Km 0
The
Greenway starts on an impressive viaduct
spanning the river Guadajoz, which at this
point forms the natural border between Jaen
y Cordoba. 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.
Here we can see the remains of an old
through station (an apeadero) and an even
older ore loading facility. From here we
arrive at one of the most attractive spots
on this route: the Laguna del Salobral.
Here the line runs along the top of an
embankment which, combined with the natural
height of the land and some purpose-built
viewing points, gives us an excellent view
over the Laguna del Salobral (or Laguna del
Conde as it is also known). For those
interested in bird watching, spring is the
best time of year to come, when the lake is
full of water and alive with ducks.
We leave water and ducks behind and continue
on our way. Passing between ever-present
olive trees we arrive at the N-432 road
where a dangerous level crossing has been
replaced by a bridge which takes us safely
to the other side.
Km 10
A
gentle climb around sweeping curves takes us
to Luque station. An enterprising
businessman has taken the old railway
building over and has converted it into a
restaurant with a décor based on old railway
artefacts. From here we make our way to the
next stop, Zuheros, but not before climbing
up to the town of Luque by a dirt track from
the station to have a look round.
A picturesque route along the foot of the
mountains takes us to the compact but
attractive village of Zuheros. Just before
we arrive, we pass by the municipal swimming
pool, after which we reach the remains of
the old Apeadero de Zuheros.
The village itself is at a higher level than
the old railway line, but the climb is
rewarded by the chance to take a stroll
around the streets of Zuheros, especially in
spring when the flowers are in bloom. From
the town square there is an excellent view
down to our Greenway, the only flat ground
in a mountainous terrain.
Km 17
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
20) which, like Luque station, has also been
converted into a restaurant.
We leave Mencía and enter into a section of
Greenway which is more or less level, but
only thanks to some major earthworks. We
travel on top of spectacular embankments and
at the bottom of deep cuttings, the latter
faced with elegant stonework.
Throughout the entire route, every so often
we come across railway workers ’cottages;
from the one at Km 22 there offers a
wonderful outlook superheat village of Doña
Mencia. Furthermore, this box has been
restored by the City of Dona Mencia, through
the Sustainable Tourism Program of the
Subbética Cordoba, to shelter in the future
other tourist information.
Km 26
After
crossing a bridge over the old Cabra road we
reach the only tunnel on this route, the
Plantío Tunnel. A bare 140m 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.
Km 33
Cabra
station and its main building have recently
been restored to 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.
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
39). 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 44).
We leave Lucena station and after crossing
over several more bridges over various roads
we take our leave of the town through an
industrial area parallel to the Cordoba road.
After a gently winding descent punctuated by
a number of metal bridges over water courses
or rural roads we reach the last station on
our route, Moriles-Horcajo.
Km 53
The
station, with its elegant and well preserved
station building, is in the village of Las
Navas de Selpillar, and is currently being
refurbished as an interpretation centre for
Montilla-Moriles wine.
To all intents and purposes, this station is
the end of the La Subbética Greenway at the
moment. The Greenway as such extends for
another four kilometres to the border
between the municipalities of Lucena and
Aguilar, but beyond that point the rail bed
is undeveloped and it would necessarily be a
there-and-back journey of little interest.
However, we expect work on the prolongation
of the Greenway to the town of Puente Genil
ten kilometres away to be completed shortly.
And thanks to the refurbishment of the
Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine
Affairs in 2011 as a greenway recover the
7.8 km railway platform between
Moriles-Lucena city limits, where the
Greenway ends today, andReal Country Station
to 2.2 km from the town of Puente Genil.