Guadarrama River Basin-North Route

Moralzarzal[+]

The first stop on the route is just over 46 kilometres out of Madrid. Nestling at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama Mountains and the Guadarrama Valley. the name, Moralzarzal, has its roots in the time when the Moors ruled the peninsula. In fact, it is named after two small villages in the area: Fuente del Moral and Zarzal. As the early name suggests, water played an important role for its settlement.

Moralzarzal maintains a well-preserved old town with interesting traditional buildings. The parish church of San Miguel Arcángel is especially interesting. It dates from the 16th and 17th centuries, although it has undergone several alterations. Next to it is a beautiful fountain built in 1885, where you can take a refreshing drink.

Don't miss a visit to the town hall. Frascuelo's clock, over 100 years old, can be seen in the tower. The famous bullfighter, Salvador Sánchez "Frascuelo" gave the clock to the town in 1886. The story goes that he was the friend of the cattle farmers in Moralzarzal, and spent long evenings in the town, and even fought several bulls there.

If you are more interested in coming into contact with nature, surrounding Moralzarzal are streams and small rivers. These are not always constant, so a good time to see them is in spring, when the mountain snows have melted.

Moralzarzal is also known for its beneficial waters, containing arsenic, iron and nitrogen, such as those arising from the Cuatro Caños or Matarrubia springs. Without doubt, this is one of the main reasons why so may people visit the town in summer and the weekends during the rest of the year.

Alpedrete[+]

The second stop on the route, Alpedrete, is less than eight kilometres from Moralzarzal. The name implies that there are several stone quarries in the area, which have been used to construct several monuments in the Madrid region, such as San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the Royal Palace of Madrid or, more recently, the buildings for the new ministries in the capital.

It is well worth taking a walk through the streets of Alpedrete, where you will find a beautiful old town. The town hall is especially interesting; although built in 1959, it is in the El Escorial style with a large balcony flanked by two towers. You also must not miss Asunción church, dating from the end of the 15th century, and is more like a small fortress than a religious building.

As water is something that is guiding you along this route, for those who like fishing, there is an old quarry in Alpedrete, which has been turned into a trout fishing lake.

Collado Mediano[+]

The next stop on the route is just over six kilometres away at Collado Mediano, a small town remarkable for its summer villas. The 17th-century town hall is especially interesting, with a balcony on the upper floor, as has San Ildefonso church. A must to visit, although not for the superstitious, is the Old Cemetery, where you can see the 13th-century chapel in the late Romanesque style.

Collado Mediano lies at the foot of the Sierra de Castillo Mountains, where there is a point that affords magnificent views of the hills. La Cobañera, a stunning natural rock is there. The town of Collado Mediano considers it so important that it forms part of the coat-of-arms.

Guadarrama[+]

You leave the vicinity of the Sierra del Castillo Mountains to cross the Guadarrama River, an essential water supply to the Isabella II Canal, and arrive at the town of Guadarrama. Although Christian in origin, the name Guadarrama comes from Arabic, and means sandy river. The Roman road going up to the La Fuenfría Valley used to pass through the town.

The Plaza Mayor Square of Guadarrama is particularly beautiful. It is in the El Escorial style and with a classical layout, and was re-built after the Spanish civil war The former San Miguel Arcángel church has been converted to a cultural centre, although it still keeps the Mudejar apse and a mediaeval tower. In Plaza del Doctor Palanca Square, you can see the Stone Fountain, dating from 1785, and which for many years supplied the whole town with all its water.

Nearby is the Jarosa reservoir, a very popular spot for fishermen, where rainbow trout can be caught all year round. One of Guadarrama's main festivals is the Virgen de la Jarosa on 15th August, with the faithful making a procession to the shrine of the same name in the vicinity of the reservoir.

Guadarrama is one of the places where you are recommended to spend the night in order to be able to enjoy the delicious cuisine of the area.

Los Molinos

The journey continues to the adjoining town of Los Molinos, from where those who like walking can start on several hikes along the Guadarrama River and to places nearby.

The houses in Los Molinos are a good example of the traditional mountain style. Even so, you can see many summer chalets with large gardens in the old town and on the outskirts. The town hall is in Plaza España Square, which is where all celebrations are held every year.

Los Molinos has a Renaissance church dating from 1570. It is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and contains a splendid Baroque altarpiece. The storks of the area nest in the belfry during the breeding season.

Cercedilla[+]

The next stop on the route takes you along the Guadarrama river up to its source at Cercedecilla. Formerly dependent on livestock, these days tourism has revitalised the town. However, the town has been of importance for centuries. Cercedilla is one of the towns in the Madrid region which had a very strong Roman presence and there are still remains of the ancient Roman road from the 1st century that crossed it.

There are many delightful things to see in and around the town. The town itself has architectural jewels, such as San Sebastian church, dating from the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th centuries. The streets are winding, due to their unusual situation on the slopes of the Sierra de Guadarrama Mountains. There are several public fountains to refresh thirsty visitors.

However, if the town is beautiful, the surroundings are even more so. Dozens of hiking tracks start from Cercedilla, allowing you to get to know the mountains thoroughly, climb up to the Navacerrada Pass or to the source of the Guadarrama River in the nearby La Fuenfría Valley, the next port of call.

La Fuenfría Valley

A few kilometres away - you can walk or make part of the journey by car - is the source of the Guadarrama River which, as already mentioned, is called the La Venta River at its the start.

The La Fuenfría Valley is the perfect spot to spend a relaxing day in one of the densest pine woods in the central massif. You can reach the river source either on foot or by mountain bike, and along the way you can see squirrels, roe deer, wild boar, and with luck, foxes.

In the lower part of the valley, during the summer months, the town hall of Cercedilla sets up a leisure park, Las Berceas, where there are picnic places and a swimming-pool at very modest prices.

Navacerrada Pass

And if you have any energy left after walking along the La Fuenfría Valley, there is the last place on the route, the Navacerrada Pass. You can reach it by car or train. From Cercedilla station, one of the prettiest in the whole of the Madrid mountains, a special train goes from Cercedilla to Navacerrada.

Beware of the weather – if it has snowed, the pass may be closed or require chains to be fitted. Navacerrada Pass is a must for fans of winter sports. Although, if you are travelling in summer, the views from the pass will not disappoint you, as you can see the Peñalara massif, Cuerda Larga and Siete Picos, where several hiking tracks lead.