Cycling this Via Verde in Andalusia is a special experience
We had already been battling a headwind for half a day on a section of Paul Benjaminse’s Andalusia route and that day it really wasn’t easy. Until we joined the Via Verde de la Sierra at Olvera. The next 37 kilometres were pure enjoyment.
The Via Verde de la Sierra lies deep in the interior of Andalusia, in a mountainous area where, as a cyclist, you would normally only make slow, hard-fought progress. But thanks to the work of railway engineers, there is a beautiful route here without any steep climbs, right through nature. To bridge all the height differences, 30 tunnels and 4 viaducts were needed. If the line (which was originally planned to be much longer) had not been turned into a Via Verde, all their work would actually have been in vain, because not a single train has ever run here!
