Hornos de Moncalvillo: History, Nature and Activities

Hornos de Moncalvillo combines early history with landscapes, trails and a range of activities. The earliest evidence of the village dates back to the 11th century. Hornos de Moncalvillo is also home to Campo Activo, a multi-adventure activity centre.

Culture and History

The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción combines ashlar masonry with brickwork. Historical windows were restored during its renovation. The parish church, Iglesia de la Asunción, in Hornos de Moncalvillo dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. This means that one location brings together both early evidence of the village's history and a church building with preserved and restored architectural features.

The annual local calendar includes the San Cristóbal festival, held on the first Saturday in September. Also in September, a pilgrimage leads to the Ermita del Cristo. A procession travels from the church through Hornos de Moncalvillo. The church, pilgrimage and procession therefore represent distinct cultural points of reference: they connect the sacred building with set dates and a route through the village.

Nature

The Hornos de Moncalvillo recreational area is located next to the Ermita del Cristo. It can be reached by travelling through Hornos de Moncalvillo towards Daroca de Rioja. The area features forests of Pyrenean oak and Portuguese oak, holm oak stands and heathland. The wildlife of the recreational area includes badgers, wild boar, short-toed snake eagles, green woodpeckers and European tree frogs. The specified forest types and heathland give the area a clearly defined landscape structure.

Cycling Routes

The Centro BTT Moncalvillo trail network covers 250 kilometres and runs through ten municipalities in La Rioja: Daroca de Rioja, Entrena, Fuenmayor, Hornos de Moncalvillo, Medrano, Navarrete, Sojuela, Sotés, Ventosa and Cenicero. Hornos de Moncalvillo is therefore part of a trail network that connects several places and different types of landscape.

The Ruta dos dehesas circular route connects Navarrete, Hornos de Moncalvillo and Sotés with the dehesas of the latter two places. It branches off beside the Ermita del Cristo and climbs continuously through oak and pine forests to the summit. The Dehesa del Prado circular route connects Navarrete with the Dehesa de Hornos and leads to Hornos de Moncalvillo via the cemetery. When choosing a route, the extensive trail network, the connection between several municipalities and the different courses of the two circular routes can therefore be considered separately.

Activities

Campo Activo has 12 courses with varying levels of difficulty. The Zona Free Games area offers children aged three and over more than 20 free activities. Campo Activo also provides parking and a picnic area. In addition, there are more than 30 zip lines. The information therefore covers various courses, an age-specific area and other services offered by the centre.

Further destinations to consider when planning your trip: Laguna De Cameros, Fuenmayor, Berceo, Entrena, Calahorra, Ausejo, Nalda and El Horcajo.

For the overarching travel overview: La Rioja.