Kadagua Greenway - Spanish Green Ways Itineraries

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Kadagua Greenway

Guide developed with the sponsorship of

This greenway, running along the route of the abandoned La Robla railway line between Balmaseda and Irauregi, offers a magnificent riverside walk or bike ride along the River Kadagua.

This Greenway has been carried out by the Provincial Council of Biscay.

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CONDITIONED GREENWAY

Following the course of the Kadagua river.

LOCATION

Between the districts of Arbuio (Alonsotegi) and Sodupe (Güeñes).

Biscay. Basque Country.

Municipalities: Alonsotegi, Okondo and Güeñes.

Length: 5,1 km.

Users:

Accessibility:

At the exit of Arbuio we face a steep incline, which is followed by a long and steep descent. The section between the Arbuio neighborhood (Alonsotegi) and the detour to La Quadra de Arriba (Güeñes) is made by cycle path painted on the shoulder of the old BI-636 road (very reduced traffic).

Type of surface: asphalt.

Natural setting:

From the village of La Quadra the route runs under the trees lining the Kadagua river.

Cultural heritage:

Alonsotegi: hermitages of San Antolín and San Juan Bautista.

Okondo: Unza church and set of hermitages.

Güeñes: Errekalde country house, Santxosolo Chapel and tower, San Vicente Church, Santa María Church, Cuadra Salcedo Palace, La Quadra bridge and tower, La Puente tower, Sologuchi tower, and Villa Urrutia (town hall.

Infrastructure:

Greenway. Old railway station of Sodupe (cultural usage).

Facilities:

Rest and recreational areas, horizontal signage, railings, lighting by street lamps between Arbuio and La Quadra de Arriba, benches, waste bins, and water fountains...

Accesses to the Greenway:

Arbuio (Northeast end of the Greenway): Hermitage of La Guia, at the western end of the Arbuio industrial park, next to the entrance roundabout from the BI-636.

Sodupe (Southwest end of the Greenway): Barrio Iartu street bridge over the Las Herrerías river.

How to get there on public transport:

Train. Renfe.

Connections:

Bilbao: 8 km to Alonsotegi.

More information in the Guía de las Vías Verdes. Volumen Norte (2021). Editorial Anaya Touring publisher (Spanish).

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Description

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Km. 0 / Km. 2 / Km. 5

Km. 0

The Kadagua Greenway, which runs alongside the watercourse of the same name, is a magnificent walk that begins just 8 km from Bilbao.

A little-known itinerary that follows the old railway line of La Robla, between the district of Arbuio (Alonsotegi), in Metropolitan Bilbao, and Balmaseda, in the heart of Las Encartaciones.

The good thing about this greenway is that it can be reached by train from Bilbao, travelling to the station of La Quadra, a small locality halfway along the route, or to Sodupe.

By car, you can reach the Arbuio district by taking exit 10 on the BI-636 road (called “Corredor del Cadagua”). You can park in the industrial estate opposite the Chapel of Nuestra Señora de la Guía, where the route leading to the greenway begins. There is also a fountain here, where you can refill your water bottles before departing.

This greenway is mostly flat, except at the beginning of the route, where it does not follow the old railway line but runs along a cycle and pedestrian lane beside the old BI-636 road, which has little traffic. It is worth noting that it features a prolonged, steep gradient.

Km. 2

At around km 2, after the section of the aforementioned bidegorri (cycle path) beside the old road, a new, non-vehicular section begins, and the route changes its appearance. Several roads cross the old railway line by means of flyovers.

From the first flyovers, the route goes through a densely wooded area, leaving the undergrowth of the Cadagua River behind on our right. It is hard to believe that we are so close to Greater Bilbao. The BI-636 dual carriageway (called “Corredor de Cadagua”) is located at a certain distance to our left, hidden by the forest.

The first neighbourhood we go through will be that of La Quadra, which belongs to the municipal district of Güeñes. Some traces of its historical importance remain, such as Casa Torre, with its two coats of arms, and the Church of San Pedro.

It is worth noting that there is a rest area in La Quadra, with a fountain, swings and even a bio-health circuit.

From here, the itinerary continues peacefully, and very pleasantly, through a beautiful, wild section beside the river. Rest areas and the odd flyover will be the only elements that break the uniformity of this comfortable section of the greenway.

After just over 1 km, we will see a waterfall flowing from the weir. And without any other outstanding features, we will continue peacefully alongside the river until we come to the end of the greenway, in the locality of Sodupe.

Km. 5

We can enter this locality along one of the streets leading to the Iartu district, where there is a carpark. Going along this street, we will come to the old station of Sodupe, which has now been turned into a cultural centre.

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Railway History


Foto: Euskotren/Basque Railway Museum Archive

The Kadagua is a watercourse that links the Burgos region of Las Merindades and the River Nervión. It is 70 km long and was accompanied by trains along the last 45 km. Specifically, its last 30 km eventually featured two parallel, metric-gauge lines, one on each side of the river. The first tracks reached Balmaseda from Bilbao in 1890 thanks to the “Ferrocarril del Cadagua” company. It was eminently a passenger train line, created by Basque businessmen, and enjoyed great success from the very start. So much so that its promoters, in 1896, started operating a line that, from its station in Aranguren, linked with Santander, via Solares, thereby making the project even more successful.

A couple of years later, in 1892, other metric-gauge tracks reached the area. These belonged to the so-called “Ferrocarril de La Robla”, an enormous coal railway that hauled this fossil fuel from the northern coal deposits in Burgos, Palencia and Leon to the Basque iron and steel industry. In the case of the last section from La Robla to Bilbao, an agreement was reached with “Fc Santander-Bilbao” (originally, the “Fc. del Cadagua”) to use its tracks running along the left bank of the Nervión. However, since things did not turn out well, La Robla decided to abandon that line and make its own route along the river’s right bank in 1911.

And this was the case until 1972, when La Robla was acquired by the FEVE public company. Since this company already operated the Santander-Bilbao line, it ended the unprofitable duplicity of lines, closing that final section between Balmaseda and Iráuregi, which is now occupied by this greenway section.

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