GRAZALEMA: THE WALK OF MR HENDERSON'S RAILWAY

This short and easy walk follows a delightful riverside path, which links the sleepy village of Benaoján Estación with the sleepier-still hamlet of Jimera de Libar Estación. It begins at the Molino del Santo, a hotel and restaurant just up from the railway line. What makes it such a lovely half day-walk is that you can set off after a late breakfast, dawdle along the way, have a long lazy lunch in the excellent Quercus restaurant in Jimera de Libar Estación, then return by train to the Molino or to your car (departure from Jimena is a 5.05 pm, arriving at Benaoján Estación at 5.10 pm, but always check because of seasonal variations). If this idea appeals, begin this walk at about 11am. You could turn this into a longer walk by retracing your footsteps back along the Guadalete valley from Jimena.

The Route

The walk begins at the Molino del Santo in Benaoján Estación. Turn left out of the Molino's main entrance and walk down the hill until you reach a stop sign at a level crossing. Turn left along the railway line, cross over a river and at a second level crossing run right and cross over the railway track.

The road drops down, crosses the river Guadiaro and leads up to a sign marking the beginning of the walk that recommends you all (a very generous) four hours. Turn right off the road at the sign and follow a track that soon passes by an abandoned farm with three magnificent palm trees. The railway and the river are now to your right.

I always think of Mr. Henderson on this walk, the British engineer responsible for the construction of the Ronda-Algeciras line. The train that plied this route came to be known as the Smugglers Express. It went so slowly that contraband butter, cocoa and tobacco from Gibraltar could be sold from the train windows!

The track narrows to become a path, which crosses a small wooden bridge then, bears right and passes a ruined farm.

After this farm, the path divides. You should take the left fork and climb slightly away from the river before it descends once again to the river. Soon the railway runs on your side of the river. Carry on along this same path. You eventually drop down, cross a (dry) stream) and a little further on a concrete water channel runs to the left of your path (1 hr 10 minutes)

Continue along the path, pass a rusting black and white sign "Ojo al tren" and you reach a sign "Via Pecuaria". Here loop sharply to the right, cross the railway track then bear left and follow a narrow path between a fence on the left and brambles on the right. The path soon meets a dirt track, which in turn shortly meets with a concrete road. Here turn left and you come to the Quercus restaurant in a converted railway shed. From here the stations of Jimera de Libar is just 100m along the railway track (1hour 35minutes).

After lunch either return by this same route or take the train. It is just ten minutes ride back to Benaoján Estación along Mr Henderson's railway line.