Activity

T3 Senda de los Mineros - Cruz de la Muela with friends

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Photo ofT3 Senda de los Mineros - Cruz de la Muela with friends Photo ofT3 Senda de los Mineros - Cruz de la Muela with friends Photo ofT3 Senda de los Mineros - Cruz de la Muela with friends

Author

Karl Ove Nilsen
2,976 115 1077
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Trail stats

Distance
6.69 mi
Elevation gain
1,827 ft
Technical difficulty
Easy
Elevation loss
1,827 ft
Max elevation
1,527 ft
TrailRank 
52 3.7
Min elevation
229 ft
Trail type
Loop
Time
4 hours 32 minutes
Coordinates
5459
Uploaded
March 3, 2019
Recorded
February 2019

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near Virgen del Camino, Valencia (España)

Viewed 1743 times, downloaded 38 times

Trail photos

Photo ofT3 Senda de los Mineros - Cruz de la Muela with friends Photo ofT3 Senda de los Mineros - Cruz de la Muela with friends Photo ofT3 Senda de los Mineros - Cruz de la Muela with friends

Itinerary description

This is a trail to "Cruz de la Muela" in the Orihuela Mountain from Ermita de Montepinar just outside the little village Montepinar. The walk up the mountain takes the trail "Senda de los Mineros" - The Minworkers Trail, and enables us to have a look at the different mines from mid 1800 and onwards. The main materials from these mines are mercury in the form of mercury sulfid (?) - cinnabar - HgS. This looks like a brown rock before the mercury is extracted by heating - thus releasing the Sulphur to react with oxygen, creating SO2. The mercury is then condensed to liquid. Most countries have prohibited the use of mercury without special licence due to the environmental damage it causes. The biggest resources of mercury today are in Italy and Spain, but no manufacturing from these sources takes place. Most mercury comes from recirculation and as a by-product from other prosesses. China is one of the few countries that still extract mercury from the mines.

To the parking:
From AP-7 take exit 740 and follow CV-91/Hospital in both roundabouts and follow the signs to Orihuela. From the roundabout under the railway bridge follow N-340 and thereafter follow signs to "La Matanza" until coming to Montepinar. Just after leaving Montepinar turn left by a big tree up to the chapel, Ermita de Montepinar, where there is ample parking space.

Coordinates parking: N 38º 7.087' W 0º 57.942'
On Google Maps: 38.118428,-0.965040

There is an app on Wikiloc that can be downloaded to your phone, and this trail can be loaded onto the app, and you will be able to follow the track as you go.

If the distances are in miles, you can choose another language at the bottom of the this page (Swedish, German...) to have metric distances.

Have a nice hike!

Here is a link to other hiking trips with friends:

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Waypoints

PictographIntersection Altitude 0 ft

Calle Orense og Calle Alicante

This street cross is a common place to park for the trail up to the Cruz, which is a common family trail. About 3,3 kms up to the Cross.

PictographIntersection Altitude 0 ft
Photo ofThe Diamond Photo ofThe Diamond Photo ofThe Diamond

The Diamond

Diamond is the name given by the norwegians. It most probably is Dolomite (Dolomias). This junction is named LA RANA by the spanish. From this point there is another trail down to the chapel called Las Minas consisting of 26 turns...

PictographMine Altitude 928 ft
Photo ofMine 1 to the left

Mine 1 to the left

Th symbol for mercury is Hg - Hygrargyrum. Hygr for water argyrus for silver: Liquid silver. Latin: Argentum vivum - living silver.

PictographMine Altitude 988 ft

Mine 2 to the left

PictographMine Altitude 984 ft
Photo ofMine 2 Photo ofMine 2 Photo ofMine 2

Mine 2

HgS - sinober- looks like a brown rock.

PictographMine Altitude 1,050 ft

Mine 3 to the left

PictographMine Altitude 0 ft
Photo ofMine 3 Photo ofMine 3

Mine 3

This one is difficult to see due to the bushes...

PictographMine Altitude 1,260 ft

Mine 4 on the left

Mercury alloys does not have the same damaging effects as mercury itself, and thus amalgam has been used up till today as a means of dental repair. Mercury Chloride was used to cure syphilis as late as between the two world wars (Source Internett....).

PictographMine Altitude 0 ft
Photo ofMine 4

Mine 4

Mercury has been found inside egyptian tombs dated back to 1500 years B.C. Mercurys was used to prolong lives, to heal bone fractures and to improve health in general. It was extensively used in cosmetics which caused deformations to their faces.

PictographMine Altitude 818 ft
Photo ofMine 0 Photo ofMine 0

Mine 0

This mine is located on the trail prior to entering the "Senda de los Mineros". You can walk some distance into this mine with sufficient light from a lantern or a cellphone.

PictographMine Altitude 787 ft
Photo ofMineworkers Trail

Mineworkers Trail

Senda de los Mineros starts her to the right, see signs painted on a stone.

PictographMine Altitude 1,214 ft
Photo ofMine hole 6 Photo ofMine hole 6

Mine hole 6

PictographCave Altitude 791 ft
Photo ofHouses for the night Photo ofHouses for the night Photo ofHouses for the night

Houses for the night

Casa de los Mineros

PictographCar park Altitude 344 ft
Photo ofTh chapel, Ermita de Montepinar Photo ofTh chapel, Ermita de Montepinar Photo ofTh chapel, Ermita de Montepinar

Th chapel, Ermita de Montepinar

Parking

PictographWaypoint Altitude 960 ft
Photo ofSmall Cross

Small Cross

This cross is situated on a path from mine 3

PictographSummit Altitude 1,506 ft
Photo ofCruz de la Muela - The Mill Stone Cross Photo ofCruz de la Muela - The Mill Stone Cross Photo ofCruz de la Muela - The Mill Stone Cross

Cruz de la Muela - The Mill Stone Cross

Cruz de La Muela, "El Balcón de La Vega Baja" - Balcony facing the Low Land

PictographIntersection Altitude 394 ft
Photo ofTurn left

Turn left

This goes towards Las Minas

PictographIntersection Altitude 1,299 ft
Photo ofCross: Keep on straight ahead

Cross: Keep on straight ahead

This is a major junction.

PictographIntersection Altitude 0 ft
Photo ofCross to trail down to Montepinar

Cross to trail down to Montepinar

PictographMine Altitude 0 ft
Photo ofMine 5 Photo ofMine 5 Photo ofMine 5

Mine 5

Inside the brick wall is one of the biggest mines. It ends up with an open roof.

Comments  (1)

  • Photo of Filkat
    Filkat Oct 24, 2020

    I have followed this trail  verified  View more

    Pas du tout facile, que des montées ou des descentes pas facilement praticables... on entre dans le jeu directement... mais avec 500 m de dénivelé on s y attend... les paysages ne sont pas très diversifiés...

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