Attractions and Places To See around Colmenar Del Arroyo - Top 20

Beautiful and easy path along the Alberche river.

La Presa de Picadas is a hydraulic infrastructure located on the Alberche River, which gives rise to the reservoir of the same name. Surrounded by a natural environment of great beauty, it stands out for its rugged landscapes, pine forests, and calm waters, making it an ideal point of interest to enjoy nature in the Sierra Oeste of Madrid.

The Embalse de Picadas is a natural enclave located on the course of the Alberche river, surrounded by pine forests and steep slopes that create a landscape of great beauty. Its calm waters and uncrowded environment make it an ideal place to enjoy nature in the Sierra Oeste of Madrid.

Easy to find and very nice views.

The section between San Martín de Valdeiglesias and Aldea del Fresno is very comforting due to the route of the old Alberche train. The path is favorable and you simply have to maintain your inertia through the pine forests of Pelayos de la Presa and the shore of the Picadas reservoir to the dam wall, a delightful cycling ride. At the dam you have to cross a small slope and go down to the Alberche River bridge in Aldea del Fresno, which due to recent floods was under repair the day we passed. The route continues along the entertaining and sandy Camino de Navayuncosa, passing by the Palace of the Count of Caralt and following a section of the old railway to Villamanta, where we once again find damage to the road due to flooding. In the municipality of Navalcarnero we follow the milestones of CiclaMadrid along the rural roads marked with carved and sculpted granite posts with the names of the paths and roads of the municipality, on the map it says Camino de Madrid and on the stone post Camino from Valdeyeso. Navalcarnero has a stop in the square, it is monumental and a good place to have the last snack before the final push. In the Dehesa de Marimartín we reconnect with the route of the old Alberche railway, we pass over the iron bridge of the Guadarrama River and along the greenway we immediately arrive at the lonely streets of Mostoles Tecnológico. In this section, the CiclaMadrid milestones follow a rather uncomfortable livestock route through industrial estates and urban areas, until they cross the peripheral urbanizations of Villaviciosa de Odón and through the old military camps of Venta de la Rubia and the Meaques stream, they enter the Cottage.

The Navahonda hermitage exists as a result of an appearance of the Virgin of Navahonda in an oak tree, to a rancher from Robledo de Chavela, indicating the place of her burial. To get to the Ermita from Robledo de Chavela you must first climb the demanding peak of Navahonda and then descend its mountaineering technique.

This hermitage, with a date of construction, houses the image of the Virgin of Navahonda. This image was hidden in these mountains by the Segovians to protect it from the Muslims during their stay on the peninsula. Hidden for 400 years until 1113, the death of a count causes the disappearance of the Virgin in Oak lands. A farmer found her, and the town of Robledo then decided to worship her and build a hermitage with her name. The Segovians find out about this and leave for the town of Madrid with mules to recover their virgin. Legend has it that, however, when going to begin the path, the mules refuse to advance through the intercession of the virgin to stay in that place. Its year of construction is unknown, although it must be before the 19th century. XVI, since there is evidence of a visit to the temple of King Felipe II.

The Navahonda hermitage is a modest stone church from the 16th and 16th centuries. Legend has it that it was visited by King Philip II. The temple is located in the GR 10 as it passes through the municipality of Robledo de Chavela.