Walking in Spain
Lecrin Castle and Queen Moraima.
A 5 km round trip with a steep climb of 125 meters up to the ruins of the Moorish castle. This is the last resting place of Boabdils wife, Queen Moraima,
with some very fine views over the whole of The Lecrin Valley.
Let your mouse hover over the picture for its description
 |
The ruins of several Arab Alcazares (castles) and Atalayas (Watch Towers) still survive in The Lecrin Valley and these are now carefully preserved. Perhaps the most
famous is the XIVc castle at Mondujar where the kings and queens of Granada were buried. These Moorish fortifications were built by the Nasrid dynasty which was
established by Mohammed ibn al-Anwar to defend their Emirate of Granada. This was the last Moorish stronghold in Europe which lasted from 1238 to 1492. This followed
the reconquista by the catholics which resulted in the decline of the Almoravids and then the Almohads and the loss of Cordoba, Sevilla and Cadiz in the early thirteenth
century. |
| The Nazari king, Abu-I-Hassan, farther of the last Moslem monarch, Boabdil, upset his sultan Aixa by taking one of her maids, a 12 year old Christian named Isabel de
Solis, as a mistress. This resulted in civil war rather than divorce. His supporters, the Cegries, were beaten by his inlaws, the Abencerrajes, and he abdicated in favour of
his brother el Zagal. He then went into exile and fell mortally ill and died at the castle in Mondujar. Isabel, now renamed Zoraya (meaning Morning Star), had his body taken
to the top of the highest mountain in Sierra Nevada. At 3480m it has since been named Mulhacen, which is a corruption of Abu-I-Hassem's nick name of Muley Hassem . |
 |
 |
In 1492, Boabdil, the last King of the Nazrids, signed the Declaration of Surrender after capitulating to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella
(Henry VIII's future mother-in-law). Travelling south from Granada into exile, the last view of the city that they had before decending in to The Lecrin Valley was from
Puerto del Suspiro del Moro, (The Pass of the Moor's Sigh) and it is there where he is renowned for turning towards Granada for the last time and breaking down in tears
at the loss of his beloved city. His mother, Aixa, is reputed to have said to him: " Weep then like a woman, over that which you could not defend like a man". Boabdil's wife
Moraima, who later died in Cadiar as they were preparing to leave for exile in Africa, is believed to be the last queen buried at Mondujar. . |
| Leave your car in Mondujar village close to the XV1c church on the left. It has a very fine Mudejar ceiling and if you are lucky you will find some village ladies tending the flowers.
Talk nicely to them and because they are so proud of their church they will almost certainly give you a guided tour including the bell tower. Dont forget that a donation,
however small, placed in the collection box is always appreciated.
Cross under the motorway from the back of the church and follow the first Meson Castillode Morayma sign on the left.Then take the very next right and follow the concrete track
downhill initally,across the bridge and then up hill to the end. You can now see a cross on the peak above and facing you and this is where you are going. Where the concrete
ends, keep on clinbing in the same direction, following a not very distinct mule track that diagonally traverses the terraces through to the end of the olives. You will now see a
gorge a appearing on your left. Follow the path upwards alongside the gorge and the castle is now in view on your right. At the top turn right away from the gorge up a steep
traverse directly towards the castle. It is a straight climb for half the distance and then a couple of hairpins and finally a well worn path towards the castle gateway. At the
gate , pass through and up to the cross. From the top there is a stuning view across the Rio Torrente towards Suspiro de Moro, Embalse de Beznar and all the villages of the Lecrin Valley. To the west you can
see the mast on top of Herrero, 1503m and south to the hermitage of Santa Cristo de Zapato on Crucero de Pinos at 1052m. Even here you are only high enough to see the
top of Albunuelas which remains hiding in its own gorge. Return to the gate and ignore the inviting path along the ridge. This site was chosen by the Moors because of its
impregnable position and there is only the one way in and out. |
 |
 |
Leave the gate and retrace your steps down to the hairpins. Keep straight on along a clearly visible path which starts to climb away from the castle and up to the head of the
valley.Carry on up through some zigzags but continuing in the same general direction to climb, still away from the castle. We are soom back up to the height of the castle
and then continue to climb over the crest with the castle now dropping out of view. Because we are now east of the motorway, there are no metalled roads between here and
the 3000m plus peaks of the Sierra Nevada.The Cabras de Montes (wild Ibex) often come down this far so if you are lucky and keep your eyes open there is every chance of
seeing one or two jumping from rock to rock just like mountain goats. A track now appears taking you right and then left and on upwards in the original direction through
olive trees towards the head of the valley. Take the left fork and descend a little through more olive trees. Pass an Alberca (large water tank) as you cross over the shoulder
and start to descend. There are some fig trees to the left on terraces below and then a house. The track rises a little to join a camino forestal where you keep left to descend
and pass the entrance to the house. The track soon becomes concrete and drops steeply through several hairpins. The signs let you know that you are now in the Parque
Natural de Sierra Nevada. The agriculture becomes more intense and the orange groves start as you come to the Meson Castillo de Morayma on the left at the bottom.
This is a good place for a drink or meal. The road runs on along the valley descending less steeply now past allotments on both sides. Keep straight on down where you
pick up the outward route and return to your car. . |
Home
