It started with a mushroom omelette and ended with Markus knee-deep in a glacial lagoon yelling, “IT’S GOOD FOR RECOVERY!”
The in-between bit? Just two of the most beautiful peaks in central Spain. One with the name of a bakery item. One with the views of a high alpine epic. And the best part: you can run the whole thing in a day without needing ropes, crampons, or a support team.
Sierra de Guadarrama doesn’t scream for attention. It’s not as high as the Pyrenees. It doesn’t have the drama of the Picos. But what it does have is flow—forests that open into ridgelines, granite paths that make your calves weep, and a level of solitude you wouldn’t expect just 90 minutes outside Madrid.
The Route: Fuenfría → Montón de Trigo → Peñalara → Cotos
We started in Puerto de la Fuenfría, legs still sleepy from the long bus ride from Madrid. The trail into Montón de Trigo kicks up fast—pine needles, old Roman road slabs, and then this absurdly vertical final stretch where the path seems to lose all concept of gravity.
The name, by the way, means “Pile of Wheat”, which sounds soft and cuddly until you’re scrambling over its boulder crown wondering how your kneecaps got this loud.
The descent’s short and savage. We cut across the forest belt, took a water stop at Laguna de los Pájaros (one of those high alpine tarns that looks like you’ve entered a glacial postcard), and began the final climb to Peñalara.
Peñalara: The Crown of Guadarrama
At 2,428 metres, Peñalara is the highest point in the range. The final ridge to the summit isn’t exactly technical, but there’s exposure, and your legs are already cooked by this point. You’ll probably curse a few rocks, rethink your sock choice, and then—suddenly—you’re there.
Clouds below you. Vultures looping. One of us may have wept. We’re not naming names.
This peak is special. Maybe because it’s the highest. Maybe because it’s ringed with glacial history. Maybe because you can see both Segovia and Madrid, depending on which way you’re breathing.
We didn’t hang around too long—it was getting cold, and Markus had already started asking if snacks counted as a proper lunch.
The Descent to Cotos (a.k.a. Trail Legs Activated)
This is where the flow kicks in. You drop down toward Laguna Grande de Peñalara, one of Spain’s last surviving post-glacial lakes, and suddenly you’re surrounded by tourists in jeans and tiny dogs on extendable leads.
It’s disorienting. You were just high in the ridges with wind and rock, and now you’re dodging photo shoots and overheard Tinder arguments.
But the trail holds. Soft pine. Wide curves. No more climbing. Just the long glide down to Puerto de Cotos, knees half-singing, half-swearing, and the vague smell of chorizo coming from the nearest refuge.
Would We Recommend It?
A hundred times yes.
If you want altitude without full-blown alpinism, this loop is a dream. You get forests, scrambles, ridges, and lakes. Two summits. One epic memory.
We’ll admit it doesn’t have the drama of our Picos de Europa misadventure (feat. goat drama and a very smug Markus), but it does deliver big views with surprisingly runnable climbs.
And if you’re the sort of person who only finds their rhythm after a wrong turn, a muddy scramble, or a run-in with something with tusks, then you’ll probably enjoy Wild Boars and Wild Thoughts — a different kind of forest run entirely.
📊 Quick Trail Stats
| Start point | Puerto de la Fuenfría |
|---|---|
| End point | Puerto de Cotos |
| Peaks | Montón de Trigo (2,161 m), Peñalara (2,428 m) |
| Distance | ≈ 21–23 km (loop) |
| Elevation gain | ~1,300–1,500 m total |
| Best season | May–October (snow possible late/early) |
| Trail type | Point-to-point or loop (transport between passes) |
| Water points | Laguna de los Pájaros, Cotos (fountain) |