5:42 PM
Nelmitravel - Nelieta Mishchenko
We always recommend places to visit while staying at Hostel Tinktinkie. One of these places is Via Crucis.
Via Crucis is a hiking route in Santa Rosa de Calamuchita where 14 crosses have been planted. It is +- 150m from the base to the top of the hill where you have a panoramic view of the beautiful Calamuchita valley. From the top of the hill you can see the winding Santa Rosa river.
I have been to Via Crucis a couple of times. The first time was in August 2008 when Andrey and I climbed it for the first time. August was a good time to climb the hill because it was not very hot but the river was very dry. The rain season only starts late September. It is not a very difficult route to hike. Climbing down was more difficult because there are a lot of small rocks and it can be slippery. I do not suggest you climb the route when it has been raining. There are also alot of places where you can rest when you get tired.
When you reach the top of the hill you find the last cross. Normally people leave some souvernirs here, like pieces of material, a coin or water.
The 2nd time I did not go with. My family was visiting from South Africa and the women decided to stay behind. It was only Andrey and my brother-in-law that went. They loved it! They both had their cameras with them and took a lot of pictures of the fauna and flaura. You also find a lot of different bird species while you are climbing.
The 3rd time was when my daughters visited from South Africa. They are two very active teenagers and couldn't climb the hill fast enough. But we chose a hot day and I got a lot of muscle cramps. This time I did not make it to the top as I was in too much pain. Mariska waited with me until Nadine and Andrey came down. I also recently went with my friend Monica. We had a lot of fun!
It is very easy to find the hiking route. You follow Ruta 5, go past the hospital and you will find the entrance to Via Crucis. It is marked with a wooden sign and you cannot miss it.
Via Crucis is a hiking route in Santa Rosa de Calamuchita where 14 crosses have been planted. It is +- 150m from the base to the top of the hill where you have a panoramic view of the beautiful Calamuchita valley. From the top of the hill you can see the winding Santa Rosa river.
I have been to Via Crucis a couple of times. The first time was in August 2008 when Andrey and I climbed it for the first time. August was a good time to climb the hill because it was not very hot but the river was very dry. The rain season only starts late September. It is not a very difficult route to hike. Climbing down was more difficult because there are a lot of small rocks and it can be slippery. I do not suggest you climb the route when it has been raining. There are also alot of places where you can rest when you get tired.
When you reach the top of the hill you find the last cross. Normally people leave some souvernirs here, like pieces of material, a coin or water.
The 2nd time I did not go with. My family was visiting from South Africa and the women decided to stay behind. It was only Andrey and my brother-in-law that went. They loved it! They both had their cameras with them and took a lot of pictures of the fauna and flaura. You also find a lot of different bird species while you are climbing.
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| A view of the Calamuchita Valley with the Champaqui Mountain range in the background. |
The 3rd time was when my daughters visited from South Africa. They are two very active teenagers and couldn't climb the hill fast enough. But we chose a hot day and I got a lot of muscle cramps. This time I did not make it to the top as I was in too much pain. Mariska waited with me until Nadine and Andrey came down. I also recently went with my friend Monica. We had a lot of fun!
It is very easy to find the hiking route. You follow Ruta 5, go past the hospital and you will find the entrance to Via Crucis. It is marked with a wooden sign and you cannot miss it.
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| The winding Santa Rosa River. |
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| Nadine at the last cross. |
