Two Romerias (two walks following ancient pilgrimage routes)

The Ermita de Bodijar , an ancient place of pilgrimage, and the Chorreras, a rock formation is the destination of these walks, starting from Jete or Otivar.

The village of Jete has a special devotion to Nuestra Senora de la Cabeza of Bodijar. The virgin appeared to a shepherd in the last years of the sixteenth century. A small hermitage was built at Bodijar which was later extended an originally included a hermitage, workshops, a granary and patios surrounded by a stone wall. Most of this has disappeared but the site now has a chapel and patio. On the last Sunday of April each year there is a pilgrimage from Jete and a statue of the virgin is carried up to the chapel on the footpath. There is a day of festivity and eating and drinking.
These walks can be linked up providing opportunities for a circular walk from Otivar or a walk from Otivar to Jete bypassing the hermitage.


Jete to Bodijar - walk 3 KM
To reach the start
Start this walk at the signed access just beyond the junction of the Jete to Itrabo Road, outside Jete on the Cabra Montes road. Park off road at the junction and walk up 200 meters to the signposted access on the right hand side.
The walk
The route starts with a very steep ascent through fruit orchards for the first 2 kilometers but after that is level and follows the hillside going in a westerly direction giving views up to the heights of Guindelera peak, the Pichacho de Itrabo and down to the coast. Follow the track up from the main road. There are posts showing the route, and signposts. Keep an eye open when reaching tracks that cross the trail. It is a steep trail that climbs between orchards giving a unique view of the orchards and the watering systems that support the growing of avocadoes, nisperos and vines. After 2 kilometers, (1hour and 15 minutes) you will reach a junction with the road from Otivar. Turn right here and follow the road along the hillside, gradually descending to the hermitage at Bodijar. If you continue along this road for a further kilometer, you will see on the left the spectacular Las Chorreras rock formations above. Retrace your steps to return to Jete. You can extend the walk by taking the route back to Otivar.

Otivar to Bodijar - walk or drive
Start the walk in Otivar Village on the main road (Cabra Montes) by following the road that turns sharply up outside the fruit warehouse. This road has now been tarmaced but is not particularly busy. It zig zags steeply up the hillside, eventually you will reach a junction, where you need to bear right. The road bearing left road leads to the municipal swimming pool.
Follow the road on along the hillside. There is one steeper section when it zig zags up through the last remaining pine trees left after the fire destroyed the forest in 2002.
After approximately one hours walking you will reach a junction – La Malaguena – where a track goes off to the left, signposted Cutar, and the path to Jete goes down on the right hand side behind the houses.
Walk along the road for another 20 minutes as the path descends to Bodijar and the Chorrera.
Retrace your steps to return to Otivar or extend the walk by taking the track to Cutar which leads eventually to the junction with a trail that descends to Otivar.
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