The Ermita de Santa Llúcia sits atop the conical hill of Tossal de
Santa Llucía, a 165m summit affording spectacular views in
almost every direction. In my opinion, the situation offers one of the
best locations to photograph the nearby mountain of Montgó, rising
dramatically to the north-west, whilst on clear days the island of
Ibiza, over 90 kilometres distant, can be made out as a dark but
obvious smudge on the horizon to the east. Such field of view has made
it a valuable, easily defendable site for centuries and evidence has
been found to suggest that people were already living on the hill more
than 4,000 years ago. During the Roman
occupation of these lands, it was utilised as a perfect look-out point
due to its superb command over the bay of Jávea and the long valley of
San Bartolomé. The foundation of a chapel dates either from the late
15th century or the early 16th century although no-one can be quite
certain as there is no documentation to support it.
ROUTE
DESCRIPTION There
is ample parking in
the underground car-park underneath the
wide open Plaza de la Constitución, a square
with a number of small bars which can offer suitable
refreshment both before and after the walk
to the Ermita de Santa Llúcia. The hillock
of Santa Llúcia is the obvious mound just
a few hundred metres to the north of
the square; in the background, the mountain
of El Montgó mounts a permanent guard over
the town.
The
route heads towards this hill, climbing
steadily up Calle de Rafael Echague with
the Parque Montañer to your right and the
modern 'Conservatorio de Música' on your
left. At the top of the road, cross the
often busy Avenida Angel Doménech by
the pedestrian crossing; there is a tosca
stone cross on the opposite side of the
road, a helpful marker along with the white-and-green
paint on the roadsign. To the left of the
cross, the Camí de Santa Llusia leads to
the bottom of the path to the top of the
hill.
After
about 150m or so, there is a small rough
expanse of land often used as a car-park;
you can opt to start the route from
here but you leave your car at your own
risk. There is a wooden
information board which is worth a look and the path is clearly marked to the
right of it next to the white marker for
the Ermita de Santa Llúcia.
After a
gentle ascent of just a few metres, the next few hundred metres require
plenty of puff and determination as the path winds steeply through the
trees until it becomes a little gentler as it continues a broad
zig-zag up the hill. Across the ravine is the blue-domed Ermita de
Santo Cristo del Calvario which can be reached by a small path which
climbs up the hillside and this is an option for the return journey.
Soon the rough path reaches another set of signs and the white-walled
ermita can just be seen through the trees above. Turning left, there’s a
final steep ascent along a concreted path to the top.
The existing
building was constructed in the 17th century and
consists of a single rectangular nave with a gable roof
supported by two tosca stone arches,
a style typical of the "conquest chapels" found all over the region.
Additions were made at a later date, including
the chapel rooms and the small front porch.
In 2004 a
new bell replaced the original, thought to be some 500 years old and moved
to the chapel from the town's old cemetery
during the 1940s; the old bell is now located in the town's Museum
of Archaeology and Ethnology in Carrer de
Primicies. Take a look inside the verandah;
to the right there is a grid of colours and symbols
- if anyone knows what it means, please let me know!
The
view over the valley of San Bartolemé is quite stunning whilst the Puig
de Llorença and its communication towers clearly visible to the south whilst
the serrated ridge of the Sierra Bernía is
just about visible over the low hulking
Sierra de Seldetes. To the east, through
the trees, the view extends down the port
and to the end of Cabo de San Antonio with
its lighthouse. And, to the north-east,
there is an impressive view of El Montgó
and its "eye", the huge cavity
of La Cova Ampla.
A
wide path passes through the trees to the
left of
the chapel, a circular route used mainly
by the pilgrims who carry the images of
Santa Llúcia and Santa Barbara on their
shoulders around the chapel in December
(see below). This path is a pleasant little stroll around
the top of the hill and
there is another great view of El Montgó
through the trees. Continuing around the chapel, the
path emerges from the trees on the other side and rejoins
the main path.
There are two options for the return. The
quickest is to retrace your steps and descend via the same path but there is an option to
complete a circular route by following the concrete path which zig-zags
down the northern flanks of the hill below crags used to teach basic
rock-climbing. At the bottom of the descent, a rough but wide track
leads to a road; there are more great views of El Montgó. At the end of the
track, Ttrn right, heading downhill and perhaps pausing to
glance back at the route of the descent before the tarmac ends abruptly
and the way ahead continues down the wooded ravine. The
path is initially quite rough, littered with the debris of flooding
during wetter periods when the rainwater rushes off the slopes and into
the gulley so care needs to be taken to avoid an inconvenient twisted
ankle. Eventually the path becomes a gentle stroll with the Ermita del
Santo Cristo de Calvario perched on the hillside in front of you. Some
200m before the return to the start of the ascent, a narrow steep track
leads up the hillside to the blue-domed church and this is an option to
take as it affords a great view of the hill of Santa Llúcia. Otherwise
continue forward back to the olive tree and the start of the marked
path and retrace your steps back to the Plaza de la Constitución.
Optional:
La Emita del Calvario Take the narrow
but steep path up to the blue-domed chapel;
you'll pass along its side to the open plaza
at the front. There is a decent view of
the Santa Llúcia hill and the route that
winds its way up its eastern flank. To the
south of the plaza, a wide path winds its
way down to a large and remarkable tosca
archway; this is essentially Javea's own
"Via Dolorosa" with fourteen "Stations
of the Cross" depicting the final hours
of Jesús Christ. During the Jesus Nazareno
celebrations in the spring, devotees will
carry the sacred image of Jesús Nazareno
high on their shoulders along this path
accompanied by many worshippers carrying
long candles. Through the archway, Calle
Finisterre descends down towards the town;
at the bottom of the hill, turn right and
follow the road until it ends at a set of
steps. Take these and continue back towards
the tosca stone cross and retrace your steps
back to the Plaza de la Constitución.
December
13th - Santa Llúcia Every year, many
will make an annual pilgrimmage to the chapel
to honor Santa Llúcia, the "queen of
light". There is a short mass and a
lap of the hill-top with the image of Santa
Llúcia, accompanied by Santa Barbara, followed
by hot chocolate and cake for everyone.

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