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Greenway of the Cidacos. Section 2 Autol-Arnedo
Autol, La Rioja
(1)
River cuts, riverbank groves and medieval castles
Difficulty-Low
2:25 h.
9.8 km.
Autol, La Rioja (1)
River cuts, riverbank groves and medieval castles
Difficulty-Low
2:25 h.
9.8 km.
In the middle of the Cidacos basin that goes from Autol to Arnedo passing through Quel, between orchards and white poplar and poplar groves, is the Greenway of the Cidacos, section 2 Autol-Arnedo.
Escorted by an interesting alignment of cuts of great interest not only for the rupicolous birds, but also for the control of the region necessary in the antiquity, sample of it we find it in the towers and defensive castles that in the high of these hills resist to the passage of the years. We begin this pleasant journey of 9.8 km next to the remains of the old Autol station, crossing in its first part the upper plain of the Cidacos, until the Gollizo tunnel that descends towards the valley of the Cidacos.
We do not only travel along the old greenway, but also through years of history, such as in Autol, where archaeological remains dating from the 6th century BC have been found, which accompany us throughout the journey. Legends and tales of battles that took place in the area mark the strategic location of the towns through which we pass, such as Quel and its 15th-century castle, which await us after crossing from Autol the fertile plain of Cidacos with its orchards and cut sandstone formed by the erosive action of the river. From Quel we continue along the banks of the river, observed by the next defensive bastion, Arnedo Castle, whose first constructions date back to Roman times.
The old railway line has been modified as it passes through the population centres, diverting the route from the greenway to the parks next to the river, thus avoiding the transit through the streets of the localities, as in Arnedo where we cross the magnificent park of Cidacos where this route ends.
At the entrance to Quel we can go straight on along the Avda. Ferrocarril that crosses the whole town continuing the old railway line, without passing through the riverside park and saving us approximately 500 m of distance.
To get to Autol you can take the LR-115 either from Arnedo via Quel or from Rincón de Soto via Aldeanueva. Also from Calahorra following the LR-134 in Arnedo direction we will find the detour with the LR-282 that leads directly to Autol. Once in Autol to the recreational area of the apeadero, which is located about 120 m from the road, take the path that is at the entrance of the town, as we arrive from Calahorra, in the industrial area of the road LR-282 that connects it with Autol, in front of the cemetery. After crossing the short distance that separates it from the road and leaving on the right a path that leads us to cross under the bridge that uses the greenway to cross a small ravine, we arrive at this recreational area where we can leave our vehicle and start the journey.
It is a pleasant walk almost entirely on asphalted terrain, with a first part of the route that runs through the vicinity of the Autol lagoons and the rest between vegetable gardens and industrial estates, as well as the obligation to share a large part of the route with the vehicles and to cross the road.
We will only find water points in the localities and at the beginning of the route.
We will pass through industrial areas, as well as finding the mascots of the orchards next to which the itinerary passes.
We begin the route following the asphalted road that goes straight from this rest area next to the Autol stop (0h 00min), leaving on our left a dirt track that turns towards Autol.
The route crosses the plateau steppe passing by a raft of water, in front of us is shown on the horizon the silhouette of the castle of Quel. The itinerary draws a long curve to the left to go in search of the valley crossing the hill that interposes between him and us thanks to a long tunnel.
Cross this imposing tunnel and as soon as you get out of it you will come to the road between Autol and Quel, cross and continue along the asphalted road on the right of the two that start on the other side.
From here the route is shared with vehicles to Arnedo, except for a small section in Quel. The path, which continues between the orchards on the left bank of the river and parallel to the nearby road we have just crossed, reaches the vicinity of Quel, offering us the chance to contemplate the old castle of the town on top of the hill.
At the entrance to the town, after passing some industrial pavilions, the route turns sharply to the left in search of the banks of the river Cidacos, to reach it and recover the direction of the march again turning right. We will continue along the promenade next to the river, which will take us, passing under the bridge of a local road, to cross the Park of Cidacos of Quel (1h 05min).
This tree-lined promenade extends a little more than 1 km. Once on the outskirts of Quel, although it continues a little further, our itinerary turns to the right to ascend the path that, passing by some industrial warehouses, takes us back, turning again to the left, to the old railway line.
The section runs with a landscape similar to the one brought, again shared with vehicles, leaving behind us how many crossings we find, continues straight ahead closer and closer to the road, even passing under the bridge of the LR-123 to enter the industrial area of Arnedo.
Continue between the industrial warehouses and the road until after passing the back of a petrol station and after crossing a narrow bridge, turn radically to the left to continue along a paved road between vegetable gardens and recreational estates.
This road in its first stretch makes us go back towards Quel, until just at the first crossroads that we find. There we continue along the path on the right, heading again towards the fertile plain of the river.
The itinerary meanders between this area of orchards and recreation estates, with the vigilance at the top of the hill of the castle of Arnedo, and the proximity of the river Cidacos, until you reach a recreation area where the road we brought turns right in the direction of Arnedo and our path continues straight, deviating a little to the left, crossing this recreation area.
With the Cidacos next to us, on our left, little by little we go into Arnedo, going under another bridge that serves the LR-123 to cross the river, we arrive at the sports area of the town and the beautiful Park of the Cidacos of Arnedo (2h 25min), where this stage of the greenway ends.
Distance. 9,8KmThe additional route through Arnedo will mark the final distance of the route.
Total time. 2:25hTotal time without stops, if we decide to continue along the street of Quel instead of approaching the park we will save about 10min approximately.
Time of yearAlthoug:the tour can be done at any time, it is in spring and autumn when the walk offers a spectacular and colorful landscape.
Required equipmentClothes and sport footwear, according to the time of the year and to the meteorological conditions, canteen wit:water, sun protection cream, walking sticks and althoug:the tunnel that we have to cross is conditioned and has automatic illumination it is not of more to take a headlamp or lantern. Consult our list of material and equipment for hiking. Read more.
Difficulty. MediumPhysical
Without a great physical demand, the biggest steepness of the whole route is in the section of the interior of the tunnel. The rest of the route runs practically flat, overcoming the unevenness wit:gentle slopes.
Accessibility
The route is fully conditioned, wit:a firm in good condition and practically asphalted in its entirety, wit:1.5 m wide in its narrowest area. We will be forced to cross the road and the stretc:from the end of the tunnel to the park of Cidacos de Arnedo, except a short passage throug:the park on the banks of the river, in Quel, is shared wit:vehicles.
Orientation
Perfectly signposted, only at the entrance of Arnedo in the industrial area we can get lost and think that we have confused because it runs throug:the industrial estate and is not so signposted. Another place to watc:out for is the road which, after the Arnedo petrol station, goes a few metres in the direction of Quel, since at the first junction we find ourselves we must continue to the right to recover the correct direction of the march. In good part the route is limited wit:a wooden railing, also it has orientative signs of the distance until the next important zone of step. The long tunnel inside is conditioned and has automatic lighting.
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| 1-Autol stop | 0:00h | 439m | 0Km | 30T 581750 4675123 |
| 2-Park of Cidacos in Quel | 1:05h | 469m | 4.6Km | 30T 578221 4675319 |
| 3-Park of Cidacos in Arnedo | 2:25h | 516m | 9.8Km | 30T 573869 4674544 |
Coordinates UTM Datum WGS84
Slope: 123m
Slope +: 107m
Slope -: 16m
Maximum altitude: 516m
Minimum altitude: 439m
This sketc:of the route is not made to scale nor does it contain all the information relating to the area, it is merely indicative.
This schematic wit:the pat:is approximate and has been created from the derived cartographic base © Instituto Geográfico Nacional "Cuadrante 243-3, 243-4. 1:25.000".
Senditur has manipulated the tracks to correct the aberrant points that may exist, caused by problems wit:the reception of the GPS signal. In any case the tracks are always approximate. SENDITUR encourages you to use the new technologies within your reach, using them as support and consultation in your activity, not basing the realization and orientation of the same only and exclusively on them, since they may see their functioning altered by very diverse causes, not functioning correctly and their indications may not be precise.
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As a consequence of the distribution of an inheritance, Quel was divided into two different villages, Quel de Yuso and Quel de Suso, remaining more than 300 years until its reunification.
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From the commitment of SENDITUR with Nature and the respect to the balance of the environment, SENDITUR urges you to travel in a responsible way, with low environmental impact and respecting at all times the Natural, Cultural and Social environment wherever you go.
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This route has been carried out in the field by SENDITUR on 21-10-2015. The route may vary greatly depending on the time of year, weather conditions and terrain, as well as the actions of third parties and the evolution suffered in the natural environment where it is located. All opinions, advice and/or assessments made by SENDITUR in their descriptions are for guidance only and are subject to and/or refer to the specific conditions of the specific day of the route, referring to that specific day, taken from trained people, with the appropriate experience and with a high level of physical and technical preparation as a reference, as well as correctly equipped.
All the times are approximate and take an orientative character, the stops have not been taken into account, no matter how small they are. All the information related to the route, texts, images, videos, maps, diagrams, tracks, towns, and places of tourist interest are published as a guide, and may not coincide with the current state of each place. Before undertaking any activity, assess your technical knowledge, your physical condition, find out about the weather and the variations that the route may undergo, equip yourself correctly, be prudent and responsible at all times, and do not exceed your capabilities. SENDITUR is not responsible for any misuse or inappropriate use of the comprehensive guides of its routes and/or publications as well as its electronic guides, nor for any variations in their descriptions for the aforementioned reasons, and recommends that everyone be responsible and prudent in carrying out the activity. We also encourage you to read books and specialised guides to complement the information described above.
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