Peñalara, Sierra de Guadarrama, Madrid

A small lake on the mountainside 

It was a gorgeous Spanish day with a mild spring wind cradling the fresh sprung leaves and playing with the birds when we headed off on our weekend adventure to the mountains. Quickly becoming one of our most favourite places in Madrid the Sierra de Guadarrama 'montaña' offers so many fascinating and diverse hiking routes. Today we were aiming to climb the highest mountain at 2,428 meters altitude. Mount Peñalara via the cinco lagunas (five lakes).

Starting off slow

Beautiful wild daises in the rocks

Gorgeous spring flowers in bloom

Views down the hillside

Finding our bus stop relatively quickly and getting lost in a good book meant we arrived very quickly! Perhaps in hindsight too quickly as we ended up getting off the bus 5 kilometers too soon; then after a rather arduous but flat roadside walk we finally met up with the trail head and started off with a well deserved drinks break.

Looks like we could be in Switzerland! 

The trail slowly worked its way up the hillside and was a relatively flat easy climb, far easier than we anticipated! We passed large groups of Spanish hikers dressed in an array of colours, a bit like a rainbow cascading down the hillside. There were also a number of families heading off for a picnic along one of the many lakes. After such a late start we stopped early for lunch. A cheese and chorizo bocadillo and handful of peanuts which were shared with some of the local wildlife before we headed off.

After passing several lakes we encountered a huge pond echoing the most intense racket. Seems we stumbled upon the local toad hole and they certainly weren't quiet about it, crying out like a computer struggling to find a connection on dial up. We moved on quickly, the ringing still in our ears before ascending for the next thirty minutes over rocks scaled with florescent moss, hammered by the previous winter onslaught of snow, still visible in cracks and gullies up the mountain side.

John and Nikal up ahead

Getting higher

Nearing the top- can you see John?

Made it to the top! 

We stopped regularly to enjoy the fresh crisp air or watch the bright green coloured geckos busily going about their business. As we climbed the foliage grew thinner until we reached the top and it was all worn rock. Up high was quite scary with steep drops to each side, and we clambered over a quite terrifying ridge named Risco de los Claveles.

Kara snow jumping!

View back towards Madrid

But we made it in good time! Scampering over the melting snow and then admiring the 360 degree views. Around 3pm we begun our descent down, being careful not to slip on the snow and following the almost unmarked circuit trail. Several times we wondered if we were heading the right way and trampers in front of us weren't much help. But with the dark clouds rolling in we didn't stop to think about it much! All up, the trail was a distance of 13.5 kilometers plus the extra five from the bus stop and John felt this deserved a cold refreshing beverage! Go us!

By one of the larger lakes

Views North toward Segovia

By the time we reached the bus home we were tired and sore, ready for a snooze and a warm bath but we really enjoyed the hike!  

Tot siens, 

John and Kara