Km 0
The opening of the section of the Tajuña Greenway between Arganda del Rey and Morata de Tajuña in May 2007 means that users from Madrid can now access the Greenway by line 9 of the Metro de Madrid. Cyclists should consult the Metro bylaws to check whether they are permitted to carry their bicycles on the trains as there may be some restrictions depending on the day or the time of day.
Within the town of Arganda there are two stretches of the old mining railway which have been developed as Greenway. The first, developed by the Arganda Town Council, runs for 3 kilometres between the old level crossing at Azucarera de La Poveda (Km 1.1 of the M-300 road) and the Príncipe Felipe sports centre in the centre of town.
The second section was developed by the Consejería de Transportes de la Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid Transport Department) and it starts at the level crossing that the Arganda railway used to use to cross the old N-III road, now the Avenida del Ejército. To help us get our bearings, Arganda del Rey Metro station is just 200 metres away.
On its way out of the town centre the Greenway runs between the edge of the industrial zone of Arganda and an area of gentle hillsides dotted with olive trees. The route crosses under the A-3 motorway after which the Greenway begins to climb gently through a series of curves with the aid of various cuttings and embankments. The trail levels out when we reach the top of a large plateau known as El Alto before dropping down in a sweeping curve to Morata de Tajuña.
Km 15
 After Morata de Tajuña we will be heading for the neighbouring town of Perales de Tajuña but first we recommend that you backtrack a short distance towards Madrid on a section of Greenway that follows the old railway line towards the quarry at Cornicabra. There we can enjoy a very good view of the Tajuña valley and there is also a recreational area with a fountain! In a not too distant future this section of Greenway may be extended all the way to Arganda, at the end of line 9 of the Metro de Madrid. Today, by making use of rural tracks, the route is doable, but only with the aid of a good map and a spirit of adventure.
Back at Morata, the Greenway has an alternative start near the entrance to the town (on the San Martín de la Vega side). There is a well signposted car park where you can leave your car. After a short stretch through the town (passing by the headquarters of the local Civil Guard) the Greenway runs parallel to the M-506 road towards Perales.
Km 21
 Our red trail now passes without incident through a rural landscape of farmland and crop fields to the site of the former Tajuña station. From here there used to be a spur line to take trains up to the villages of Chinchón and Colmenar de Oreja. On the opposite side of the road we can see a metal bridge that used to serve this spur line. This section of undeveloped Greenway is only passable for 3 kilometres, as far as a quarry. But if you feel tempted, be careful; you will be sharing the track with trucks!
Returning to our developed Greenway, we continue on towards Perales along a section containing a number of short, steep ups and downs, the only ones of any significance on our route.
Km 24
 We arrive at Perales de Tajuña. The old station disappeared long ago; on its site there is now a school and where the railway lines used to run are now streets. Here our Greenway temporarily divides in two and travellers can choose the route that best suits them. One route branches off from the railway line at the entrance to the town to the right, crosses the river, and runs parallel to it through lowland meadows. This route uses existing rural tracks which lead us to, and underneath, a viaduct on the A-3 motorway. We share these tracks with other traffic, so be on the alert!
 The other route, which follows the old railway route more closely, goes through the town, passes the cemetery, and heads towards the same viaduct on the A-3 mentioned earlier. This attractive route runs along the foot of the spectacular “Risco de las Cuevas” (a cliff with more than 50 prehistoric troglodyte dwellings), but several hundred metres before we reach the motorway it becomes impassable so we need to drop down to the other branch of the Greenway described in the paragraph above (it is less than 300m away but we need to take care when crossing the intervening roads).
With the two “branches” of our Greenway now reunited we continue our way until the end of the route along rural tracks on the left bank of the Tajuña. We remind you that these tracks are open to rural traffic so you will need to take care. The old railway line used to run on the other side of the river but sadly that route could not be restored since houses and factories have invaded the rail bed at a number of points
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Km 29
 We make our way along a flat trail through a gently undulating rural landscape towards the village of Carabaña. On the far side of the Tajuña we can see the village of Tielmes, which we can reach by taking the first road on our left at a crossroads where a small rest area has been prepared. The Greenway continues to run parallel and to the right of the road until we arrive at a hermitage. From there we continue to travel through the lowland meadows of the Tajuña river, once again moving closer to the banks of the river on our left. Meanwhile, on the other side of the river is the interesting, well preserved Chavarri station, where trains used to stop to take on board bottles of “Agua de Carabaña” mineral water, which was famed for its medicinal qualities.
Km 36
 By the time we arrive at the intersection with the Carabaña to Brea de Tajo road, our red track almost reaches the banks of the river again, where a pretty water mill signals our entrance into Carabaña. From here we can either go into the village to take a break from the trail or we can press on to the next stop on our route, Orusco. To reach Orusco we need to bear right on the Brea road until we rejoin the Greenway on our left. This new section runs parallel to the rail bed of the Ferrocarril de los 40 Días (the Forty Days Railway) which was built during the Spanish Civil War. The trail at this point is a rural track made suitable for cyclists (but be on the lookout for cars and other users). Soon we arrive outside the village of Orusco where we cross underneath the road before either visiting this pleasant village or continuing along the Greenway, which a little further on rejoins the old railway line for the last few kilometres.
Km 47
 This is one of the most pleasant stretches of the Greenway. We pass under little bridges, between groves of trees, and on some occasions along sections where there is an almost sheer drop down to the river. We are now close to the end of our route at Ambite. The Greenway passes through a dense pine wood before  arriving at the levelled ground surrounding the old station. Here there is a rest area with a fountain which is a very pleasant spot from which to view the village, the last in the Autonomous Community of Madrid before we enter the province of Guadalajara. The Greenway ends here but work is already underway in the neighbouring Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha to prolong the trail as far as the banks of the Tajo at Entrepeñas. |
