Valle de la Fuenfría, valley in Community of Madrid, Spain
Valle de la Fuenfría is a mountain valley in the Sierra de Guadarrama, within the Community of Madrid, covered with pine forests and crossed by small streams. The terrain varies between flat stretches along the water and steeper slopes that climb toward the Puerto de la Fuenfría pass.
The valley served as a passage between Madrid and Segovia from Roman times, and sections of the original paved road can still be seen. In the 18th century a royal road was built for summer travel, and the arrival of the railway at Cercedilla in the 19th century brought the first wave of regular hikers to the area.
Parts of an old Roman road are still walkable through the valley today, giving hikers a direct connection to a very old route between Castile and the plateau. Among the pine trees, plaques carry verses from well-known Spanish poets placed at intervals along the path.
The starting point is near Cercedilla, which is reachable by train, and a paved road leads from there to the trailheads. Weather in the valley can shift quickly, so solid footwear and an extra layer in the bag are always a good idea regardless of the season.
A spot in the valley called Ducha de los Alemanes, meaning the Germans' shower, takes its name from German mountaineers who used the natural waterfall as a rest stop in the early 20th century. Hikers still stop there today to cool off after the climb.
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