic and stay in the area. 

Centro de Visitantes Richard Codorníu

Tel 968 22 89 37

Open Tuesday to Sunday 10-2 and 3-6pm

Click for more information.