Circo de Peñalara, Glacial cirque in Sierra de Guadarrama, Spain
Circo de Peñalara is a glacial cirque in the Sierra de Guadarrama containing over twenty small alpine lakes ringed by steep granite cliffs and mountain meadows. The formation sits at roughly 2,400 meters (7,875 feet) elevation and displays classic glacial features including moraines and U-shaped valleys carved by ancient ice.
The cirque formed during the last ice age when glacial ice carved and shaped the mountain valley into its distinctive form. Successive glacial advances and retreats left behind the steep walls, lake basins, and rocky features visible in the landscape today.
The area near Peñalara maintains traditional mountain architecture in surrounding villages, with the 14th-century Monastery of El Paular representing regional heritage.
The area is accessible via several marked trails from Puerto de Cotos, with the main route leading toward Laguna Grande and the surrounding lakes. The high elevation and steep terrain require hiking experience and proper gear, especially during unstable weather conditions.
The area harbors plant species found nowhere else at this elevation, and its lakes contain rare amphibian populations that have adapted to the cold water conditions. Black vultures and golden eagles nest here, making it an important refuge for large birds of prey in the mountain range.
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