Day 25: Encinas Reales to Lucena

Day 25, Encinas Reales to Lucena, 21.6km.
After dropping the key to the albergue in the letterbox of the Ayuntamiento, we left the town via a short climb and then under the autovía de Málaga.
On the other side of the autovía, we followed a brand new road for 1.5km amongst the olive trees, before arriving at the highlight of the morning, the Río Anzur.
To get to the ford, the path is soggy after last night's storm. At the ford, the water was fast but not deep. However, when we reached the other side, there was a thick layer of mud for about 6 metres. 😳😄
Luckily there were some residual puddles in which we removed the mud before putting our shoes back on.
The path that followed is pleasant, along the río. There's even a sign welcoming us and two places where we can rest, the second of which was set up in June 2022. A long climb brings us to an olive oil production plant. What comes out of these chimneys: smoke or water vapour? And why do all the olive oil factories we've seen have huge tanks of water (or some other liquid)?
The approach to Lucena is via the industrial area. Many of the buildings are abandoned, and the stele announcing the Parque Industrial reflects the state of the place.
Finally we arrived in the centre of Lucena, on the Plaza Nueva, where the Ayuntamiento is located.
We're sleeping at the Pension Sara, where the owner offers special rates for pilgrims.Read more