Natural landscape: Betica ranges. Natural Reserve Laguna Honda. Natural Reserve Laguna del Salobral. Subbetica Natural Park. Bat Cave Zuheros. Spur to Baena: olive grove.

How to get there:

Jaén Railway Station. ADIF. Telf. 953 270 202 - 902 24 02 02.  

Puente Genil Railway Station. ADIF. Telf. 902 24 02 02 

Puente Genil-Herrera Railway Station. AVE (High speed trains). ADIF.

Telf. 902 24 02 02

www.renfe.com 

 

(*) Consult the rules for taking bikes on trains.

By Bus:

 

-Line M2 - 1 Jaén – Torre del Campo, Torredonjimeno and Martos.

Tel: 902 450 550

http://siu.ctja.es/

 

- Line Jaén-Alcaudete: Transportes Ureña S.A.

Tel:  953-22-01-16

http://urena-sa.com

 

-Lines from Córdoba to all the province: Autobús Carrera S.L.

Tel: 957 50 03 02/957 50 16 32

www.autocarescarrera.es/

 

Spur to Baena: 

 

Lines from Córdoba to Luque and Baena. Autobús Carrera S.L.

Tel: 957 50 03 02 / 957 50 16 32

www.autocarescarrera.es/

Managing entity of the Greenway:

More information on the Guía de Vías Verdes (Ed. Anaya Touring) Volume II

Km 0

The Greenway sets out from the city of Jaén. The actual starting point is in the west of the city at the Fuentezuelas sports centre, situated at the end of the Ronda Juez Juan Ruiz.

The first part of the route runs parallel to the active railway line that leads to Espeluy. After some 1,500m we part company with the Renfe railway line and start the climb towards Martos, tracing an arc that skirts the steep foothills of the Sierra de la Grana, crowned by the Jabalcuz mountains.

In the future access to oil Greenway will be even easier and safer. A bike path, developed by the Ministry of Environment of the Junta de Andalucía and the city of Jaén, respectively, will give riders a continuous walk out of Jaén and connect with the Greenway. The bike line, 3.2 km, will run through the streets of Andalusia and Arjona and Bath Street The Fuentezuelas, linking the city center with the sports of The Fuentezuelas and Via Verde.

Km 11

Torredelcampo station, 11 km from our starting point, has a water fountain and is the first large station on our route. After the requisite stop at the village, we take our leave of the station via the Caballico tunnel. The 333m long, curved tunnel is illuminated to ensure our safe passage. Soon after the tunnel comes the first metal bridge on the route and where our safe crossing is assured by a new surface made of railway sleepers. Located at km 12, the Piedra del Águila bridge has a span of 104m over the stream that gives it its name. Resting on two stone columns, its rusted iron lattice stands proud over the surrounding sea of olive trees. About a kilometre further on, after a splendid view over the endless olive groves and after crossing another, less spectacular, iron viaduct, we approach our stopping place: Torredonjimeno.

Before we arrive we need to negotiate another underground passageway. This tunnel (the last on the route) is around 120m long and leads us to the outskirts of Torredonjimeno. After an overpass over the N-321 we arrive at Torredonjimeno station (Km 15.2).

Km 22

From Torredonjimeno our route winds upwards as we gradually gain height on our way to Martos. Shortly after setting out we cross the new access road to Martos from the A-316 via a recently built cycle bridge. A little while later we need to cross the A-316 yet again (for the fourth time) although in this case the Greenway drops down to a local track and makes use of an underpass. After running parallel to the railway embankment we regain the railway line at a section that takes us due south.

Now we are on our way to the town centre of Martos, commanded by a height called the Peñón which towers some 350m above the city. This is the highest point of our Greenway (650m). From here we start to go down, practically continuously, until we reach the Guadajoz River, which marks the border between the two provinces. We shall make our halt in Martos in the shade of the station awning (naturally) which, like all its adjoining buildings, is in a fairly good state of preservation (km 23).

Km 37

Soon we come across another spectacular viaduct, spanning the Arroyo Higueral. Beyond this viaduct, slightly shorter than the last (133m), lies a gentler landscape, home to the isolated station of Vado-Jaén (km 37). It is more than 7 km from the nearest township and was built to serve only as a junction station.

Leaving behind Vado station we climb the gentle incline leading up from the Higueral ravine, the first upward stretch since we left Martos. But two kilometres from Vado we start to descend again and it is all downhill now until the end of the route. 

Soon we come across another spectacular viaduct, spanning the Arroyo Higueral. Beyond this viaduct, slightly shorter than the last (133m), lies a gentler landscape, home to the isolated station of Vado-Jaén (km 37). It is more than 7 km from the nearest township and was built to serve only as a junction station.

 Km 42

At km 42 we arrive at the point where the railway line crosses the river via another spectacular metal viaduct. The 224m long lattice bridge serves as a perfect viewing point overlooking the valley. At the foot of the viaduct there is a medieval bridge whose single round arch spans the Víboras river and provides access to an almost forgotten old pathway.

We continue downwards, shortly to pass by an abandoned railway ballast quarry, the La Muela quarry. We are still moving through broken terrain and the railway line often has to rise between the olive groves on high embankments.

On the way to the next station, Alcaudete (whose buildings have been restored, but not for any specific tourism-related use), the Greenway makes use of two old metal railway bridges over the Chaparral and Esponela rivers. These are both 70m long, single span constructions, located at km 45 and km 46 respectively, forming part of a section of straight paths leading to Alcaudete, the last station on the route.

Km 50

From Alcaudete station we leave behind the monotony of olive trees and travel through a more natural landscape with a light covering of Mediterranean vegetation. The natural value of the area grows as, just a little further on, we pass by the Laguna Honda Nature Reserve (km 50) on our left. Our Greenway route affords us the best possible point from which to view this protected natural area.

From here we embark the stretch of the route in the province of Jaen; three kilometres featuring two pronounced curves around the Loma de Desgarradero hill. At km 52 we cross the Desgarradero ravine by a new 83m long metal bridge, a foretaste of the spectacular viaduct over the river Guadajoz. This incredible Meccano-like structure sits on two iron trestles supporting a 200m long lattice truss. The waters of the Guadajoz river have caused a great area of saltcedar to form upstream of the bridge, home to a thriving colony of birds. The Guadajoz river does not flow downstream of the viaduct since, in times of rain, the level of the Vadomojón reservoir reaches the very trestles of the viaduct. On the other side of the viaduct the route continues in the province of Córdoba to Navas del Selpillar, on a similarly prepared 58 km long greenway through the rural district of the Subbética Cordobesa.

Now in the province of Cordoba in the rural district of Subbética after crossing the river we climb steadily up a gentle incline with olive groves on either side. The trail leaves the river behind and clings to the terrain in a series of sweeping curves and deep cuttings. This climb lasts for just three kilometres before we arrive at the top of a hill called Collado de las Arcas.

As we exit the station, to our right a spur line branches off which will take us to the town of Baena. It is easy to spot due to the metal footbridge spanning the N-432 road just 250 m from the station. At this point one very interesting option is to visit the beautiful town of Baena via the spur of the Olive Oil Greenway which starts at Luque station. This 7.753 km stretch was opened in November 2010, linking up with the longest greenway in Andalusia.

The greenway runs along an elevated embankment allowing us to enjoy the landscape of olive trees and, here and there, a vineyard, parallel to the old N432 road, the N-432a. We soon arrive at a restaurant and apartment complex called the “Fuente de la Salud”, another good place to stop over or have a meal at. A few minutes later and we are at the site of the old Baena railway station, now converted into a rest area and a splendid viewpoint over the beautiful town of Baena, home of the much appreciated Denominación de Origen Baena olive oil.

Km 65

Km 75

Back at the Greenway, we leave the apeadero and just a few metres further on we arrive at the Zuheros bridge. This metal construction, which sweeps in a majestic curve across the Arroyo Bailón river, is listed as an architecturally interesting bridge.

We continue between olive groves to another village clinging to a hillside, the village of Doña Mencía. Our Greenway skirts around the village before arriving at the station (Km 74,5) which, like Luque station, has also been converted into a restaurant and other tourism services, plus a caravan park.

After crossing a bridge over the old Cabra road we reach the fourth and final tunnel, the only one along the route in the province of Córdoba; the 140 m long Del Plantío Tunnel.  From here we begin to drop down to the town of Cabra. In this section the old railway line had to overcome difficult terrain, as is evidenced by an abundance of major earthworks and other railway structures.

After skirting round the Cerro Alvarillo hill, our Greenway crosses the Arroyo del Fresno river on a spectacular, 132 m long railway viaduct, the Sima Viaduct.

A kilometre later we cross the road by another, shorter viaduct called “Los Dientes de la Vieja” (The Old Woman’s Teeth), a mere 25m long. We cross the same road twice more, the first time at a level crossing and the second by a bridge, and a little later the town of Cabra comes into view at the end of a gently winding track.

Cabra station and its main building have been restored to a restaurant a house the Olive Oil Train Interpretation Centre, which provides basic information about the old railway, the Greenway, and the rural district of La Subbética. Visiting is a must. Near here there is a parkin caravan aera.

We leave Cabra and return to a landscape of olive groves where we make our way through an especially tranquil countryside to the viaduct over the Barranco del Alamedal. (Km 93). On the far side we move into an area of vineyards as we approach the town of Lucena. Here we need to pay a visit to the Lucena Tourism and Leisure Centre, an old railway facility that has been refurbished for the purpose. The main building is home to an interpretation centre for local crafts and traditions, and a tourist information office (Km 98,7).

Shortly, an oleander-lined section tells us we have reached the end of our route. On our left, peeking out from between some towering eucalyptus trees, is the industrial chimney stack of the Cortijo de Santa Elena, an example of the region’s oil producing heritage, and to our right is Campo Real. Of this former railway town only six ruined buildings remain, among them Campo Real station, past which runs the active Cordoba to Malaga railway line. This area is protected by a metal fence and provides a car parking area that can be reached via the CO-6223 road off the A-318 motorway. From here, by following the signs recently erected by the town council, we can embark on another 6 kilometre route to reach the town of Puente Genil. This town is connected by rail, which means that both ends of the longest greenway in Andalusia, Jaén to Puente Genil, can be reached by train.