The La Pinilla-Mazarrón section, from the unfinished Cartagena-Águilas railway, descends and skirts the foothills of the Sierra del Algarrobo mountain range to the vivid colours of the San Cristóbal mining hill, on the outskirts of Mazarrón.
This Greenway has been developed by the Murcia Region's Ministry for Tourism and Culture.
It passes through arid mountain landscapes on the way to Mazarrón's mining hills.
LOCATION Between the junction with the Campo de Cartagena Greenway (600 m northwest of La Pinilla, Fuente Álamo village) and the junction with the highway RM-D4 (1.5 km west of Mazarrón).
REGION DE MURCIA.
Lengh: 14 Km
Users:
Level of Accessibility: Apt*
* With difficulties. The old road has been occupied between El Saladillo and the Saltador riverbed embankment. Continuity is guaranteed on an alternative trail. However, the alternative section of 300 m between Casa Bartolo (km 6.8) and the Saltador riverbed (km 7.1) has steep ramps.
This Greenway has a bike path of 1.4 km in length that connects the Mazarrón Greenway to the town of Mazarrón. More Info>>
Type of surface:
Gravel and compacted earth.
Natural setting:
Crossing through a Mediterranean environment of arid landscapes and dry agricultural fields in the foothills of the Sierra del Algarrobo mountain range, a natural space covered by pine trees, esparto grass and scrub. The trail ends before the San Cristóbal mining hill and the Sierra de las Moreras mountain range.
The towering cliffs on coast of Mazarrón draw attention with their natural beauty and the Bolnuevo erosions.
Cultural heritage:
La Pinilla (Fuente Álamo):Monserrat Church, Los Cabecicos Sanctuary, flour mill and Roman road.
Mazarrón:Archaeological museum and the Roman curing factory, Phoenician Ship information centre, Tower of the Horses, Calentín Castle, Town Hall, Vélez Castle, Molinete Tower, Cabezo del Plomo Neolithic settlement, Alamillo Roman villa and raft, Roman house of Era, and San Cristóbal and Los Perules mining hills.
Infraestructure:
Concrete bridges (La Pinilla, Fuente de La Pinilla, Saladillo, Las Yeseras, etc.), pontoons and sewers.
Equipment Greenway:
Milestones, bollards, handrails, tree repopulation alongside the trail, indicators and vertical signs.
Rest areas at La Pinilla (km 0), El Saladillo (km 6.2), road access RM-E19 (km 10.5) and road access RM-D4 (km 14) with information panels, benches and picnic tables.
How to get there: Mazarrón: Bus: Empresa Alsina, Cartagena-Mazarrón line
Accesses:
km 0: Rest area at the fork of the Campo de Cartagena and Mazarrón Greenways (northwest of La Pinilla). To get to that point, at the La Pinilla (RM-E17) crossing, almost opposite the junction with the old road to Mazarrón (RM-E19), take Calle del Molino. Then, just a few meters away, take the first street on the left. This second street (without a plaque that identifies it) leaves the town centre and becomes a paved road that makes a sharp turn to the left after 650 m to go around a pig farm. To the right of that turn you will see the fork off to the Greenways.
Km 6. El Saladillo inn.
Km 9. Country Club Urbanisation. The Greenway runs along Calle Cabriolé.
Km 10.5. Rest area at km 2.4 on the old Mazarrón-La Pinilla road (RM-E19).
Km 14. Rest area and end of the Greenway at the junction with the RM-D4 road, 1.5 km from the town centre of the town of Mazarrón.
Connections: Murcia: 56 Kms from Mazarrón
Murcia: 40 Kms from La Pinilla
Managing entity:
Consorcio de las Vías Verdes de la Región de Murcia (Consortium of Murcia Region Greenways)
The Mazarrón Greenway is usually considered a branch of the Campo de Cartagena Greenway. The Campo de Cartagena Greenway is used as the initial section of the trail, and can begin in Cartagena (a 36 km) or Totana (a 20 km).
The Mazarrón Greenway is separated from the Campo de Cartagena Greenway at the La Pinilla rest area, 600 m northwest of the Fuente Álamo urban area. Facing the fork of both Greenways, the Mazarron trail goes off to the left, tracing a long and flat, straight line across a landscape of dry land coloured by rows of almond trees. To the right, the Campo de Cartagena Greenway separates little-by-little and, as the Mazarrón Greenway does, crosses the same riverbed over a twin bridge.
On the first curved trench (Km. 1.5) the tenure and landscape change. A sharp descent begins by the Sierra de Algarrobo mountain range. The abruptness of the orography meant that the railway engineers had to bend the trail, dig trenches, raise high embankments and build a magnificent concrete bridge over the Fuente de la Pinilla riverbed (km 4). Although after reaching the base of the mountainous slope, the trail softens the descent and borders the mountain foothills with a rectilinear layout.
This spectacularly beautiful section is very wild and offers vast panoramic views. Pine trees, shrubs and esparto grass cover the high areas of the mountain and almond, olive and carob trees are prolific on the terraces along the road. There is a wide depression on the horizon enclosed between mountains.
Km. 6
After the bridge over the Saladillo riverbed, the original railway line is interrupted at the height of a transversal land track (Camino de la Vía). The Greenway maintains its continuity thanks to an alternative layout: along the Vía road (on the right) it ends at the service road of the Mazarrón motorway (RM-3), at the height of the El Saladillo inn (km 6), in front of the San José El Saladillo hermitage. There is a small rest area in the inn's car park, next to the El Saladillo terrace, perfect for a break and refreshment.
The Greenway continues along the left shoulder of the service road until it reaches a second roundabout.
Km. 6,6
After the second roundabout (km 6.6), in front, take the track that descends sharply and parallel to the highway trench, until it joins up with the old railway line again on the high embankment of the Rambla del Saltador (km 7.4).
Once again on the original plain, the Greenway moves away from the highway and skirts the Alto de las Hermanillas, spectacular volcanic reliefs covered with esparto grass and crowned by rocky outcrops.
Km. 9
It is followed by the access to the Country Club urbanisation on a green painted bike lane. The trail passes by the urbanisation's swimming pool, with a bar/restaurant open to the public (a great place for a stop). Finally, go almost all the way around the Queen Victoria Eugenia roundabout and leave the urbanisation behind on a bicycle path between gardens.
Km. 9,8
The trail is once again in the open and arid landscape on a new stretch of sun and esparto grass, with a rest area at the the access to the RM-E19. From Km 11.2, this wild section gives way to a long straight line between houses, warehouses, crops and greenhouses, to which the road provides access. Caution! It is shared with other vehicles!
Km. 12,8
After crossing the MU-603, the trail skirts around the Cerro San Cristóbal mining area, with earthy hillsides with bright colours and scattered mills; a striking and lunar-like landscape.
The Greenway ends before the Sierra de las Moreras mountain range, in the rest area that precedes the crossing of the RM-D4 highway (km 14), 1.5 km from Mazarrón.
This Greenway has a bike path of 1.4 km in length that connects the Mazarrón Greenway to the town of Mazarrón. More Info>>
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CONDITIONED GREENWAY
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