Route details:
Signage: forest tracks, paths marked by milestones inconspicuous stone
Length: 14 km
Duration: 5 hours
Circular route: If
Departure: Port of Cotos
Arrival: Port of Cotos
Minimum altitude: 1,835 meters
Maximum altitude: 2,250 meters
Degree of difficulty: Low to mid-level sections
View Laguna de los Pajaros Route in a larger map
This route runs through the natural park of criminal court, which are the highest levels of the Community of Madrid, so before you decide to do this route, it notice that depending on the time of the year in which perform the difficulty changes from being low in summer to a high level if we try it in winter and without the proper equipment.
To reach the port of reserves, which is where the route begins and ends, the two best options are to go by car or train.
If we go by car from Madrid the shortest route is to take the A6 and take exit 39 toward to Navacerrada (M601). Then we will be guided by signs to Puerto de Navacerrada, and once there we take the road out to the right towards the Port of Preserves and Rascafría (M604). It takes about an hour, which is only 70 km from Madrid, although it should be a bit up early because the parking is very large for the amount of people and fills up quickly.
If we do not want to drive by the parking problems, it is best in close up (line C9), with great views of the mountains on their way from Cercedilla.
Another important aspect is that the route in glorious Peñalara Natural Park, where many species protected, so before you go is essential to have clear rules for public use in the park: http://www.parquenaturalpenalara.org/uso-publico/normas/normas.html
Having read and understood all above, we can only prepare to start the route.
started in the Casa del Parque, where can we get information about other routes, recommendations for the visit, etc..
From here begins a gentle climb along a track surrounded by pine forest that few minutes later we find a source.
A little later, we arrived at the Mirador de la Gitana, from where we can see the Sierra de la Cuerda Larga.
is also just across the water tank, where we step on the path to your right there. This path is also known as Way of Water.
This area is very simple and has no loss. Surrounded by pine trees started but gradually we see how it changes the vegetation to shrubs and other species of less importance.
The path runs along the hillside, allowing us to get a good view of the summits of the Ball of the World, as long as the fog permitting.
At this point, the road is common with which goes to the Laguna Grande de Peñalara, but not for long.
After a shift to the left, the stream of Criminal Procedure, which descends directly from the Laguna Grande of the same name.
crossed the bridge that passes over the river to face the toughest climb of the entire journey. It is a narrow path of gravel and loose rocks about 500 meters long in which climb over 100 meters.
Once up, we find an indication of the way forward to reach the Lagoon Birds in which appears an estimated duration of 1:30 for the trek.
From this point, we took a well-defined path that only lasts a few hundred meters, but then we can lead us either by stone milestones that mark the way forward.
About 15 minutes later, capping a ridge from which we can see the area called "Five Lakes", which in spring is full of small lakes due to melting.
If you do the route in the spring, we can also see large fields with the melting Falls are going to stop the glacier lagoons that dot this part of the course.
The rest of the way to the lake of the birds is fairly flat and should have no more difficulty in a normal day, but when I did, from the Five Lakes area of \u200b\u200bthick fog enveloped us that did not allow us greater visibility to 10 meters, so finding the landmarks of stone was a very complicated task in many places.
In fact, we had to stand on several occasions to guide, or waiting for someone to come in the opposite direction or taking advantage of scarce minutes when the fog lifted a little in order to continue the journey.
Such was the fog that once we got to the Lake of the Birds, we were not aware of it until we were walking a few meters from the shore, so we decided to move up a bit and wait half an hour to see if the fog lifted, and the wait was rewarded.
When the fog finally decided to give us a longer truce, we climbed a bit further down the road that leads to the Risco of the Birds and the Passage of the Carnations in order to contemplate the lake in peak.
From this point, if the views of the lagoon were for recreation, the impressive view of the ridge of the Birds and the snowy crest of the Carnations was no less.
decided to skirt the lake to contemplate from every possible angle before the fog that threatened to deprive us of a return as spectacular images.
As the midpoint of the route, this is a good place to regain strength before embarking on the way back.
Just on the edge of the lake where we ate, had a crack in one of the snowfields that feed the Lake of the Birds.
Before leaving this area, we walked across the plain that is away from the path we must take to see the valley of Lozoya the Pinilla Reservoir in the background, hidden behind the mist.
From the Lake of the Birds up to the vicinity of the Five Lakes area, the fog had lifted, so we ran out again to enjoy the views of the cliffs that lead up to the passage of carnations. However, as we approach the Five Lakes, the fog lifted and we see this set from a different perspective.
When walking through the area of \u200b\u200bthe gaps, try not to leave the trails, because it is one of the largest aerial park's ecological value.
Before leaving this part of the route, we take a last look from atop the glacial lakes in improved visibility when we for the first time.
follow the stony path guided by the silhouette of Two Sisters. From here you can clearly left the paths that lead to the port Cotos.
A little later, we see the bridge through which we draw the stream of criminal and paths that lead to Cotos (left) and the Laguna Grande penalty (right).
to not give so much back, took a path not so marked that leads directly to the Laguna Grande in the jail, which will try to not get out unless absolutely necessary.
Once in the Laguna de Peñalara, we take another break to recharge your batteries and see the lake while we make the sun like lizards lounging on the rocks.
At this point, we decided to change a bit the way we had planned to return, and began to walk along the lake in search of a path that goes through piles of stone from the shore opposite.
In this part, must respect the protective fence that prevents us to come to the lagoon, so we walked along the fence to an area where there are more options than jump between boulders .
After overcoming these obstacles, on the right a more or less marked according to the stretch, it is not as busy as a path can be the way of water.
To give you an idea, this path passes just below the shelter Zabala and above the protected area of \u200b\u200bPeñalara Hoya.
As we go away from the area of \u200b\u200bPeñalara Hoya, the path becomes more visible, but if you look back, we can see the entire Peñalara Circus with the peak of the same name by closing the set on the right side of the image.
About 500 meters later, we join the RP1 and RP2 routes that climb to the refuge of Zabala and Peñalara summit, taking forest track that has a whip to the left slope.
continue along the forest path until we got back to the water tank, where we turn right onto the road that takes us back to our starting point, the Port of Preserves.
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