The Guadalimar Greenway sets off in the company of the river from which it takes its name, stirring our senses as it passes through one of the richest landscapes in these lands of Jaén where the olive tree dominates the countryside. The greenway then jumps from the lowlands bordering the Guadalimar to those of the Guadalquivir, passing through more olive grove countryside. Finally it reaches the hills that bound the Guadalquivir basin to the north, providing some magnificent panoramic views of the Sierra Mágina mountains.
This Natural Trail - Greenway has been carried out within the framework of the Natural Trails Programme of the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino. More info>>
Guadalimar gallery forest river to river Guadalquivir aceitunera.
LOCATION
Between the Arquillos area, in the vicinity of the Linares-Baeza station (Linares), and the Horcajo area (Begíjar).
JAÉN.
Municipalities: Linares, Ibros, Lupión, Torreblascopedro and Begíjar.
Length: 15.3 km.
User Profile:*
* At times of heavy rainfall the section between km 3.5 and 4 may become muddy.
Type of firm:compacted gravel.
Natural Environment:
Olive planted countryside, gallery forest along the River Guadalimar, meadowland of the River Guadalquivir, and beautiful panoramic views of the Sierra Mágina mountains.
Cultural heritage:
Linares: monumental, industrial and mining heritage, ruins of the Iberian-Roman city of Castulo and interpretation centers Landscape Mining and Metallurgy in Linares
Ibros: cyclopean wall (Historic Artistic Monument) and San Pedro y San Pablo Church.
Lupión: fortified tower (s. XIII) and Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Church.
Torreblascopedro: San José Parish Church.
Begíjar: Santiago Apóstol Church, Arabic tower, Town Hall façade, and Episcopal Palace.
Infrastructure:
Greenway. 7 tunnels (2 illuminated), 6 viaducts and bridges.
Infrastructure Equipments:
Location and evacuation maps, information panels, signage, indicators, kilometre markers, bollards, railings, tree-lined areas, and wooden footbridges. Six rest areas with benches, picnic tables, litter bins, and cycle parking.
Acceses:
Km 0: km 0.6 of the street Paseo de Arquillos (J-9007).
Km 1,8: the street Calle Doctor Pulido Torres at Estación Linares-Baeza.
Km 7,8: asphalted track called Camino de las Casas de Hurtado a Lupión (Guadalimar-Lupión road).
Km 11,5: road to Torreblascopedro (JA-4108).
How to get there:
Public transport. Bus and train (Linares-Baeza station).
The Guadalimar Greenway, promoted by the Provincial Government of Jaén and developed as part of the Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Environment’s Nature Trails Programme, starts where the Linares Greenway (unofficially) ends, at Km 0.6 of the asphalted track running from the village of Estación de Linares-Baeza, known as the Paseo de Arquillos (J-9007).
Here there is no purpose-built car park, but information panels and signs point to the start of a gravel and asphalt track 100 m from the underpass under the A-32 motorway, next to a striking viaduct over the Guadalimar. There is room at the side of the track to leave vehicles.
The start of our journey is impressive. To carry the stillborn Baeza-Utiel railway over the chocolate coloured waters of the Guadalimar the superb Los Barros Viaduct was built, a massive concrete structure, 235 m in length, which curves gracefully over the river below. The viaduct also provides us with an excellent viewing point; upstream, of the old El Arquillo weir and power plant, which used to supply electricity to the mining machinery of Linares as long ago as 1921, and downstream, half-hidden behind the motorway viaduct and the N-322 bridge, we see the unpretentious iron bridge that used to carry the La Loma railcar line between Linares and Baeza. Perhaps some time in the future the remains of the railcar line may also be recovered as a greenway.
Once over the viaduct, the Guadalimar Greenway continues in search of a way under the new A-32 motorway, which was built over the route of the old railway line. At the exit to the underpass there is a crossroads. Be careful not to continue down the magnificent trail facing you! In order to get back onto the original railway route you need to take a left. This track, running parallel to the high embankment of the motorway, is shared with other vehicles for 200 m before some bollards prevent cars from going any further. Here a kilometre 1 marker and other greenway signage confirms that we are once again on the original railway route.
The following section runs through the flat meadowland of the left bank of the Guadalimar, between perfect rows of olive trees and cereal crop fields. Here the railway line runs in a long, straight, slightly downhill line at ground level, crossing two roads with little traffic. It travels over the deep gully carrying the Arroyo de Ibros stream by means of a sturdy bridge, passing over undulating furrows cut into the soft soil, before plunging into a long straight 350 m long tunnel.
Rainwater from the nearby hills runs down into the Guadalimar meadowland, so it is not unusual for run-off water from torrential rain to damage the old track formation. If this happens, be prepared for plenty of mud sticking to your boots and your bike wheels!
Km. 4
At the exit to the first tunnel (Km 4) the greenway closely follows the course of the river whose name it bears for three kilometres. We enter the most varied and singular part of the day’s journey. Before we overdose on olive trees, we are treated to a taste of a riparian woodland of poplar, holm oak, ash, willow and other species lining the rich water course of the Guadalimar. The greenery also serves as a screen to hide the sugar manufacturing plants on the opposite bank.
In its efforts to follow the course of the river, the old railway line runs on embankments cut into the steep slopes on the left bank of the river. When there is no hillside to cling onto, it runs along a long, curved viaduct (at Km 5), which is so low it appears to float on the water. A rest area invites us to take a break here before entering the second, 296 m long, tunnel.
On the far side of the tunnel the old railway line climbs even higher up the hillside on the left bank of the river. This embankment ends at the second rest area (Km 6.6), from where there is a magnificent view of the metal Madrid-Almería railway bridge over the Guadalimar.
Km. 7
The romance between the river and the greenway ends in a cutting which curves to the left, sending us in a southerly direction (Km 7). The unfinished Baeza-Utiel line leaves the Guadalimar meadowlands behind and switches its allegiance to the Guadalquivir basin, alongside the Linares-Almería railway line. To make this change the greenway climbs through the rolling landscape populated with olive trees which separates the two rivers, occasionally running through deep cuttings with soft earth banks, home to numerous rabbit burrows.
The third rest area (Km 7.8) provides good views of the Linares skyline, where we can make out the silhouettes of old mine headgear and see the broad meadowlands that used to feed the ancient city of Castulo. The ruins of the ancient capital of Iberian Oretania and the tower of Santa Eufemia crown the hills on the opposite river bank. The rest area is adjacent to the bridge over the road leading to the village of Guadalimar (800 m from the greenway) and the access to that road.
Another highlight of the greenway is the magnificent six-span viaduct over the Arroyo de Lupión stream (Km 9.3), from where there are some splendid views interrupted only by a third tunnel, 226 m long and curving.
At kilometre 11.5 the old railway line crosses the road to Torreblascopedro (JA-4108). Users should take great care crossing as a nearby bend in the road reduces visibility of oncoming traffic. For those wishing to take some refreshment, the village of Torreblascopedro (turn right onto the road) is just 1.5 km away.
Once over the road the old railway line climbs a long, high, straight embankment that passes through open meadowland. This lofty section, adorned on one side by the silhouette of Torreblascopedro and the other by rolling hills, is abruptly ended by yet another tunnel. This fourth tunnel on the route is 365 metres long with a last part that curves to the left.
Km. 13
After exiting the fourth tunnel (Km 13) our greenway continues curving to the left until it finally sets off in an easterly direction. The last section of the Guadalimar Greenway runs along some olive planted hillsides which close off the Guadalquivir valley to the north. The result is a very enjoyable route through what had become a monotonous landscape of olive trees, thanks to the succession of tunnels and high embankments providing varying viewpoints of the same horizon; the Guadalquivir flood plain and the mountains of Sierra Mágina.
We then pass through a short fifth tunnel followed by a high embankment offering interesting views, a sixth tunnel followed by another eye-catching high embankment curving to the right, and the final short seventh tunnel (93 m), the last on our journey.
The Guadalimar Greenway ends at the Horcajo rest area, surrounded by the ubiquitous olive groves (Km 15.3). At the far eastern end of the route there is no access, but there are magnificent panoramic views to be enjoyed. The old railway line continues for the more adventurous hikers and cyclists, but travelling is a challenge since surfaces deteriorate considerably from now on.
The Guadalimar Greenway forms part of the unfinished railway line that was meant to link the stations of Linares-Baeza (Jaén) and Utiel (Valencia). The idea was born in the 1920s as part of the big push that General Primo de Rivera’s dictatorship was giving to the railways, with the intention of turning the railway system of the time, of a decidedly radial nature, into a more cohesive network by building some transversal lines. This was known as the Guadalhorce Plan.
A triple paradox condemned this railway to never entering into operation: it was born too late, when road transport was already starting to divert passengers and goods away from the railways; a terrible civil war blighted practically every project in the country; and, finally, its tracks passed through sparsely habited areas that with every passing decade were becoming more depopulated.
During Franco’s rule the World Bank made the abandonment of all projects thought to be loss-making (including nearly all the Guadalhorce Plan lines) a condition for the granting of loans. Thus, in 1963 the plug was pulled on the lines that had been initiated 40 years earlier and were so close to completion, and on the much-needed trains that were to run on them.
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CONDITIONED GREENWAY
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After exiting the fourth tunnel (Km 13) our greenway continues curving to the left until it finally sets off in an easterly direction. The last section of the Guadalimar Greenway runs along some olive planted hillsides which close off the Guadalquivir valley to the north. The result is a very enjoyable route through what had become a monotonous landscape of olive trees, thanks to the succession of tunnels and high embankments providing varying viewpoints of the same horizon; the Guadalquivir flood plain and the mountains of Sierra Mágina.
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