Hiking in la Sierra de Madrid

This is a list of our walks in the Sierra de Madrid. You can download the GPX data for all these walks together.

Fuente de la Campanilla

On 3 June (2012) with Elena's parents.

The fountain of the bell lies in the woods of Navacerrada in the Sierra de Madrid. It has a bell which people ring before drinking the icy cold water from the mountains.

It turned out to be the last walk of Onyx, our terrier, who passed away one month and one week later. As one can see from these pictures, although 14 years old and a half, he remained healthy till the end, in fact, till the very last day.

Inma (and Nanou), Julio and Elena.
Los bosques de la Sierra de Madrid.
Onyx refreshing himself.
Elena.
Onyx.
His favourite spot.
Laughing at the little dog.
Are we going yet?
To the top...
Who's laughing now?
Going well.
The "fountain of the bell", or fuente de la Campanilla.
Resting.
A deserved treat.
The sparse forest of the Sierra.
Pinecones in fire.
Toward the top.
Not looking that far away.
White campanulas in the wild.
A river of rocks.
Julio and Inma.
Now with Fabrice.
Pausing with the mountain.
A carpet of colours.
More flowers.
And more rocks.
Decisions being taken to call this the highest point for today.
Back in the forest.
And its enchanted trees.
Where rocks and trees look at time passing.

El Cerro de San Pedro

On 6 October (2013).

The Cerro de San Pedro is a landmark of the Sierra de Madrid, as it stands alone from the rest of the chain of mountains from the Sistema Central. Its small height and spread out distribution makes it an easy hike. It affords splendid views of the north of Madrid, being so close, and of the rest of the Sierra, around it. After hiking it, we passed by Guadalix de la Sierra and Soto del Real.

Download the gpx file for this track.

A wall to pass over,
The top of the San Pedro.
Spain (with Madrid in background), as seen from the Cerro de San Pedro.
Apart from the stunning landscape, what especially takes one's breath away are the colors.
The colors of a desert...
in which the grass didn't completely surrender.
Detail of the vegetation.
With Manzanares el Real in background, and its pantano, it's actually a lot of water.
Colors can even be British like as a result.
Although the major theme is definitely on the yellowish.
On the ochre side of it.
Ochre and stone black.
Here a palette from desert sand, that is actually reddish, and certainly all the variations of chartreuse.
Guadalix, in between two moutains.
The high-speed train bridge, that pierces through the Cerro de San Pedro.
La Cabrera (on the right, the Pico de la Miel and dominating on this shot, the Cancho de la Bola.)
Elena and the infinite.
Wild vegetation, a basic human endeavor in the form of a wall, and the capital of a former empire all in perspective.
Guadalix de la Sierra.
Villages from the Sierra are not always known for their particular beauty.
The churches have kept something of an identity and character.
What is not ugly is left to decay.
Time and sun together.
Soto del Real.

Sierra de Hoyo de Manzanares

On 13 October (2013), with Tizón. We did not expect much from this little patch of Sierra, far from the mighty Pedriza. But it exploded all our expectations. It was very quiet, we met nobody there, and the views and feels are about as grandiose as those of the most famous spots in the Sierra de Madrid. We also had a nice view of the Palace of Canto del Pico, with its strange architecture, even at a distance, and made famous as a residence of Franco.

Download the gpx file for this track.

This magnificient stone had a layer of quartz incrusted.
Tizon discovering new scents.
The floor is covered with noteworthy stones.
The background scenery.
Golden rocks and a tapestry of greenery.
Two guardians of the place on their mirador.
Pausing on the top.
Harmonious chaos.
The track getting ambushed.
Probably a local landmark.
On the other side of something.
Shadow on the rocks.
One of these big stones you find in the Sierra de Madrid.
The Palace of Canto del Pico.
It's like this from all the viewpoints.
Another layer of quartz, this time cutting the ground itself in two.
Detail of the floor.
Tizon with giant vegetation.
When the path gets lost into the mountain.
Trodding a monster.
Sunset to welcome the end of our walk.

Abedular de Canencia

On 27 October (2013), with Elena's parents and Tizón.

Download the gpx file for this track.

This excursion was from a book of scenic routes in the Sierra, bought by Elena en marge of a manifestation in Madrid, and in the company of Inma & Julio. We quickly realized that it was bringing us to the Chorrera de Mojonavalle which we had visited back in July 2008 with Daniele and where I almost killed myself, slipping while climbing the waterfall (?!) The choice of a wood was motivated by Autumn, and we headed for this popular location where birch trees (abedules) mix with pine trees. It had rained a lot the previous days, and many mushrooms enthusiasts were passing by with full baskets. So abundant were the Boletus edulis that we also found enough ourselves for the supper. Another unexpected encounter was with the Spanish celebrity Dani Mateo who was enjoying family moments hiding in a cap that could not however also conceal his peculiar voice (and who tried to climb the waterfall in very much the same foolish and dangerous way I did in 2008).

Moss.
Our delegation for today (plus Tizon).
On top of the Perdiguera.
This area has woodlands.
And beautiful ones at that.
Fully equipped.
The river .
The woods.
The trails.
The cascades.
The mushrooms.
Boletus edulis.
Rocks in woods have a unique look.
Foot bathing.
Marvelling at the red.
Various types of trees.
Adorned in various colors.
El arroyo del Sestil del Maíllo.
On the brink of the woods.
According to this proud gentleman, this is probably the biggest boletus ever found in this area.
A sample of our own collect, frying in the evening.

Along the Manzanares

On 1 November (2013). With Elena's parents and Tizón.

Download the gpx file for this track.

This is very close from Tres Cantos and Colmenar, and again is an area of unsuspected beauty, suitable for shorter walks.

In between lies the Manzanares on its way from the mountain towards Madrid.
You can spot it here in the holes it carved in the rocks.
Hikers.
Julio, thoughtful or dreamy.
Tizon going back and forth.
Perfect weather for a walk (but not for pictures).
The Pedriza in the distance.
The Manzanares in all its beauty.
How far goes this mountain?
Invisible but still cutting the landscape in two.
Tizon spot something.
The flanks of a capital's river.
Aridity.
Madrid is not too far either.
There are mushrooms here too!
and so we started collecting.
Found one (not a mushroom, just a beautiful rock).
On the side of the precipice.
Tizon looking for nothing.
Crossing the Manzanares.
The night falling on the Pedriza.

The Yelmo

On 7 December (2013). With Tizón.

Download the gpx file for this track.

The Yelmo is the highlight of la Pedriza. This area is so beautiful, we hardly dare to go. Each walk in the area is replete of adventures, overwhelming feelings and time pressure. This was no exception as we could not complete the loop and had to take a taxi to bring us back to our starting point.

Our starting point, slightly before la Peña Sacra.
Tizón on the starting blocks.
La Pedriza, as seen from Manzanares el Real.
The Manzanares (river) carving the Pedriza, on its way through the village (el Real) towards Madrid.
The rocks in a precarious equilibrium.
Assembling a composition of granite.
Meeting in the sky.
Waiting for Elena.
A climber giving the scale to a rock.
El pantano de Manzanares.
With the Yelmo, our destination, in background.
On the edge.
Rocks everywhere.
An unsuspected meadow in between.
Making the progression overall easy.
View from the top of the Yelmo.
Woodlands and snow eating the Central System.
Leaving, from the other side of the Yelmo.
One specimen of the abundant Spanish ibex populating the area.
Rocks draped like giant bed sheets.
The path is a bit more difficult on the way back.
The arduous way we came back through, with the Yelmo on the right.
The crazy burnished copper colours embracing the mountains...
when the sun sets on the other side.

La Pedriza profunda

On 20 March (2014). With Carlos Sanchez, Blanca Silva, Juan Pablo Restrepo, Guillermo Guirales, Camilo López-Carreño, William Júnio Lima, David Colas, Dmitrii Vishnevskii, his wife Irina and their friend Olga, and of course, Tizón.

Big stones among naked trees.
Elena, Camilo, Juan-Pablo and Carlos.
Love (cf. "Love").
With Tizon who spot something moving in the distance (either David or a goat).
With the colour theme of the Pedriza.
The ascension.
William seriously freaked out at some point.
The nest of a Griffon Vulture hidden in the rock.
The Griffon Vulture hiding in its nest.
Guillermo, more peaceful than the mountains.
The Geek (cf. "The Clown")
Dmitrii.
Everybody.
The Pedriza balancing its rocks in the face of eternity.
The style of water carving granite.
Winners never quit. Even if it's 27.3km.
Pausing for the photo: Guillermo, Blanca, Carlos, Tizon, Elena, Juan-Pablo & Camilo. Who's got the nicest smile?
David, just after finding a funny rock.
William, trying not to fall in the precipice behind.
Guillermo would seem to drift like a cloud more than walking like the rest of us.
A narrow path.
Juan-Pablo.
Back in the woods.
One can still see plainly the huge, monumental, massive rock that once was there, as polished as the little ones that are now scattered around.

El Cerro de San Pedro, in the springtime

On 17 May (2015), with Julia and Tizón.

It had been a long time, well over a year, since our last hike in the Sierra de Madrid, due to our Madrilean year. To get it on track again, we returned to the Cerro de San Pedro, which is an outstanding hike with a terrific view of a good portion of the Comunidad de Madrid. It is also our opening walk of this series, and we went the both of us. This time, we were accompanied by Julia and our little dog.

The starting spot, somewhere 9km from Colmenar and 40km from Madrid.
What we have to climb: a lot of rocks in a lot of light.
This time, we brought Tizón.
It was a lot of sun for him but he kept a good rythm.
Here in the lead.
Meeting.
On the edge.
Julia, on top.
Collation.
The landscape changed a lot since our last visit.
On the wrong side of the wall...
Thistles before they get burned and yellow.
Their purple touch is nicely matched with the rest of the vegetation.
Back to the city.
Julia sad that we are leaving, maybe?

Hayedo de tejera negra

On 7 November (2015). This was before Fabrice's trip to Bruxelles for the European Union. We went there for the autumnal palette but had apparently missed the narrow window of optimum colours by a few weeks, as the woods were all mourning already, but the mountains were splendid. They never fail to impress.

Tejera negra, negra indeed.
Julia enjoying the pure air.
And trying herself at bouldering.
Here's looking at you, baby.
Beautiful rock.
The woods with their faded colours.
The mountains, in their eternal glory.
Nap time.
Escalading, baby level.
AT the top.
A bit of the colours we came here for, trapped among artificial woodlands.
Presiding.
Great rock tiling.
Riaza.
With its beautiful plaza mayor.

The snow in Castilla y León

On 17 January (2016), we went with Isabel and Camilo (also with Elena's parents, Tizón, ourselves and Julia) to the mountains, with a specific aim: to meet the snow, a first time for Isabel & Camilo (Julia got close enough in Auvergne in March (2015) but this basically was a first experience for her too as she was so tiny earlier; in fact she still has occasions to discover the snow for the first time!). There has been little snow in Europe this year, so we had to go a bit far, to the frontier of the Comunidad de Madrid, at its meeting point with Castilla y León.

What the mountain looked like for this day.
It was not snow everywhere, but we found much fun on the way.
But more than fun, beauty!
When you see snow for the first time...
...and shortly after.
Cette boule de neige, était une boule de neige. [1]
Julia, 17 of January 2016.
The wood was fantastic, petrified in the snow.
Isabel, facing North.
Camilo, courting a tree.
Everything frozen.
But not everywhere.
In fact, a bit below it's snow free already.
Elena in the seriously frozen part.
Posing with Winter.
Not enough eyes to see everything.
The highlight for Julia.
Her first ice-skating.
Cabrito in Lozoya.
Julia's tasting.
La Fuente de los cuatro caños in Lozoya.

Garganta de los Montes

On 18 June (2016), with Elena's parents and Tizon, we went to the mountain that sits behind the Cabrera, of which it affords a splendid, if not unfamiliar, view. It is largely forgotten from tourists and hikers so that you can enjoy a peaceful stroll among cows wandering freely and, in our case, even a flock of goats guarded by two half-savage dogs who galloped towards us as we reached the top. This reached a moment of extreme tension as they chased Tizon and captured him for a few seconds of extreme shock as it wasn't clear if they were not going after his life. Despite the horror, me jumping onto the dog (harming my leg in the way), Inma's shouting in shock, it so appeared they wanted to play with him as he was unharmed (he got the scare of his life and the moaning he made when he got caught, unable to escape the much faster dogs, appeared to all of us as that of a prey being murdered). Thankfully, all went well and we could complete the tour with only a good fright.

A ball of flowers.
"Espliego".
Tizon back from clearing the way.
With the upper part of Garganta de los Montes in background.
Almost free and happy...
Another friend met on the way.
Shortcut through a field.
A nice little fountain made from two branches of a tree.
Pause picnic
by the "riachuelo"
Back on track.
Mountain woods.
"Retamo".
The toughest part of the ascension put some distance between us.
The Cabrera from behind.
Julia on the crest.
Good rythm and good spirits.
Towards the tip.
At the top.
Global view of the mountain covered by lavender (espliego) and genisteae (retamo).
and of the forest part...
"Retamo", as shrubs of this type, is very olfactory as well as colorful.
We found a lot of different types of caterpillars and butterflies.
"Gartanta de los Montes" (mountain's throat) with its nice stone-walls constructions.

Hoyo de Manzanares: Cruz del Pan

On 12 October (2017), with Elena's parents and Tizon, Elena and Julia (without Fabrice) went to Hoyo de Manzanares to do the circular walk of Cruz del Pan. It took them around 3-4 hours because Julia was walking around 50% of the track.

Unsteady...
Don't stay behind!
with the abus.
Exploring.
Climbing.
Well-deserved view.
And pause.
Back on the road.
Today's catch.

La Bola del Mundo

On 26 August (2018), with Camilo.

The alto de las Guarramillas is better known as the "bola del mundo" by Madrilenes, due to the old Spanish TV displaying in its announcements the antennas that crowns the top of the mountain on a stylized globe. It affords a rare view of the Communidad de Madrid, with Manzanares el Real, Colmenar Viejo, Tres Cantos and Madrid all lined up (you can get an idea of this view from one of our panoramas). This is a special spot for us as this is the view we have from our breakfat terrace in Montecito.

It is an easy (7.8km) hike from the Puerto de Navacerrada till the top and back, on a fully paved road, which decided us to attempt it in the last days of recovery of Fabrice's surgery (we used to walk round Tres Cantos before that). Since Fabrice couldn't carry Julia, this is also the first mountain excursion she fully completed on her own! It took us 1h30 to the top, going slowly. We spent another one hour there, marveling at the view with a snack. It was thrilling to identify our flat from so far away (29.5km in a straight line). We missed the Ventisquero de la Condesa, which is the birthplace of the Manzanares, that was a few hundred meters away but a fact we discovered only afterward. It was another hour to go down. The day ended with a nice dinner at the Terraza Jardin Felipe in Navacerrada.

There is a paved road up to the top, making the hiking easy.
It's actually one of the highest paved roads in Europe!?
Still, Elena had to develop a technique (the train) to entice Julia to keep going.
This was so successful that she went all the way up without being carried, making this the first excursion she completed all by herself.
Although a few pauses were in order.
So that we could take time for some reflection and contemplation.
Navacerrada is a place usually replete with snow, but of course not in August.
Time to gather up one's strenght and keep going.
The typical expression of the hiker, young and old: the eye fixed on one's destination with an air of incredulity.
Almost there.
On one side, the tree-covered cool and well irrigated mountains of Castilla-Léon.
On the other side, the arid, rocky, burning mountains of the Comunidad de Madrid.
Now very close to the top.
We first met this virgin with a pair of skis (still holding the baby).
It's always easier on the crest, but one has to get there first.
The rest of the ascension is then a piece of cake.
Who forgot their key in such a place?
The bola del mundo, in the full details of what we can hardly make out from home.
With its rocket-looking antennas, hence the name.
Elena found the best observation spot.
Some views from the top: the bit of the mountain recognizable from our Fuente de la Campanilla expedition.
The Pedriza, with the Yelmo on the right, and the Cerro de San Pedro in the background.
A bit of la Maliciosa (we think).
Manzanares el Real is neatly distinguishable, as is Colmenar Viejo. You need binoculars to appreciate Tres Cantos in some details.
Julia exploring the top of the "World's ball", fully equipped with her little bag and binoculars.
And maybe coming to some conclusions about it.
Time to go back down.
Camilo and Julia actually ran for most of the way.
Although paved, the road remains tortuous and making great detours.
We left behind us the then-useless snow guards as odd-looking frontier fences.

La cascada del Hervidero

On 9 September (2018), with Camilo.

There are several waterfalls (cascada) in the Sierra, which give you the occasion of bathing in summer time. One of the most interesting waterfalls is quite close from home, in San Agustín del Guadalix.

The rio Guadalix, a peaceful river to accompany you to the waterfall.
It was a stormy day with worrying (although distant) thunders and no rain.
The bridge on the Guadalix, before the waterfall.
To go down to the waterfall, one must exert much caution. It's a steep descent.
The Cascada del Hervidero, a fantastic dual waterfall with a little lake bathing its feet.
Pausing with the natural wonder.
Now enjoying the natural pool.
September is not quite summer even in Spain.
The water playing hide and seek with the mountain.
Elena daring enough to take a shower.
Waves.
Cascade.
The infamous stairs, even trickier to go up.
The area is replete with buildings and engineering from the Canal de Isabel II.
On the way back, as seen from the flanks of the Canyon.

Ducha de los Alemanes

On 15 September (2018), with Camilo and Elena's parents.

The highlight of this walk in the Valle de la Fuenfría was a waterfall, the shower of the Germans, called like this because German hikers liked to bathe in the pool, a tradition we found easy to honour as this segment of the trip was met with heavy rains.

The congregation, pausing at the Arroyo Pedregoso.
Beautiful woodlands.
We met many wild horses on the way.
Intimacy.
Moras.
Giant rock.
This one cut in two.
The bola del mundo, not far.
The Sierra in background.
We gave up trying to identify the siete picos.
Back in the woods.
It's a long walk, so many stories were required.
A nice place to stop.
All that is left to explore.
Repeated promises of a coming waterfall.
Getting closer to the river, the vegetation becomes brightly coloured.
There at last!
When we found it, it started to rain.
Someone came here for a shower!
After the rain, only the waterfall is left.
Goodbye. That was a good shower place indeed.
Camilo was frightened by the cows. What you see here is sheer fear.
Julia, on the other hand, was completely undisturbed.
Nature after its own shower.

Other interesting cascades include:

Poza de Sócrates y cascadas de las Guarramillas
Cascada de la Presa del Pradillo

El Caliz de La Pedriza y Peña Horcajo

Download the gpx file for this track.

On 2 January (2019). Our first excursion of the year, on one less-regarded side of the Pedriza, with one highlight: El Caliz. We had selected it facil from Wikiloc, but once there, it turned out to be quite challenging. We could not close the loop through the wild vegetation as the path was regularly being lost in the rocks which were seldom making it possible to cut through, and we had one hour left of light, so we went all the way back (carrying Julia on the backpack to walk fast although she managed all the way up alone and would certainly have been able to complete the walk with enough time left). This is a great excursion that affords splendid views of the Pedriza and el Caliz is a unique boulder formation, changing shape and character from every directions (I named my computer after it). We also spotted the magnificent rock el Tolmo sitting between two mountains, to which we will return to pat it.

Already at the beginning, very beautiful rocks.
Julia collecting pinecones on the way.
We want to get somewhere up there.
Typical boulder formation of the Pedriza.
Amongst the rocks.
El Caliz, it looks more like a tortuga to us, but there's already one formation named that way in the Pedriza.
Julia went all the way up by herself and did much bouldering too.
La Pedriza at its best.
Julia on the eve of her 4th year.
Lost in the wild vegetation.
Fabrice taming El Caliz.
A tree and a stone.
Julia climbing up.
and down...
Rocks may hide other rocks.
Some time to think.
A tunnel.
A hole in the mountain.
Madrid behind the mountain.
A big rock in the forest.
A rock so big it's the mountain itself.
Found some crystalized ice.
View of a future excursion (El Tolmo).
Picnic before getting back.

Puerto de la Morcuera y la Najarra

The one walk you should have in the Sierra de Madrid if you can make only one! For us it was a lengthier 8.78km loop, in a bit less than 7 hours (but only half moving), but this is an otherwise easy hike, though with breathtaking, emblematical and varied views of the mountain range of the sistema central, which we regard as the best way to enjoy this area of Spain.

Download the gpx file for this track. In cyan, the main walk; in yellow, our first attempt the day before (Julia and Fabrice's going up and down & back and forth):

On 13 June (2020), with Julia, Luz, Elena and Fabrice. This one was special as our first big excursion following confinement (last before that was the Caer Caradoc in the Shropshire hills). We made two attempts. The first one, on Saturday the 13th, with a direct climb to the Najarra, was unsuccessful as we lost track of each other in the first big rock formation, where Julia and Fabrice were bouldering, while Luz and Elena were taking a path round, which led to the two groups disconnecting. The hiking was more challenging than we thought and we got defeated so we got back home. It was also the first time we got campercita out and all the camper-part was down, for some battery problem. Despite sore muscles due, for instance, for Fabrice getting all the way back down to the car and up again when not finding anyone here, part of which carrying Julia, we decided not to take this incident for a no, and returned. The next day.

So, on 14 June (2020), this time also with Inma and Tizon, and going the other way around, that is, the gentle slop as an ascent and the sharp one as a descent (definitely the one we recommend), also starting slightly earlier (still very late by our hiking standards, c.~14:00), we finally completed the walk which, to our surprise, turned out to be, indeed, not difficult (it had been chosen for that) although not fully trivial in parts (see the images) but also, more importantly, truly outstanding with unique views on the cuerda larga, la Pedriza, la Cabrera, Madrid itself (!?), Tres Cantos (!?), etc., which makes this walk the one we'd recommend if you have only one to make in the area. View of Montecito (our Tres Cantos flat), shown by an arrow, from the Collado de la Najarra. We are behind the first line of buildings, so we don't have a direct view to these mountains.
View of Madrid from the Collado de la Najarra.

On our first attempt, at the parking (mirador del Cossío), with Grelot.
We first tried to attack directly the Najarra.
We spent much time visiting the local summits, bouldering with Julia, leaving Elena and Luz increasingly behind (still visible on this picture)...
thinking they would catch up; we can always wait for them.
But eventually we lost track of them and couldn't find them from any viewpoint.
On our second attempt, with the other route, a first highlight is this water-related construction.
Elena checking up something, with Luz ready for the long journey.
This path is easier and we met friendly locals.
Most of them were in the valley at the bottom.
Tizon joined us.
A bit of bouldering for Julia.
At the local top, Collado de la Najarra, with the best view.
La Peña del Rayo emerging from the woods, for a future excursion (with la Pedriza in background).
The view of the full Cuerda Larga, which Luz, of course, could not enjoy.
Instead she enjoyed another type of baby-activity.
Julia was all on the bouldering side.
At the horror of her grandmother.
We stayed one hour here, playing, eating, and more bouldering for Julia.
Even if efforts are moderate to get there, it is a serious mountain range.
Luz still oblivious at what is going on.
Another popular activity: finding beautiful rocks.
Wanting so much to bring this back home (of course, we didn't).
Alpian feelings...
Back on track, towards the Najarra.
This was the most difficult bit, with no clear trail to cross through these rocks.
For Julia of course it was peanuts.
A vulture surveying.
Past the main difficulty, now on the high-plateau of la Najarra.
Something up there caught our attention.
The Iberian ibex.
On the other side, a full herd was there grazing.
They were jumping and escalading with disconcerting disregard for the impossibility of it.
It was of course a great show to see them. There is a very large overpopulation, so they are common to see and easy to approach.
They are a natural fit for the scenery.
Luz unperturbed. Julia spotting still other wild goats.
Closer to the top. The plateau is a gigantic field of serenity.
A perfect oasis of calm from where to admire the Cuerda Larga.
No end of space on the top of a mountain.
The last meters towards the final top.
A bit of rest first, on a bed of rocks.
This bit of rocks is the Najarra.
Julia and Fabrice went there (Najarra). This is at the tip.
Luz stayed behind, with mama and mémé.
Time to go back down.
Passing by our yesterday's starting point, the groups of rocks where we got lost.

Peña Citores, Las dos hermanas y Peñalara

On Elena's 39th Birthday (22 June (2020)). A 14.9km loop in 5 hours with 690m total ascent/descent (skip 1.56km for Elena & girls and 90m ascent/descent from their skipping the end of Peñalara). In green the part till the top of Peñalara by Fabrice alone:

This was at the peak of the covid pandemic, after the confinement, and the first (so far only) time where we had been controlled to enter the Sierra, having to register at the "visitor center" to notify of our trajectory, and be attached bracelets to our wrists to grant us permission. The result of this useless procedure was a long queue (and piling up people). Since we did not follow the standard route, we have not been checked at all, and just lost time. Others just decided to go back home. Once in the mountains, it was easy to forget about this nonsense. We crossed only a couple at the beginning, that recommended us some area for bathing in the south of Spain after inquiring of Julia's tastes from their surprises of seeing a little girl outside, to which she obviously said that walking wasn't her thing but that swimming was. We did not meet anybody else afterward so our only contacts on this day were with other people queueing and the person in charge who was terrified of the slightest breach to the procedure, like Julia fretting and walking round the room as our planned trajectory was being recorded on paper.

At the beginning with the flowers of the loma de las dos hermanas.
Guille called to congratulate Elena on her 39th birthday.
La Sierra de Madrid from behind with la bola del mundo and Siete picos.
The slope is very gentle on the camino de Peña Citores.
Julia climbing the trincheras to get a good view of the road towards Madrid that it's defending.
A detour towards the Peña Citores.
On the Senda del Batallón Alpino.
Pause on Peña Citores.
Julia climbing around.
Up and down.
Meanwhile, Luz having her mountain lunch.
The trincheras from the Peña. Difficult to imagine they have served any defensive purpose.
The big attraction of the day: ladybugs.
Leaving la Peña Citores towards the Dos Hermanas with Siete Picos in background.
La Hermana Mayor (the mountain).
Fabrice and Julia towards Peñalara.
La Laguna mayor from the Hermana mayor.
The girls stayed behind.
The Risco de los claveles, which we left in the distance, from the top of Peñalara.
The Real Sitio de San Idelfonso, better known as la Granja.
Little Elena and Julia and invisible Luz by the foot of the Hermana Mayor as Fabrice gets back down from Peñalara.

Flanks of the Abantos

A walk by the mountains of El Escorial on 26 July (2020), namely, the Abantos, with Inma and her brother Carlos (Elena's uncle) who suggested the route, selected for its practicality so staying on an isoline, avoiding the top and privileging a bathing stop which of course was very popular with Julia. The recorded track was 11.7 km with 450m ascent in 6h40 (4h walking) but we actually closed the loop after walking through El Escorial (in particular the square of the monastery) and spending much time at a terrasse, the first time after our March-June confinement. There we also had the company of Chicha and her partner as well as Eva, for a little while, whom we visited again to buy some soap.

Luz in her now familiar hiking setup.
On a local top.
Encounter with a friendly breed of dragonfly, sitting on manzanilla.
The main road of our isoline.
Julia with the seat of the Spanish monarchs.
The mirador where we had our picnic with a stunning view of the Royal site.
Going off-track to capture better views of the monastery (or satisfy one's climbing urges).
The woodlands.
Towards the fountain, with the Abantos in the bakground.
Julia with the Reboul.
Pausing against the sun.
On our way back on a small path crossing through the forest.
Julia ahead.
Down, waiting for the others.
At a terrasse with baby Luz, her first.

Rio Lozoya

On 4 July (2020) with Inma, Guille, Pili y Manolo. We had planned to go to the Cascada del Purgatorio initially, from El Paular monastery, but everything, including the cascade, were closed due to the covid pandemics. So we followed the Rio Lozoya instead, on a 11.6km back-and-forth linear route walking about 4h20min up to the embalse de la presa del pradillo, and with much time spent by the river, bathing.

The bridge you take when you don't go to the Purgatorio.
El rio Lozoya.
With gentle cliffs surrounding it.
Shallow and quiet.
Peaceful and inspiring.
Flowing as rivers flow in between mountains.
A favourite bathing spot too.
However shallow, Tizon prefers not to swim.
Guille.
Now from above. Luz still sleeping.
The Presa at the end, making a few cascades.
Julia in between two bathing sessions.
With mémé.
With maman.
With the tía Pili.
Now well awake.
Miniature canyon.
Cascades, torrents and swimming pools. All very small and cute.

La Maliciosa

On 13 September (2020), with Inma.

We initially had aimed for a walk in la Pedriza, but although making an early start in the morning, we arrived to a gigantic queue of cars at the fence of Cantocochino, with no sign of progress. We were merely something like fifth or so in the line but still possibly having to stay there for hours. We thus decided to find another place and improvise an easy walk elsewhere. It turned out to be one of the most ambitious and difficult of the series, climbing up to the Maliciosa from its most difficult route. We just could not resist when it turned out that our initial plans were bringing us right at the beginning of a trail that was going all the way up this emblem of the Sierra. We almost killed Inma in the process. In fact, only Fabrice made the final ascent (with a symbolic attempt at going along by Julia). We lacked water on our way back and the thirst we suffered and the relief at a fountain we found at some point were a highlight of our hiking adventures.

El Peñotillo (left, 2124m) and La Maliciosa (right, 2227m).
It's basically to climb all this.
Beautiful scenery to help us.
Everything is so big, it all looks very small.
Airs of Pedriza.
Autumn palette.
Our way through.
El Valle de los Caidos in tee distance.
La Maliciosa Baja.
Julia exploring the surroundings. Our group would split about there.
Malicious.
Inma and Luz will happilly stay there.
Julia attempting the final ascent.
Now finally on top (Fabrice alone).
The Bola del Mundo lurking behind.
From there you see everything. Here Manzanares el Real.
El Peñotillo now looks a dwarf in comparison.
This wall is the tip of the Maliciosa. A few meters round and one is already many more down.
On the way back to reunite with the group.
Here they are neatly visible, with the zoom.
A gate of stone indicating a wrong way.
Back together.
Luz did not notice anything.
Las Maliciosas.

La Pedriza desde Soto del Real

On 2 October (2021), with Tizón. The first time at La Pedriza with Luz.

La muela
La raja, which we didn't get into on this occasion.
At the feet of a legend.
Tizón, more at ease than anybody else.
The colors of la Pedriza.
Rockas that make you feel like a bug.
The little girl and the big stones.
Flying with the moon.
Meeting with miss Ladybug.
Rocks folded like sheets.
On the elbows of giants.
Orchestrating nature and beauty.
The best way to the top when not yet 1 and a half.
Surrounded by Pedriza all around.
One of the few ibex we saw.
Passing through a tunnel.
Pausing for rest, not composure.
A little hand.
La torre inclinada.
The most abundant fauna we found along the way.
Time for a rest.
A bit of play after lunch.
Artificial and geological pyramids.
A corridor to the precipice.
Grey colours as the sun got cloudy.
Cuddling.
Caught.
Far from Madrid.
On the way down.
A final rest before getting back to the car.

La Charca Verde

On 30 April (2022), also our first campervanning stay at la Pedriza, so an opening walk to the main one, on the next day.

We walked along the Manzanares, from Cantocochino towards the Charca Verde, that was our destination on this occasion, although one can carry on further until the Chorros del Río Manzanares and probably up till the birth of the rio, in the Bola del Mundo. We crossed with a snake that swiftly slid on the rocks and jumped into the tumultuous waters, swimming with an unsuspected grace with little jerks of its head, that it kept out of the water, able to cross in no time, presumably far from us as it was in no mood to share the Pedriza with tourists. The Charca Verde used to be a star destination for bathing, but this is now forbidden. The smooth slops surrounding the basin are natural toboggans for children and the luckiest of them manage to fall in the water by accident, enjoying a swim that the guards would probably excuse. It was not the case of our skilled little mountaineer who however tried very hard to venture in the slippiest parts of the flanks.

The Manzanares in la Pedriza.
Crystaline waters caressing cushions of granite.
The snake we spotted, as it just entered the river.
The track on our way in, very scenic.
Julia admiring the passing of time.
The farthest mountains were still under the snow although the pastures were ready for summer.
A forest growing through the rocks.
And the Manzanares in between.
Paradise 30 minutes from home.
Julia meeting the river.
The flanks of the Charva Verde provide a natural toboggan.
You can choose your height, from great fun to possibly lethal.
At the bottom of the slide is the Charca Verde.
It is bigger than it looks if you have no people to serve as a scale.
It is also steeper than it looks.
Julia wouldn't stop trying to dominate gravity under increasingly steeper and slippier conditions.
Close to a breaking point!
The Caliz in the distance, not condoning our childplays.
Luz studying the local flaura.
The river nevers stops.
On our way back, on the other side, with an easier path.

Yelmo and Tolmo

On 1 May (2022), following our warm-up at la Charca Verde on the previous day, we embarked on a long excursion in la Pedriza, doing and seeing more than we had bargained for.

The main objective was el Tolmo, a giant rock which we had spotted on our excursion to El Caliz in December (2019), and had aimed to visit ever since, where, at a distance, it seemed to stand in plain view of a nice collado (saddle between two mountains). In real life, it turned out to be a much tougher target to reach. We initially mistook a smaller rock in the collado de la desehilla for it. Another highlight, however, was Julia successfully climbing the Yelmo, which is already tricky for adults and experienced people, but at the limit of feasibility for such a young mountaineer (7 years, 3 months and 25 days). Who says better?

Back to the heart of the Pedriza.
What type of mountaineering is this?
With such skills, no peak is out of reach.
With la Bola del Mundo.
In search of a beautiful view.
Found one.
A favourite spot of la Pedriza: where a small riachuelo from the grass becomes its own river.
Luz also looking for heights.
Showing a point of interest.
The beauty of Man's conquest of Nature.
El Elefantito, a famous formation of la Pedriza.
An highway in the mountain.
Infinity brought to your feet.
Julia ready for the big ascent: to the Yelmo!
Inside the grieta, below the infamous rock.
Finally at the top.
What it looks like from the very, very top. There's no more climbing possible now.
It seems easy when you're there!
This particular view seems to be specific to the top of the Yelmo, and is also one of the most splendid of the Pedriza. It is, however, impossible to capture with a camera.
The Yelmo has a tiny, private "pradera" at the top.
Proof that papa was there too. Behind him is a free fall to the ground.
Here you see where this goes to. Elena and Luz can be discerned among the other ants.
Back down. The trapped stone from the other side. The idea is to squeeze yourself in there.
It was piece of cake for Julia who fits everywhere.
Luz also had her ambition of domination.
That was at the bottom, though.
Back on our way, with other giants left in the distance.
Typical formation of la Pedriza: immovable rocks in a seemingly precarious equilibrium.
This is a long way around.
And there is no crossing through.
Near the turning point.
Time to go back to our starting point's altitude.
The scenery changes significantly on this side of the Pedriza.
The progression is also significantly more difficult, especially on the official track.
The collado de la desehilla, which we mistook for el Tolmo.
A baby Ibex, that was not scared in the least, from seeing very few or too many tourists.
Reunion.
Exploration again.
Initiation to advanced climbing.
The way back: wild, tortuous and bushy.
El Tolmo. When you find it, it is unmistakable. We made a long pause in its shadow.
We went back to our starting point although all signs were pointing us at the Yelmo again.

Cabeza de la Braña

On 14 May (2022). This 12.8km, 6h10m hike was supposed to be a simple one, a short campervaning stay to relax and with a swift walk before Elena's shooting of ''Yo soy esa persona'' on the next day (Sunday). We opted for the puerto de Canencia, that we already knew for its abedular from a previous walk. We went in the other direction, not that of the famous waterfall, but towards the Cabeza de la Braña, which gives a splendid view of the Sierra de Canencia. Shortly after our departure, unfortunately, it became clear that it could rain and Fabrice was sent back to the car to get some raincoat. That was a wise choice since the situation, that had stabilized, broke into cold wind and shower banter just as we were ascending the peak, forcing us to retreat towards the woods where we intended to terminate the excursion and come back to the car, but the sun eventually came back in a radius blue sky, so we finally reached the top from the other side and cut through the woods. We met a biker who also turned back, not for the rain though, but for the cows that we indeed met later on with no clue why he would find them an obstacle. At the most intense peak of rain, Julia spotted a beautiful salamander, shining intensely of wet black and yellow. We could not marvel too much at her due to the wind and rain and proceeded to take cover in the forest. At the end of the trip, Julia also spot a small snake, probably an adder, that was hiding in the rocks and defiantly looked at us before swirling through in the entrails of the mountain.

Between four trees, our home for the week-end.
Evening exploration.
The tranquility of the woods when everybody is gone.
With Giono (Les vraies richesses).
Squeezing through the rocks.
En route for the track.
Not letting this toy go.
The great turn: from the path onto the cabeza.
This was a short yet steep and arduous climb.
Drops starting to fall.
A mountain bull not affected by anything or anybody, least of all, bicyclists.
Wind, thunders and the onset of heavy raining. Our last picture before the sun would come back.
Back in the light from the other side of the forest, with the long-sought sight of the Sierra de Canencias.
Towards the top of la Braña.
Sisterhood.
Garganta de los montes, in the distance.
Overlooking la Sierra de Canencias.
Crossing through the wood: a pretty walk.
Back on a big track: pretty for cars.
A fruit tree caught by a rock.
The snake we met on the way back.

Puente de los Pollos

On 22 May (2022), for our 2nd campervanning night at la Pedriza (from Cantocochino), our main target was el puente de los pollos, a mighty formation that carves a gigantic bridge into the mountain.

We enlarged our previous hike in la Pedriza profunda but otherwise passed by the same main highlights, giving us a sense of immortality from these unchanged, unfaltering sights, from these objects that do not age, do not change, do not move, that probably have remained identical not just these mere 8 years, 2 months and 2 days since our last visit, but for hundreds if not thousands or tens of thousands of years. We got close to the "tres cestos" but skipped it.

Maybe some of the stones have gotten bigger since last time.
After a fair distance into the woods, comes the serious climbing part.
We did not remember it to be that vertical.
It is quite a stretch to boulder through: not difficult but not pedestrian either.
Julia arrived much before us.
The "conventional" Pedriza left behind.
Las dos hermanas en la Pedriza.
How many generations of them since last time?
A target for a future expedition.
David's iconic "funny rock" and Julia playing with spacetime.
La Pedriza is a jungle of rocks and forest.
There's still some climbing to do.
Conciliabule au sommet.
A tetris of mountains.
El collado del Diablo.
Luz enjoying a treat.
Someone visiting; maybe the owner of the collado himself!
Luz hiking on her own.
A narrow path.
Behind these stones is the Puente de los Pollos.
The bridge itself.
El Tolmo from the Puente de los Pollos.
And trying to get onto the bridge.
Here it is: behind Julia is the puente de los pollos, which we did not dare approach further.
Getting down. It looks safe but a couple of meters are behind this extended hand.
Julia at ease where she is.
Back into the wood on our way home, we found these nice stone formations in tribute to the puente.