Stage 6: Luque Station – Doña Mencía Station

The route begins at the old Luque railway station, now restored as a restaurant. In the surrounding area there are car parks, accommodation facilities and a picnic area; this is a peaceful area that makes an ideal starting point. The route follows the old 19th century Linares-Puente Genil railway line, which ensures a steady and comfortable route, without too many slopes or interruptions.

A few metres from the start you can take a branch road that after 8 km reaches Baena. This branch starts at a metallic footbridge that crosses the N-432 road, advances through olive groves and approaches the N-432 road again, finally crossing it by an underpass, returning shortly afterwards to the old railway line and, after zigzagging for a while, in a final section that runs parallel to the road until it reaches Baena.

On the way back to the main route, you will have to be extremely cautious when crossing a road, and then you will continue westwards. Approximately one and a half kilometres away there is a rest area with tables, benches and a parking area. Next to it, there is an old fountain and a crossroads with the CO-6203 regional road that leads to Luque.

Although the landscape is dominated by olive groves, this stage crosses the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park and World Geopark, where a place were water has carved limestone into whimsical shapes. These formations become more visible shortly after crossing the CP-150 road, as from this point onwards the path skirts the hills of the sierra, leaving the olive groves to the right.

One kilometre from Zuheros, under the shadow of its Arab castle, you will find, next to the intersection with the CO-6209 road, an old railway building converted into a museum-studio, tourist information centre and resting area. Nearby is the town’s public swimming pool, ideal for relaxing and cooling off in the warmer months.

The next stop on the route is the old station of Zuheros, from where you can visit the Cueva de los Murciélagos (Spanish for “the bat cave”), a Natural Monument of great geological and historical value. It is also worth taking a stroll through the streets and squares Zuheros, declared an Site of Cultural Interest and considered one of the most beautiful villages in Spain since 2016.

From Zuheros there are several trails that lead to the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, such as the Bailón River Trail, known for its spectacular scenery and rich biodiversity. Returning to the route, the path crosses the river over the Zuheros viaduct of great monumental value and winds through patches of Mediterranean woodland with holm oaks and carob trees, while in the background the rocky crests of the sierra, the only areas not occupied by olive groves, can be seen.

The stage, which is barely 10 kilometres long, ends at the Doña Mencía railway station, which has also been restored and repurposed as a restaurant. It is a one-of-a-kind construction, as it is the only single-floor station along the Olive Oil Greenway Nature Trail. It is believed that the volume of passengers at this station was low, which is why the metal canopy that characterises of other stations was omitted. Instead, trees were planted along the platform. From here you can easily access the village to visit its famous Montilla-Moriles wine cellars or rent a bicycle at the Subbética Bike Centre for Tourists, located in the old cargo docks of the station. These could be covered or in the open air, depending on the economic value or the nature of the cargo. The area also has a parking area for motorhomes and trails that go deep into the heart of the Natural Park.