THE WALK OF MR HENDERSON'S RAILWAY
From Benaoján Estación to Jimera de Libar
Distance: 9kms
Time Required: 2.5/3 hours
Rating: Easy
Map: IGN 1:50000 Ubrique (1050/14-44) & Cortes de la Frontera (1064/14-45)
Water: no springs along the way so take plenty
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| GRAZALEMA The Walk of Mr Henderson's Railway |
The Route
The walk begins on the platform of the Estación de Benaoján. From here head south along the platform, then drop down to the road. Continue past Bar Stop. After 75m turn left and cross over a level crossing.
The road drops down, passes between two garish modern houses, crosses the river Guadiaro and you reach a sign marking the beginning of the walk to Jimera. Here turn right onto a track which runs along the left bank of the river. Soon you pass an abandoned farm with 3 magnificent old palm trees. The track narrows to become a path which shortly crosses a small wooden bridge then bears right and passes a ruined farm (10 mins).
Shortly after the farm the path divides. Take the left fork which leads slightly away from the river. The path leads through a gate and shortly afterwards you’ll see that the railway is now on your side of the river. Don't deviate from this path.
You eventually drop down, cross a (dry) stream via a small wooden bridge and after a short distance a concrete water channel runs to the left of the path. Soon you pass a rusting black and white sign ‘Ojo al Tren’ then come to a sign for ‘Via Pecuaria’: you are on the old drover’s path that lead from Cortes to Ronda. (1hr 15 mins).
Careful! Here a yellow and white PR post directs you hard round to the right towards the railway line. You have a choice:
In dry weather follow the PR directions by looping hard right, crossing the railway line, then bearing left and following a narrow path between a fence on the left and brambles on the right. The path meets with a dirt track which in turn soon meets a concrete road. Here turn left and you arrive at the Quercus restaurant (in a converted railway shed). From here the station platform of Jimera de Líbar is just 100m along the track (1 hr 35 mins).
In wet weather (when the path beyond the track can be waterlogged) don't cross the tracks. Continue on your same course, sticking to the east side of the tracks. The path passes just to the left of a goat farm, then meets a broader track. Here bear left. Just past a ramshackle fence made of railway sleepers and all manner of junk the track crosses a bridge and comes to a fork. Bearing right you pass a number of modern houses then reach the east side of Jimera de Libar station (1 hr 35 mins).
If planning to lunch at the Quercus restaurant, you need to cross the tracks and turn right. After lunch, either return by this same route or take the train. It is just a seven minute ride back to Benaoján Estación along Mr Henderson’s railway line.
Walking guide books by Guy Hunter Watts
Buy walking guide books by Guy Hunter Watts
"Walking in Andalucia" by Guy Hunter Watts
Walking in Andalucía is a 260 page full colour guide to some of the very best walks in southern Spain, taking the walker on 34 routes - all starting and most finishing in beautiful villages - in the Natural Parks of Grazalema, La Alpujarra, Cazorla, Los Alcornocales, Aracena, and La Axarquia. Many of the full and half day walks are virtually unknown even though they are a short drive from the Costa del Sol. Even though more and more people are beginning to walk Spain's southern sierras, most of the routes remain blissfully undiscovered. Guy says, 'If you decide to head for the hills with my guide you can be sure of two things: you will be walking through areas of great natural beauty and you will meet with other walkers.'
Buy a printed or eBook copy online direct from publishers Walking in Andalucia.
"Coastal walks in Andalucia" by Guy Hunter Watts
45 great coastal walks close to Andalucia's Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Discover the best hiking trails close to Vejer, Caños de Meca, Conil, Tarifa, Bolonia, Gibraltar, Casares, Estepona, Marbella, Istán, Mijas, Benalmádena, Alhaurín, Cómpeta, Fuengirola, Nerja, Maro and Almuñecar. Talk to most people about the coast of Andalucía and they’ll picture the small swathe of seaboard that runs from Torremolinos to Estepona, the heartland of what is commonly sold as the Costa del Sol. First associations are of crowded beaches, busy coastal roads and blocks of holiday apartments. Few amongst them will conjure up visions of the mighty chain of mountains, the tail end of the Sierra Subbética, which rises up a few kilometres back from the sea. Nor do they tend to evoke the wilder beaches of the Costa de la Luz or the footpaths that run just a few metres from the Atlantic surf.
Buy a printed or eBook copy online direct from publishers Coastal Walks in Andalucia.
"The Andalucian coast to coast walk " by Guy Hunter Watts
A stunning 21 day, 435 kilometre trail that links the Mediterranean with the Atlantic. The walk passes through six of Andalucia's Natural Parks and protected areas via its most beautiful mountain villages. Far more than a long walk, this on-foot odyssey can lead you to the heart of southern Spain's magnificent sierras and on a life-changing journey of discovery. One of the best things about the simple act of walking is the sense of reconnecting with Nature and the Big Wide World. We've been moving around on two feet for a very long time yet still, in the simple act of putting one foot in front of the next and moving across landscape, it seems that we reassert our identity. Day to day worries fall into insignificance, or rather true significance, when we get out into the mountains and walking is about a lot more than taking exercise.
Buy a printed or eBook copy online direct from publishers The Andalucian Coast-to-coast Walk.
"Walking the Mountains of Ronda and Grazalema" by Guy Hunter Watts
The dramatically situated town of Ronda can make a great base for a walking holiday in the mountains of Andalucía, as can any one of the picturesque 'pueblos blancos' (white villages) that nestle among the surrounding hills. This guidebook presents 32 mainly circular walks in the Ronda region, covering the town and its environs, the Natural Parks of La Sierra de Grazalema and La Sierra de las Nieves (both UNESCO biosphere reserves), and the Genal and Guadiaro Valleys. Clear route description is illustrated with mapping, and the route summary table and 'at a glance' information boxes make it easy to choose the right walk.
Buy a printed or eBook copy online direct from publishers Walking the Mountains of Ronda and Grazalema.
