Hotel Rural La Fuente
Why we like it: Small rural hotel with four double rooms in Patones de Arriba, with a shared lounge with fireplace and kitchen, which accepts dogs.
From €40
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Duration1 night
From Madrid1 h to Patones by car
Budget€120–190 pp
Best timeOctober – November · April – June
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for Saturday to Sunday. Ask for the Hayedo pass in the online draw or go for an in-person one on Sunday at 9:30; the Hayedo closes on Mondays, so don't leave it for a long weekend that ends on a Monday.
Saturday
- 110:00Introductory climbing in Patones
Four hours on rock with PlanetSport in Patones de Abajo, from age 6: €45 per person on their website. Book the date beforehand.
- 214:30Lunch in Patones de Arriba
El Rey de Patones, the village's first restaurant, since 1970: kid, migas, fabes. Or Las Eras, right at the top, with a dog.
- 316:30A walk round Patones de Arriba
The streets of black slate, a Site of Cultural Interest. The shuttle from Patones de Abajo runs at weekends until 19:00.
- 418:00Pontón de la Oliva
Ten minutes by car to the ashlar dam in the Lozoya gorge. Come back to the village for dinner.
Sunday
- 19:30Pass in Montejo de la Sierra
Collect the pass at the Sierra del Rincón information centre, at Calle Real 64. From Patones, count an hour and a quarter.
- 210:00Guided trail through the Hayedo de Montejo
Free, with a guide and a daily quota. No dogs.
- 312:45Buitrago wall
The high wall and the Clock Tower, €5; on Sunday it closes at 13:45.
- 414:00Asador Las Murallas and the Arrabal bridge
Lunch inside the walls and a stroll along the Lozoya bank before heading back by the A-1.
The Sierra Norte de Madrid is hard to see in a day, because Patones, Buitrago and the Hayedo de Montejo are 40 minutes from one another. With one night it sorts itself out: on Saturday, the rock and the slate village of Patones; on Sunday, first thing, the guided trail through the Hayedo and, before lunch, the Buitrago wall. It is an hour from Madrid and a little less from Guadalajara.
Where to sleep
| Accommodation | Type | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Rural La Fuente | Four double rooms in Patones de Arriba, with a shared fireplace | Couples or with a dog, dining on foot in the village |
| El Bulín de Patones | Four apartments with kitchens, for 2 to 4 | Families, dogs too |
| La Beltraneja | Rooms against the Buitrago wall | Those who prefer sleeping close to the Hayedo; no pets |
Sleeping in Patones makes Saturday complete; sleeping in Buitrago saves you 40 minutes on Sunday morning.
Getting around
By car: there is no transport linking Patones, Montejo and Buitrago. From Madrid you go up the A-1 and Torrelaguna to Patones; on Sunday, from Patones to Montejo via Torrelaguna and the A-1, and back to Madrid from Buitrago on the A-1, about 75 km.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Madrid's Sierra Norte: Patones, Buitrago and the Montejo Beech Forest, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Madrid's Sierra Norte: Patones, Buitrago and the Montejo Beech Forest
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
By car along the A-1
The Sierra Norte is done by car: Patones, the Pontón de la Oliva, Buitrago and the Hayedo de Montejo are far from each other and have no bus linking them. The A-1 is the backbone: exit 74 for Buitrago and Riosequillo, and the turn-off via Torrelaguna for Patones.
50–100 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Rural La Fuente, in…
- Getting aroundPatones de Arriba: car at…
- Where to eatEl Rey de Patones and…
- ServicesBeech forest pass at the…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Rural La Fuente, in Patones de Arriba, with dog
- El Bulín de Patones, apartments with a kitchen
- La Beltraneja, inside the Buitrago wall
Getting around
- Patones de Arriba: car at the village entrance; shuttle at weekends
- Buitrago: free municipal car park on Calle Tahona
- From Buitrago to the beech forest, about 40 minutes via Montejo de la Sierra
Where to eat
- El Rey de Patones and Las Eras, open on Sunday at lunchtime
- Asador Las Murallas, in Buitrago, Tuesday to Sunday
Services
- Beech forest pass at the Montejo centre, 9:30 to 14:45
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights1
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
El Bulín de Patones
Why we like it: Four stone-named studios in a house on Calle de las Escuelas in Patones de Arriba, with kitchen and shared courtyard; dogs accepted in three.
From €40
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La Beltraneja
Why we like it: Rural accommodation in two joined houses on the Buitrago wall, with rooms built against 10th-century wall sections and code entry.
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Patones | Slate village, climbing and Pontón de la Oliva | |
| Buitrago del Lozoya | Wall, Picasso Museum and Riosequillo | |
| Sierra del Rincón | Montejo Beech Forest |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Madrid's Sierra Norte: Patones, Buitrago and the Montejo Beech Forest
El Rey de Patones
What to order: suckling kid or migas, and whatever is in season at the weekend
Las Eras Restaurant
What to order: chargrilled meat with sautéed vegetables, or migas with chorizo
El Bodegón de Patones
What to order: a spoon dish and whatever the garden gives that week
Asador Las Murallas Restaurant
What to order: Torreznos or ham with beans to start, a roast Sierra de Guadarrama meat and, for dessert, French toast with ice cream
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
If you can't get a Hayedo pass, swap Sunday morning for the Picasso Museum in Buitrago, which is open from 10:00 to 14:00, and the wall.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do you get the Hayedo pass?
By online draw on the Sierra del Rincón website, from the 1st to the 5th and from the 16th to the 20th of each month, or in person on the same day at Montejo de la Sierra. It is always collected there.
Can I go with a dog?
Patones, the Pontón and Buitrago, yes; the Hayedo de Montejo, no. La Fuente and El Bulín admit dogs.
How much does the weekend cost?
Between €120 and €190 per person with accommodation, climbing, meals and petrol.
Is it worth sleeping there?
Yes: with a night you reach the Hayedo first thing without leaving Madrid in the small hours.