Madrid walks

Madrid has all the trappings of a great capital city: museums and masterpieces, including Picasso's famous Guernica, beautiful avenues, the royal palace, parks and economic dynamism. But paradoxically and fortunately, it hides other treasures, village atmospheres, charming neighbourhoods, and the beautifully redeveloped banks of the Manzanares River. Madrid is full of energy and is as lively at night as it is during the day. But in the morning, it will reveal itself to runners, who will almost feel as if it is there just for them.

This is a pleasant stroll up to the lower regions of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Once in the pine forest, the walk is pleasant and the gradients are comfortable as the route hugs the hillside until reaching the Parada del Rey. The route back to Soto del Real is pretty straightforward. A good distance to stretch the legs without any major climbs.

A challenging route due to the length, but not complicated technically. Although it finishes in a different place to where it starts, there is a bus that connects Manzanares el Real to Soto del Real (720). The Pedriza is an area popular with walkers but especially with rock climbers.

A circular route from the Tranco del Berrueco, into La Raja (a popular rock-climbing place, especially in the summer), along the GR-10 to the Gran Cañada in the Pedriza to find the Senda Maeso.This is the PR M-1 and is a real scramble through the rocks, typical Pedriza terrain, to reach the Cuatro Damas.From there, the route weaves through the rocky Peñas Sordas to reach the three mysterious pyramids.An easy descent to the forest track that borders the stream Arroyo de Santillana takes us past the Jaralón Youth Hostel and back to the car.

This is a circular route starting and finishing in El Tranco (Manzanares el Real). There isn’t a lot of parking space at the start of the route, so it’s best to arrive early if you want to secure a spot nearby. If the main parking area is full, you can usually find additional spaces a little further up the road towards the village.

A circular route starting and finishing in Canto Cochino. A testing route, but spectacular views. There is limited parking here as it's in the National Park Sierra de Guadarrama. For safety reasons, as well as to avoid the damage that this transit causes to natural resources, there is an entry control at the barrier located in the La Camorza area, which allows the entry of vehicles up to the maximum quota of 270 vehicles per day. Weekdays are normally fine, but at weekends it's best to get there early.

A tough circular route, starting and finishing in the car park at Canto Cochino. The route goes clockwise along the "Circular de la Pedriza", following the PR-M1 yellow and white markings through rocky landscapes and scenic viewpoints.

A circular route that starts and finishes in the small village of Mataelpino, at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama, with plenty of parking in the village, and the 672 bus from the bus depot at Moncloa goes through Mataelpino.

A circular route that starts and finishes at the small car park above the Palancares Reservoir in Soto del Real. On this route, you will cross multiple streams, some of them even several times. On your way, you'll enjoy the Hoyo Cerrado and El Hueco de San Blas.

A pleasant route that starts and finishes at the abandoned railway station of Miraflores de la Sierra. A gentle climb over the Cabeza Cristina to Cabeza Arcón gives a 360º view of the Sierra de Guadarrama and the southern plains down to the city of Madrid. The walking is easy enough, on grassy slopes and higher up on stony plateaus. The approach to El Pendón takes the easier and greener route behind the summit, although there are more direct routes clambering up the rocks if that gets your adrenaline going. The Senda Buford straddles the Cerro de los Canteros to pick up the stream Arroyo del Mosquil and follow it down to the railway. There are no trains on this disused section of the old Madrid-Burgos line, so it's easy to go back to the station at Miraflores de la Sierra.

A circular route that starts and finishes at the car park Fuente del Cur in Miraflores de la Sierra. There's usually plenty of spaces in the car park and buses (725) run regularly from Madrid to the village.

A testing circular route that starts and finnishes in the car-park of La Barranca (Navacerrada village). The climb is tough and without respite but as the tree cover thins out there are some great views looking towards La Maliciosa and behind, looking down to Navacerrada with it's reservouir and the village of Becerril de la Sierra. There's a detour to have a look down from the Paso de la Cagalera and an interesting passage through the Ventana de las Buitreras (the vulture's window). On the approach to La Maliciosa there might well be snow and ice (November to April) so crampones are recomended. Likewise, crossing over to the Alto de las Guarramillas there might be some snow but the terraine is quite accessible as the route reaches the head-waters of the river Manzanares (that flows through the city of Madrid). The descent is fairly straightforward once past the Collado de los Emburriaderos but the Camino de la Tubería might have some snow in the winter months.

This is a simple walk in one of the most beautiful areas of the Sierra de Guadarrama, beginning and ending in the historical town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The route is designed to go past the old snow wells that were created in the 17th century and go around the Pico de Abantos.

The Sierra de Guadarrama, north of the capital city Madrid, is part of Spain's Central Mountain System. The highest point is Peñalara, standing at 2,428 metres (7,966 ft) above sea level. This is a collection of walks that reveals the diverse nature of this range of mouintains, partly within a National Park, sometimes climbing to the highest peaks, sometimes meandering through the villages and valleys. Most routes are circular and many can be reached with public transport.

The small rural village of Bustarviejo offers plenty of places to explore, but the highest peak is Mondalindo (also known as Cabeza del Cervunal). This circular route begins with a straight forward climb to the rocky outcrop that is the Cancho del Mondalindo and La Almohadilla. The route down is a bit less clear, next to the stream de las Ferminas.

A circular route that starts and finishes near the Convento de San Antonio, just outside the village of La Cabrera. There is usually enough space to park, and there are buses that go to La Cabrera from Madrid.

The Puerto de Cotos is easily accessible from Navacerrada or from Rascafría, and there is ample parking space. The route is simple at the beginning, but becomes complicated after crossing the Arroyo de los Cerradillos. The path is almost invisible in the overgrown vegetation but is easily navigated as it's mostly low heather, rock rose (cistus) and Pyrenean broom (Cytisus oromediterraneus). Although the map doesn't show any path, there are animal trails through the vegetation but you will have to navigate over the terrain, using the track to keep you on the route. There are also a number of National Park signs that will guide you along the edge of the Guadarrama National Park. The descent follows a stream, the Arroyo de Hierro, to reach the forest track. From there, the walking is easy and returns along the rushing stream Arroyo de las Guarramillas, passing by the Socrates Pool.

A circular route that begins and ends at the car park next to the Puente de la Cantina, which spans the gorge over the river Eresma. A demanding mountain route with a steep ascent to Peña Citores, rewarded by panoramic views, historic civil war remains, alpine scenery, and a scenic descent along forest paths and mountain streams.