# Manzanares el Real and La Pedriza Routes through La Pedriza from Canto Cochino, the Manzanares river and El Tolmo, and the castle of Manzanares el Real, with the car quota and the 724 bus explained. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/la-pedriza · Revisado: 2026-11-12 La Pedriza is a granite massif on the southern slope of the Sierra de Guadarrama, inside the National Park, above Manzanares el Real. It is made of domes, walls, fissures and boulders of whimsical shapes, with the River Manzanares rising among them: for the Park, one of the most important friction-climbing areas in the world, and for walkers, a labyrinth of paths less than an hour from the Puerta del Sol. Below, the village has a 15th-century castle on the shore of the Santillana reservoir. ## How do you get there from Madrid? By car, about 50 minutes. Along the M-607 (Colmenar motorway), exit towards the M-609, Soto del Real and Miraflores, and then the M-608 to Manzanares el Real; past the Montañero roundabout the road to La Pedriza starts. From the A-6 you arrive via Collado Villalba (exit 36) and the M-608. From Segovia, via the Navacerrada pass and Collado Villalba, around an hour. Without a car, bus 724 leaves the Plaza de Castilla interchange and stops at several points in the village. From the church stop or the Montañero roundabout stop it is about 15 minutes' walk to the visitor centre, and from there the La Camorza path takes you into La Pedriza. ## Can you drive into Canto Cochino? Yes, but with rules. The Canto Cochino car park is free and has a quota of 270 cars parked at the same time, with no reservation for private individuals; when it is full, only one car enters for each one that leaves. In addition, the La Camorza barrier has opening hours. From October to May, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, it does not let anyone in from 10:30 to 16:00. From June to September, at weekends you can enter only from 7:00 to 9:30 and from 18:30 to 22:30, and on weekdays from 7:30 to 10:30 and from 18:30 to 22:30; on summer nights no one may stay inside. You can always leave. You may not park outside the designated areas, nor on the road between the village and the barrier. If you arrive late, park at the visitor centre and walk in along the La Camorza gorge: 4.9 km of gentle climbing to Canto Cochino. ## Which route should I do? The easy one: the Manzanares river circuit via the Puente del Vivero, 5.2 km and 1 h 40, with the Charca Verde and the blocks polished by the water. The classic: from Canto Cochino to El Tolmo along the Autopista de La Pedriza, 5.8 km there and back and about 2 hours, to the best-known isolated rock of the massif. The on-foot entry: the La Camorza gorge, from the visitor centre, via the Castillo Viejo and the Peña Sacra. The route sheets, with tracks, are on the National Park website. For El Yelmo, the great summit of La Pedriza, you climb from Canto Cochino along longer routes with a scramble at the end: it is not for the first day. ## What are the rules? It is a National Park. Dogs must always be on a lead and under control, without leaving the path. Swimming is not allowed in the River Manzanares. Bivouacking, with a sleeping bag only and no tent, is permitted only in three areas: Las Torres, El Laberinto and El Yelmo. You do not leave the paths or disturb wildlife. The visitor centre tells you each day how the quota stands. ## And the castle? The castle of the Mendoza family, from the 15th century, is the image of the village, but visits to the interior are temporarily suspended according to the Community of Madrid Tourism. It can be seen from the outside, with the Santillana reservoir and La Pedriza behind. The ruins of the Castillo Viejo are on the La Camorza path. ## When to go? In autumn and spring, and on clear winter days. In summer the granite stores heat and the barrier opens only at dawn and dusk at weekends: if you go, get in before 9:30 and leave before lunch. On sunny Sundays, Canto Cochino fills up very early. ## Dónde está - Zonas: The Central System - Cerca: Navacerrada Pass and Cercedilla (a 11.6 km), Lozoya Valley: Rascafría, El Paular and Peñalara (a 18.3 km), San Lorenzo de El Escorial (a 27.9 km), Segovia (a 30.6 km) ## Qué hacer - **From Canto Cochino to El Tolmo** (2 h 5 · 5.8 km · Walkers with some practice; the Park marks it for advanced hikers): The classic route into La Pedriza: from Canto Cochino to El Tolmo along the so-called Autopista de La Pedriza, the massif's main track, from which many other routes branch off. It is 5.8 km there and back and about 2 h 05 for an average walker, according to the National Park's information sheet, which classifies it for advanced hikers. At the end El Tolmo appears, probably the most distinctive and best-known isolated rock in La Pedriza, an enormous granite block that has survived erosion. The route From the Canto Cochino car park you go down the tarmac track to the bridge over the River Manzanares. Opposite is the Canto Cochino information point, with a general map of La Pedriza beside the fence. There you take the PR-M 02 path, which follows the Arroyo de la Ventana upstream, keeping it on your right. The path advances between La Pedriza Anterior and La Pedriza Posterior, through a pine wood replanted in the 1950s where holly, holm oaks, junipers, maples, heather and riverside vegetation along the stream also grow. On the way you see granite forms such as the Aleta de Tiburón (Shark Fin), a slab of rock shaped like a fin with marked lines called nerviaciones. About 2 km from the start, the PR-M 02 continues straight on, but the route crosses to the right over a wooden footbridge over the stream and reaches Prado Peluca, a large meadow at the foot of the Giner de los Ríos refuge. From the meadow, a narrow path through sticky rockrose climbs about 500 metres towards the Collado de la Dehesilla. As you raise your eyes, El Tolmo appears ahead, to the left of the path, in front of La Pedriza Posterior. You return by the same way. Route details Distance: 5.8 km there and back. Time: 2 h 05, without stops. Ascent: 292 m up and down, with an average gradient of 10.7%. Altitude: from 1,022 to 1,243 m. Surface: path, with stretches of rock and large boulders. When to go and how to get there It can be done all year. In summer set out first thing, before the heat. Take water and footwear with a sole that grips on granite. By car you reach the Canto Cochino car park, free but with a quota of 270 vehicles. From October to May, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays the barrier does not let cars in from 10:30 to 16:00, and the quota usually fills between 8:30 and 9:00. If you arrive late, enter on foot from Manzanares el Real via the Camorza gorge or the Quebrantaherraduras path. By bus, line 724 reaches the village from Plaza de Castilla. Rules Dogs must be on a lead and stay on the path, as throughout the National Park. Camping is not allowed, and swimming in the River Manzanares is not permitted. If you are a climber, El Tolmo has routes; check beforehand the rules and temporary climbing closures published by the Park. - **The River Manzanares and the Charca Verde via the Vivero bridge** (1 h 40 · 5.2 km · Beginners and families with children who walk): The easiest route to see the Manzanares inside La Pedriza: a 5.2 km circuit from Canto Cochino that the National Park classifies for beginner hikers and estimates at 1 h 40. It goes first under the pine wood and then along a narrow path beside the river, among large granite boulders polished by the water, to the Charca Verde, a surprisingly beautiful pool, and returns by the Vivero bridge. The route From the Canto Cochino car park you go down the tarmac track to the bridge over the Manzanares. On the other side is the Canto Cochino information point: turn left, leaving it on your right, and follow the river upstream on the PR-M 18 path, marked with white and yellow stripes. The path is narrow and side tracks branch off; pay attention so as not to stray. About 2 km from the start the Vivero bridge appears, where the PR-M 18 continues. To reach the Charca Verde you have to carry straight on: leave on your right the metal gate of a Park forest nursery, cross a low wall and the path is lost on the rock floor. Without losing your bearings, it is about 30 metres among rocks and shrubs to the pool. Legend has it that, very occasionally, from the middle of the Charca Verde a woman with long hair and slightly greenish skin emerges looking for a husband. To return you retrace the stretch to the Vivero bridge, cross it and, shortly after, take on the left a forest track that descends to the car park. From the track you see El Cáliz, a balanced rock, and at the start of the route there is an Arizona cypress with a strikingly twisted trunk. Route details Distance: 5.2 km, circular. Time: 1 h 40. Ascent: 173 m up and down; average gradient 7.6%. Altitude: from 1,022 to 1,137 m. Water, yes; swimming, no After rain and the thaw the Manzanares comes down strongly and the route looks its best. But according to the Park swimming is not permitted in the River Manzanares, nor in the Charca Verde, and dogs may not enter the water. If you are looking for somewhere to swim, the only bathing areas around the Park are the natural pools of Las Berceas, in Cercedilla, and the presillas of Rascafría. Getting there By car, to the Canto Cochino car park, free and with a quota of 270 vehicles. From October to May, at weekends and public holidays the barrier does not let cars in between 10:30 and 16:00, and the quota usually fills between 8:30 and 9:00. From June to September, at weekends it closes from 9:30 to 18:30. If there is no space, walk up from the visitor centre via the Camorza gorge. It is a good first route with children who already walk; if you want something longer, the El Tolmo route leaves from the same bridge. - **Camorza Gorge, from the visitor centre to Canto Cochino** (1 h 35 · 4.9 km · Beginners; the best option if the Canto Cochino barrier is closed): A simple path, for beginner hikers according to the National Park, linking the La Pedriza Visitor Centre with Canto Cochino following the River Manzanares. The Park describes it as perhaps the most impressive way to enter La Pedriza: the river is hemmed into the La Camorza gorge and forms pools and waterfalls among granite forms. It is 4.9 km one way, on a gentle climb, and 1 h 35 for an average walker. The route It leaves from the visitor centre car park and follows a stretch of the GR-10 to the ruins of the Old Castle of Manzanares. From there it goes up the Manzanares along its right bank, passes near the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Peña Sacra and, after crossing the river, reaches the El Tranco area. Past the vehicle barrier, you continue upstream with the water on your left; the gorge narrows and the pools and small waterfalls of this upper stretch of the river appear. Here the river marks the boundary between two very different landscapes. On the right is La Pedriza Anterior, which coincides with the National Park boundary: rock, rounded granite forms, scrub, junipers and holm oaks. On the left, the Camorza hill, much less rocky and covered in replanted pine woods. After a kilometre of gentle climbing you reach the Foca area, where the river makes a tight bend and the path crosses it by a wooden bridge. The last stretch, now with the river on your right, goes along a wider, sandy path among willows, ash trees and alders to the Canto Cochino car park. This part is within the Ecological Recovery Plan of the River Manzanares in its Upper Stretch. Route details Distance: 4.9 km, one-way crossing. Time: 1 h 35. Ascent: 198 m up and 79 m down; average gradient 7.4%. Altitude: from 915 to 1,035 m. Surface: path, rocky at the start and sandy at the end. Why it is the best option if the barrier is closed The Canto Cochino car park has a quota and hours, and at weekends from October to May it fills early. This path lets you enter on foot without depending on it: you leave the car at the visitor centre or come on foot from Manzanares el Real, which the 724 bus reaches. On reaching Canto Cochino you can continue to the Charca Verde or to El Tolmo. As it is a one-way crossing, to return you retrace your steps, which doubles the distance. With children and a dog Its gentle gradient suits families with children who already walk. Dogs must be on a lead, and swimming in the River Manzanares is not permitted. Take water and footwear that grips on the rock areas of the first stretch. - **Mendoza Castle of Manzanares el Real** (30 min · Everyone): The new castle of Manzanares el Real, or Mendoza castle, is the image of the village: a 15th-century castle-palace of pale granite on the shore of the Santillana reservoir, with La Pedriza behind it. Tourism of the Community of Madrid says visits to the castle are temporarily suspended, with no reopening date published, so today it is enjoyed from outside. Its history The origin lies in the lordship of the Real de Manzanares, which the Crown created to settle the disputes between the councils of Segovia and Madrid over these lands. In 1445 John II granted Íñigo López de Mendoza the titles of Marquis of Santillana and Count of the Real de Manzanares. Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, first Duke of the Infantado, ordered the new castle built and commissioned the architect Juan Guas for the design. The result mixes Gothic and Mudéjar elements and served as a precedent for the Infantado palace in Guadalajara. After centuries of neglect it was restored in 1914, under Vicente Lampérez, and in 1964, under Manuel González Valcárcel. It was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1931, and in 1982 it hosted the committee that drafted the Statute of Autonomy of the Community of Madrid and its signing; the Statute came into force in 1983. What you see from outside The core is a square of ashlar granite with three attached cylindrical towers and the square-plan keep. A lower barbican with a crenellated wall-walk surrounds it, and the entrance is defended with machicolations and turrets with arrow slits. Inside, which cannot now be seen, it has a residential courtyard with a double gallery of basket-arch arcades, instead of a parade ground, and collections of tapestries, paintings, armour and furniture. Walk around it on foot; from the wall-walk, when it was open to visitors, you could see La Pedriza and the reservoir, and from outside you have the same pair in the background. It is a short, free walk, suitable for dogs on a lead and small children. The old castle Do not confuse it with the old castle of Manzanares, of which only ruins remain. It is on the way to La Pedriza and the Camorza gorge path passes it, leaving from the visitor centre and following the GR-10 to it before going up the river. Getting there and what to combine Manzanares el Real is on the M-608; from Madrid the 724 bus arrives from the Plaza de Castilla interchange, with several stops in the village. It combines well with a morning walk in La Pedriza and lunch at La Reunión, on the village square. Before going, check on the Community of Madrid tourism website whether visits to the interior have resumed. - **La Pedriza Visitor Centre** (45 min · Everyone, as a first stop): The La Pedriza Visitor Centre is the logical first stop before entering the massif. It is on the Camino de La Pedriza, about 2 km from the centre of Manzanares el Real, next to the tarmac track that climbs via the Quebrantaherraduras pass to Canto Cochino, and about 200 metres before the barrier. It is also the headquarters of the environmental education area of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park. Entry is free. What is inside and outside The building has reception and information, a library, a conference room and temporary exhibition rooms, as well as the permanent exhibition 'Journey to the Sierra de Guadarrama', which tours the sierra from the summits to the valleys. Outside, on a fenced and landscaped plot of about two hectares, there are themed areas: the Pequeña Pedriza and the Rock Garden for geology; the Arboretum, Forests for the Future, the Aromatic Garden and the Ecological Garden for plants; and a bird observatory, an aquarium and a herpetofauna centre. They are visited independently; groups must book. It is accessible for people with reduced mobility and has an adapted route for people with visual impairment. With prior booking, it lends two joëlette chairs so that qualified people can carry someone with reduced mobility through the mountains. What it is useful for before a walk Here they tell you which routes suit your level and time, and how access to Canto Cochino is. The Canto Cochino car park has a quota of 270 cars, which at weekends from October to May usually fills between 8:30 and 9:00; if it is full, from the centre itself the path of the Camorza gorge leaves on foot, easy and 4.9 km to Canto Cochino. They also remind you of the rules: you do not leave the paths, dogs are always on a lead, camping is not allowed, swimming in the Manzanares is not permitted and bivouacking, only with a sleeping bag and no tent, is allowed only at Las Torres, El Laberinto and El Yelmo. There are guided activities for groups, which can be enquired about on 918 539 978, and for individuals in the Park's activity calendar. Opening hours The centre is open every day of the year from 9:00 to 15:00, except 1 and 6 January and 24, 25 and 31 December. Do not confuse these hours with those of the Canto Cochino information point, next to the Manzanares bridge, which from November to March opens only at weekends and on special days from 9:00 to 16:30, and from April to October daily, until 19:00 at weekends. Getting there By car, from the M-608 linking Collado Villalba and Venturada, at the turn-off at kilometre 25.7. By public transport, the 724 bus leaves from the Plaza de Castilla interchange; from the stop by the church or the one at the Montañero roundabout it is about 15 minutes on foot along the path parallel to the track. Line 720, between Colmenar Viejo and Collado Villalba, also stops. - **Bouldering in La Pedriza with a hired crashpad** (4 h · Experienced climbers; not a guided activity): According to the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, La Pedriza is one of the most important friction-climbing areas in the world: domes, cracks, walls, crags and granite boulders, with loose blocks all over the massif. For bouldering, rope-free climbing at low height, all you need is climbing shoes and a mat or crashpad to cushion falls. If you do not have one, in Manzanares el Real the Hostel La Pedriza rents them. Crashpad hire The hostel rents Mushroompads crashpads, Stereo model, for €17 a day. Open it measures 140 × 100 × 11.5 cm and closed it folds to 70 × 100 × 23 cm, with ballistic Cordura fabric, three layers of foam, reinforced corners and a weight of 6.8 kg. It is collected at the hostel itself, on Calle Real, near the 724 bus stop. Write to them beforehand to make sure one is left on the day you go. It is not a guided activity or a course: it is for those who already climb and know how to fall and place the mat. If it is your first time, look first for an introductory session with a qualified guide. Park rules that affect bouldering Climbing is regulated by the Park's Plan Rector de Uso y Gestión, in its article 47. What affects you most as a boulderer: You may only climb in the sectors marked on the Park's climbing zones map. No chalk is used, to avoid visual impact on the rock. The hostel also sells chalk, but inside the National Park the rule is not to use it. No new holds are carved or existing ones retouched, and no holds or footholds are glued on. No new routes are opened or equipped. In addition, each year a cliff-nesting bird protection plan temporarily closes sectors, routes and alleys during breeding, normally from 1 January to 31 July. In 2026 in La Pedriza Anterior it affects, among others, Cancho Cofre or La Cripta, the cancho and alley of Arroyo de los Huertos, the alley of Peña Sirio and some routes of the Cueva de La Mora. There are signs and tape at the access points; check the updated list on the Park's website before going. When to go and how to get there Autumn, winter and spring, with cool temperatures, are the best season; in summer, first thing is better. To reach the interior boulder area by car you have to pass the Canto Cochino barrier: parking is free but has a quota of 270 cars, which at weekends and public holidays from October to May usually fills between 8:30 and 9:00. If you arrive late, enter on foot via the Camorza gorge from the visitor centre. Remember that camping is not allowed and dogs must always be on a lead. Afterwards, the hostel has a bar-restaurant for the return. ## Dónde comer - **La Reunión, mountain bar and restaurant** (Restaurant, Manzanares el Real, €€). Qué pedir: croquettes and barbecued Sierra de Guadarrama chuletón - **Hostel La Pedriza Bar-Restaurant** (Bar, Manzanares el Real, €). Qué pedir: the dish of the day or a sandwich for the mountain; there are always vegan options ## As a family: Granite, river and a fairy-tale castle La Pedriza is a granite playground: boulders, passages between rocks and a river you can hear. With children, stay on the routes the Park marks for beginners and leave El Tolmo for when they walk well. ### What works best The River Manzanares and Charca Verde circuit, 5.2 km The La Camorza gorge, a gentle climb from the visitor centre The Manzanares castle from outside, next to the reservoir The visitor centre, as a first stop ### Where to sleep Hostel La Pedriza, with four-bed rooms with bathroom ### Where to eat La Reunión, with a terrace on the car-free square ### Bear in mind Swimming is not permitted in the River Manzanares On winter weekends the barrier closes from 10:30 to 16:00: arrive earlier or enter on foot The castle cannot be visited inside ### Qué hacer as a family - The River Manzanares and the Charca Verde via the Vivero bridge - Camorza Gorge, from the visitor centre to Canto Cochino - Mendoza Castle of Manzanares el Real - La Pedriza Visitor Centre ## Consejos ### Get in before 10:30 On winter weekends, the barrier does not let cars through from 10:30 to 16:00. ### If you arrive late, park below Leave the car at the visitor centre and climb up La Camorza. ### Wear shoes with grip The granite of La Pedriza is smooth; worn soles slip. ### Eat in the square La Reunión, with a terrace in the Plaza del Pueblo, is open on Sundays from 12:00. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### Do you have to book to enter La Pedriza? Not for private individuals. The Canto Cochino car park is free, with a quota of 270 cars and barrier hours; on foot you can always get in. ### What time does the La Pedriza barrier close? From October to May, at weekends and on public holidays you cannot get in from 10:30 to 16:00. In summer, at weekends you can enter only from 7:00 to 9:30 and from 18:30 to 22:30. ### Can you swim in the River Manzanares? No: the National Park does not allow swimming in the river. ### Can you go with a dog? Yes, always on a lead and without leaving the path. ### Can you visit the castle of Manzanares el Real? Not inside: visits are temporarily suspended. From outside, yes. ### How do you go without a car? On bus 724 from Plaza de Castilla, and on foot from the village via the visitor centre and the La Camorza gorge.