Hikes and Mingle - Madrid

On Friday 2nd we will explore the stunning Siete Picos or Sierra del Dragón. We will start the hike at Puerto de Navacerrada and from there, we will reach the backbone of the Dragon. We will need to walk calmly to prevent him from waking up after centuries of deep sleep. Then we will advance down the ridge, touching and climbing all possible bones, even the further away Majalasna peak, the bone tail.

From Puerto de Navacerrada to the 7th Peak, or Somontano, it will be an easy, but continuous uphill hike. Then, depending what the group decides, we can either walk along the side of the ridge through all the peaks until 1st Peak (Majalasna Peak) or, for those willing to climb up a little bit, we can also try to climb every single one of the Seven Peaks :)

It is not a very difficult hike, but it won´t be easy either. We will be walking for 5-6 hours and climbing some of the peaks.

And on our way back we will enjoy stunning views over the Fuenfria and Valsais valleys and forests as we will follow the popular Schmidt Trail, taking us back to the Navacerrada mountain port safe and sound!

Weather is going to be beautiful for hiking up there: sunny and between 12 - 18 Celsius.

➡ HIKE INFO & DETAILS:

• PRICE 15 € for the guided hike
• DISTANCE: 14 kms
• DURATION: 7 h (including breaks, lunch, photos taking, summits climbing)
• TYPE: Loop
• ACCUMULATED INCLINE: 400 m
• DIFFICULTY: Medium

➡ HOW TO GET THERE:

🕑We are MEETING at 10:15 at Dos Castillas bar & restaurant https://goo.gl/maps/euWPwywv2or

🚗 BY CAR: Map location of the nearest parking lot: https://goo.gl/maps/ZfWRTmcqaA12

If there are enough cars we will coordinate and allocate everyone atendding the hike in the available cars the day before the hike. This will be done through the WhatsApp hike group.

Please, provide us with your WhatsApp number when signing up.

🚌 BY BUS: Take the 691 bus from Moncloa Intercambiador at 9:00 am. Dársena/Platform 21.

Please double check the platform when arriving at Moncloa transport hub. Also the bus leaves promptly at 9:00, so please plan to arrive earlier before the bus departure (8:50 should be fine) to secure a place in the bus. Also allow yourself some extra time as metro and buses run less frequently on weekends than on weekdays.

The price of a one-way ticket is 5.10€, please bring change of 5 or 10€ for the driver. They do not accept bigger notes. Also if you happen to have an Abono Joven, good news for you: the trip is included with it and therefore it is free for you by showing your Abono! :)

Let the bus driver know that you want to get off the bus at Puerto de Navacerrada (Venta Arias) bus stop.

➡ WHAT TO BRING / QUÉ LLEVAR:

• Hiking shoes or mountain boots. Trail running sneakers are ok as well. / Zapatillas de trekking o botas de montaña. Zapatillas de correr o trail con suela que agarre también está bien.
• A small backpack for your stuff / Una mochila para tus cosas.
• 1,5L of water or other soft drinks per person. PLEASE DON´T BRING LESS / 1,5L de agua por persona. Por favor, no traigáis menos.
• Your lunch / Tu comida.
• Sunscreen & sunglasses / Protección solar y gafas de sol.
• A hat or a cap / Una gorra o sombrero.
• Gloves and a scarf / Guantes y bufanda o buff para el cuello.
• A fleece or warm sweatshirt as it might be cold in the morning or evening. / Un forro polar o sudadera.
• A windproof jacket or a coat / Un cortavientos, chaqueta o abrigo.
• Bring yourself ready to enjoy a wonderful and fun hike with like-minded people! :)
• Y, por supuesto, trae muchas ganas de disfrutar de un día divertido con una genial compañía! :)

We expect to be back at Moncloa intercambiador around 19:00h. However, bear in mind that the expected time is approximated since hiking depends on the group's pace and any other circumstances that might arise along the hike.

*** PAYMENT *** If you rather save the MeetUp & Paypal attendees´ fees, contact us directly and we will provide alternative payment methods.

Join us on our next Saturday 15th delightful hike, that will take us along the Angostura valley from Puerto de Cotos to the Presa del Pradillo (swimming area).

On our way down we will get to have one of the best, if not the best, views of Lozoya valley (Rascafría area) from the Guarda Forestal monument viewpoint on Cabeza Mediana.

Then we will reach the Padrillo swimming area where we will rest for some time, have lunch and sunbath for a while.

After enjoying a couple of hours there, we will begin our hike uphill calmly but steadily to reach again Puerto de Cotos. On our way back we will follow the Angostura stream.

This water course, which has its source in the Peñalara natural park, on the Madrid side of the Sierra de Guadarrama, is the province's main source of drinking water as it will later turn into the Lozoya river.

On our way back to Cotos we will walk covered under the shade of the trees while enjoying the different ponds that we will encounter.
And if you are brave enough, you can try the icy temperature waters of the stream.

Immerse yourself in nature, meet international friends, enhance your language skills and mingle in a breathtaking landscape.

➡ HIKE INFO & DETAILS:

• PRICE 14€ for the guided hike
• DISTANCE: 20km
• DURATION: 8h (including breaks, lunch, photos taking, etc)
• TYPE: Loop
• ELEVATION GAIN: 550m.
• ELEVATION LOSS: 5500m.
• DIFFICULTY: Moderate/Medium.

➡ HOW TO GET THERE:

🕑 We are MEETING at 10:15 am at Venta Marcelino (uphill from the train station, and in front of the bus stop: the only bar you'll see next to the road). https://goo.gl/maps/wsPaW22FoEv

🚗 BY CAR - Map location of the nearest parking lot: https://goo.gl/maps/C1dsKzLZMCz

🚌 If there are enough cars we will coordinate and allocate everyone atendding the hike in the available cars. This will be done through the WhatsApp hike group to be created the day before de hike.

Please, provide us with your WhatsApp number when signing up.

BY BUS - Take the 691 bus from Moncloa Intercambiador at 9:00 am. Dársena/Platform 21. Please double check it when arriving at Moncloa transport hub.

Allow yourself 10/15 minutes to navigate and find the bus platform if you are not familiar with Moncloa Intercambiador.

http://www.redtransporte.com/madrid/autobuses-interurbanos/691-madrid-collado-villalba-navacerrada.html

The price of a one-way ticket is 5.10€, please bring change. If you have the Abono Joven, it is included. Get off at Puerto de Cotos (Venta Marcelino) bus stop.

➡ WHAT TO BRING / QUÉ LLEVAR:

• Hiking shoes or mountain boots. Trail running sneakers are ok as well. / Zapatillas de trekking o botas de montaña. Zapatillas de correr o trail con suela que agarre también está bien.
• A small backpack for your stuff / Una mochila para tus cosas.
• 1,5L of water or other soft drinks per person. PLEASE DON´T BRING LESS / 1,5L de agua por persona. Por favor, no traigáis menos.
• Your lunch / Tu comida.
• Sunscreen & sunglasses / Protección solar y gafas de sol.
• A hat or a cap / Una gorra o sombrero.
• A fleece or warm sweatshirt as it might be cold. / Un forro polar o sudadera por el frío de la mañana/tarde o mientras caminemos por la sombra.
• Swimsuit / bañador.
• Bring yourself ready to enjoy a wonderful and fun hike with like-minded people! :)
• Y, por supuesto, trae muchas ganas de disfrutar de un día divertido con una genial compañía! :)

We expect to be back at Moncloa around 19:30h. However, bear in mind that this expected time is approximated since hiking depends on the group's pace and any other circumstances that might arise along the hike.

[If you cannot pay through Paypal or would like to save MeetUp & Paypal fees, please send us a message and we will provide you with an alternative payment method. Thank you.]

We will start the day by embarking on a moderate hiking trail, surrounded by the breathtaking natural beauty of El Pardo Forest. As we trek through the scenic pathways, take the chance to practice your English conversation skills and make new friends from diverse backgrounds. Our experienced language facilitators will be there to encourage engaging conversations and provide language support along the way.

Join Hikes and Mingle - Madrid on this unique outdoor English language exchange and hike event. Immerse yourself in nature, meet international friends, and enhance your language skills in a dynamic and fun-filled setting. Don't forget to bring your comfortable walking shoes, a positive attitude, and your enthusiasm for learning and exploring!