Birding the Camino : Tres Cantos to Manzanares el Real

When we set out around 8:30 am it was already another bright, warm, sunny day.  As we crossed back over the busy highway the Guadarrama Mountains stood out in sharp relief against the cloudless blue sky, looking much more three-dimensional than they did yesterday evening.  We made our way through the roundabout, and began our walk down the wide, sandy dirt pathway which follows what are known as the Cañadas or Via Pecuarius.  

 

These ancient drove roads and tracks were marked with small concrete cubes with a picture of a cow and the letters VP.  In some places these tracks were enclosed or bordered by field-stone walls or wire fences, but the cañadas, or cane fences after which they are known are no longer used for enclosing cattle. 

Even in the early morning the white gravel of the track was almost blinding in the hot sun, leaving us wishing we'd brought sunglasses, and making us grateful it wasn't a hot summer day.  The track wound up and down through grassy hills that were dotted with exposed pieces of granite, loose boulders, patches of small trees, and clumps of gorse, broom, lavender, and sweet-smelling sage.  Yellow, pink, and white wildflowers added colour to the green hillsides, and many shrubs and plants bore plump buds, promising a explosion of colour in the coming weeks.  

Although we could see the highway in the distance, and hear the occasional sounds of airplanes flying overhead, the fields around us were filled with the sounds of birdsong.  The hedgerows, pines, and shrubs were hopping with birds, and overhead hawks and kites soared in the bright blue sky. 

As we continued through the mostly flat grassy pastures and small farms the trail followed a stream, which we criss-crossed eleven times over the course of the morning.  The water was only a few inches deep, and at each crossing a line of tall square granite stones had been placed across the stream bed for us to step across.  In some cases the stepping stones were rather far apart and slightly slippery, lending some excitement to the endeavour. 

We spent a long time covering the 12 km stretch of trail between Tres Cantos and Colmenar Viejo, because there were so many birds along the waterway, each one new and exciting.  Some were incredibly colourful, while others boasted exotic sounding songs. 

While we were distracted by the hubbub of bird activity another pilgrim passed us on the trail!  He was from Poland and spoke neither Spanish nor English, but managed to ask if we were headed to Santiago, and exchange a friendly 'Buen Camino!' Although he was an older gentlemen and moving quite slowly, he still managed to pass us, and over the course of the day we leap-frogged quite a few times, smiling and nodding at each encounter. 

 As we slowly progressed through the farmland, we were passed by several cyclists, a family out for a morning stroll, and a small flock of sheep being steered by three enthusiastic sheepdogs! 

Eventually we came over a hill with a pair of lovely horses and saw the red roofs of the town of Colmenar Viejo stretching out ahead of us in front of the tall, craggy, snow covered Guaderrama Mountain Range.  It was a long steady climb up to the hill-top town, and as we huffed and puffed up the slope we enjoyed watching the hawks, kites, and storks soaring and circling along the ridge on either side of us.

At the edge of town we came to a large cemetery which was bustling with pre-Easter activity,  and then a small white chapel with a stone cross out front.  There were a lot of locals out walking their dogs, jogging, cycling, and getting some exercise along the edge of the steeply sloping road we were following into town.  We couldn't blame them - it was a gorgeous day and the view was spectacular!  Across the rolling green hills we could still see the towers of Madrid rising up in the distance. 

Apparently Colmenar Viejo has a population of 50,000 people, and serves as a bedroom community for Madrid.  However, as we walked through the steep, winding, streets it felt more like a small village.  

 

 

We made our way up to the old part of town and the splendid Gothic Church of the Asunción de Nuestra Señora.  The church was founded by the powerful Mendoza family, who were once lords over much of the land in this area. 

To our delight, the bell towers and roofs of the magnificent church hosted a whole colony of White Stork nests.  The storks were very busy, delivering sticks for nest reconstruction and renovation, clacking their beaks loudly in courtship, and launching themselves off the roof in majestic arcs.  They seemed entirely unconcerned by the ringing of the church bells, which must have been very loud so close to their nests. 

The doors to the large and impressive church were open, so we stepped inside to get our credentials stamped.  The volunteers inside were extremely nice, and spoke to us very kindly, although we couldn't understand the Spanish. We spent a few moments in the church, and watched as a group of men practised carrying and carefully setting down a large and very heavy looking wooden crucifix for the upcoming Easter procession.  

After heading out of the church we made our way into the square with its water fountain and the statue of a man looking up at the church, apparently positioned so as to have the best view of it.  We then made our way through town, which had all the amenities of a modern suburb, including banks, restaurants, bars, and a museum. 

We were hoping to find a cold drink and something to eat, and to our delight we discovered a truly delicious smelling panaderia, and stopped in for two cold Aquarius and a couple almond cookies.  The wonderfully kind baker gifted us a lovely bit of trail magic in the form of exquisite chocolate covered Easter pastries.  What a lovely surprise! 

We stopped on a bench in the central park to enjoy our snack under the welcome shade of the trees.  After a refreshing break we continued through town on a wide, beautifully landscaped pedestrian pathway that wound between upscale red brick three story condos or apartment buildings.  The wide white path was lined with red sandcherries, tall conical conifers, lime green cedars, and tall heathers and heaths, making for a very colourful walk. 

At the far edge of town we again came to a dirt pathway that took us under the highway and then over the uneven, curved arch of the medieval  Puente del Batán.  The 'New Bridge' spans the Manzanares River, and was built sometime before 1578.  It was an important link in the road between Madrid and Segovia, and has now been restored because it is a necessary link on the Camino. 

After crossing the uneven stone bridge the path then lead us up again into the hills, following beside a low stone wall.  There were lots of people out walking and cycling the trail, enjoying the sunshine and the stunning scenery.  The landscape felt wild and rugged - the rolling treed hills set against a backdrop of mountains.  

We couldn’t have asked for a nicer second day on the Camino, but by the late afternoon our legs were beginning to feel the constant climbing that they weren't yet used to.  We kept going, enjoying the birds and the lizards until eventually the trail turned sharply and began to descend steeply. 

Suddenly we spotted the town of Manzanares el Real stretched out below us at the end of a large reservoir of blue water.  We could see the impressive spire of the cathedral, and the unmistakable outline of the castle against the skyline.  Even from a distance we could see that the beach along the lake and the entrance to the castle were bustling with people.  Indeed this holiday town was full of people enjoying the Semana Santa break.

 

 

Manzanares el Real is a famous spot for mountain climbers who explore the peaks of the huge granite range of La Pedriza, which is just north of town.  The town is also used as a base for people visiting the Guadarrama National Park, and it offers opportunities to visit the 15th century castle of Los Mendoza and the church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves. 

When we arrived in the town we found its beach and its streets to be overwhelmingly full of visitors.  We made our way to the Hostel La Pedriza, where we had managed to reserve the last two bunks in an 8 bed dormitory.  We had our showers, washed our clothes and hung them on our bunks to dry, and made our way downstairs to the bar.  As we enjoyed a pint and a plate of hummus it began to rain heavily outside.  Good timing! 

As we sat there the older pilgrim we'd seen earlier in the day came in, clearly exhausted.  He didn't have a reservation, and he was told everywhere in town was full.  This is what we had discovered as well.  We would happily have slept on the floor of the common room and let him have a bunk, but language barriers and regulations ruled out this option.  It is possible to take a train back to Madrid from here, but our walking companion seemed to reject this idea.  We spent the night worried about him, but I guess we just have to trust that the Camino provides, for everyone.  Hopefully our paths will cross again, and we will know things turned out okay.  

After our snack we walked back down to the beach, and did a short circuit around town before crawling into our bunk beds. We are fairly sure we are the only pilgrims in the hostel, with most of the others being climbers, hikers, or students.  Today has been another long and beautiful day on the Camino. 

Distance: 27 km
Accommodations: Hostel La Pedriza