The El Ronquillo Greenway runs between kilometres 49 and 58 of the old Minas de Cala railway, points that marked the location of this municipal district’s two stations. The first of them, which has been completely restored and fitted out as a hotel-restaurant, offers a faithful picture of the past; the few remains of the second give enable us to evoke the landscape of another time. Between the two, nine kilometres of a placid route to enjoy...

To reach the greenway we will leave the N-630 road at km 775. The entrance is not very visible so we will have to be attentive. The access has an initial barrier that is open every day (except Monday and Tuesday) from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. On weekends it closes later. If visitors finds the initial barrier closed, they can leave their vehicle at the sand esplanade before the barrier and start their journey from there.

Passengers, board the train!

An old railway station, which has been painstakingly renovated, welcomes us, offering a restaurant service, accommodation and bicycle rental. We can leave our vehicle in the carpark here and start our journey.

Ahead of us lies a landscape that alternates open views and others that are more closed with constant balconies overlooking the Minilla Reservoir, featuring water that is dyed blonde by the sunshine, mountains that cling together to hold the reservoir in their hands, islets breathe in air from the depths, and trees that fall silent to contemplate the landscape from the heights. We will pass through Mediterranean scrubland featuring holm oaks, which is mostly made up of wooded pastureland. The vegetation that is most abundant is broom. As we advance, we will come across new species, such as the cork oak or the wild olive tree, a close relative of the domesticated olive tree.

After km 1 we reach the first of the four rest areas. Then, after km 2 (and at km 4), we pass through two gates that we must close behind us so that the cattle do not escape; this is a livestock area and it will be common to see pigs, cows or horses drinking on the shore of the reservoir or grazing on the farms.

From the Minilla Reservoir to Rivera de Huelva

The Minilla reservoir is sandwiched between two steep mountain systems, which enables it to keep the linear layout of the main river that feeds it, the Rivera de Huelva. As we advance on our journey, leaving the dam behind, we can see that the water surface narrows to a point where it is difficult to determine whether we are still looking at the reservoir or it has been replaced by the river. Along the way we can hear finches, magpies, warblers and different species of eagles, which fly over the greenway.

Around km 6 we come across two other recreational areas (km 5.9 and 6.1) before reaching the junction with the C-421 road in Cantarranas (km 6.3), which comes directly from El Ronquillo (4 km from here). It is a very winding road without a hard shoulder and so it is only recommended for seasoned cyclists. This place is the second access to the greenway, featuring parking lots and the aforementioned recreational areas, which attract anglers and visitors.

After km 7, Casas del Palmareto will be our reference point; these livestock farms are followed by a small population centre. In this section the landscape is more open, at a lower altitude, with fewer trees and shade. Shortly before km 9 another gate keeps the animals in; and as always, we will close it behind us.

Last stop, Empalme Station

We approach the El Ronquillo-Empalme Station, the end of our journey. Before it, there is a well-equipped recreational area. It should be remembered that the use of barbecues is prohibited in the summer months to avoid fire risks. In the last few metres we can see several traces of the old railway installations: remains of platforms and buildings around the station. This station is a fine way to end our trip; its main building has been painstakingly renovated and now houses a rural accommodation establishment, restaurant and bicycle rental outlet.

Those who are curious, determined and have an adventure spirit can continue going along the old railway towards Cala Mines; the route is clearly signposted, but it has not been upgraded. It is advisable to advance about 300 metres from the end of the greenway, where we can clearly see how the route turns off towards the Castillo de las Guardas branch. But that will be a different matter, and hopefully a new and future greenway.