Cebollera Vieja (2.128m) from the Puerto de Somosierra (Sierra de Ayllon

The route we are proposing this week covers the western end of the Sierra de AyllónThe route takes us over the Somosierra pass, where the mountain range ends and the Guadarrama mountain range begins. On this route we will climb the last two mountain peaks of the Sierra de Ayllón to the west, including the peak of Cebollera Vieja or Tres ProvinciasAt this point the provinces of Guadalajara, Segovia and Madrid converge.

The proposed itinerary is completely circular, covering the whole of the range from Peña Cebollera to the apex of Cebollera Nueva. In reality, the lower part of the sierra is more beautiful than the upper part - torn by the firebreaks - and Visiting the waterfall of the Litueros and walking through the Bonita dehesa de Somosierra are two excursions worth doing on their own.

Litueros Waterfall

The Waterfall of the Litueros or Chorrera de los Litueros is a well-known waterfall, as it can be seen from the A1 motorway. This waterfall is one of the highest and most beautiful in the community of Madrid and canyoning is often practised in its waters (it is the only permitted canyon in the community and at weekends companies come and give courses). Among the latter, the waterfall is better known as Barranco de Somosierra. It is a small descent with a fairly flat and boxed-in first part, and a more vertical second part with three abseils, the longest of which is 30 metres long.

The waterfall is doubly well known, as it is popularly said that this is the source of the Duratón river, famous for its gorges near Sepúlveda. In reality, the Duratón is not actually born at the waterfall and is officially considered to originate at the confluence of the Pedrizas stream and the Peña stream. A very Segovian river born in Madrid.

La Dehesa bonita de Somosierra

The Dehesa Boyal or Dehesa Bonita de Somosierra is one of the most beautiful wooded areas in the community of Madrid. A forest more typical of the north of the peninsula. It is a perfect place to walk through at any time of the year, although the autumn is its most splendid moment, when the oak, mustard, birch, hazel and other species of the forest turn their leaves into the ochre colours we love so much.

In the meadow there are also several unique trees catalogued: two birch trees, a holly tree and two mustard trees. A small botanical jewel just a stone's throw from the capital.

Singular tree: Mustard of the Dehesa de Somosierra II

MAP:

Summary:

Ascent to Peña Cebollera from the Somosierra pass, passing by the Litueros waterfall and the mountain range that separates Segovia from Segovia. Madrid. Descent along the Sierra Cebollera mountain range to the Cebollera Nueva summit, passing through Cuchar Quemado, and then down to the Somosierra pass through the dehesa Boyal or dehesa de Somosierra.

Downloadable:

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How to get there:

See in Google Maps.

The start of the route is at the top of the mountain pass of Somosierra, on the old national road N1. Coming from Madrid take exit 91, coming from Burgos take exit 92. In total there are 102 kilometres from Madrid, 67kms from Segovia or 149kms from Burgos.

Technical specifications:

Distance: 19.4 kms.
Cumulative difference in altitude: +1.015m/-1.015m.
Timetable: about 6 hours. Walking time non-stop: 5 hours 10 minutes.
Water: the only fountain we saw was the Fuentefría fountain, on the descent.
Difficulty: Once the 800 metres of ascent to Cebollera have been overcome, the route has many sections that can be done on foot. The lower part can be quite confusing without GPS.
Recommended equipment: boots or slippers, walking sticks, canteen, GPS recommended.
Suggestion: This route is located next to the A1 motorway, very close to Madrid, Segovia and Burgos. For the rest, it is a strategic passing place that can be ideal for a stopover if you are going on a trip to get to know the area, as was the case.
Where to sleep: in Santo Tomé del Puerto, 7 kilometres from the Puerto de Somosierra, we recommend you the Mirasierra HotelThe hotel was clean, good value, clean and they let us out at 14:00, so we could shower after the tour.

Itinerary:

(0h00min; 0,0kms) Puerto de Somosierra (1.445m). The route begins by descending along the old national road in the direction of Burgos for approximately one kilometre, until you reach a track on the right that leads to the Litueros waterfall.

The Litueros waterfall can be seen from the track long before arriving.

In a couple of minutes we cross the Pedrizas stream, ignoring a path that starts on the right, and then take the next path.

(0h20min; 1,7kms) Litueros waterfall (1.398m). Without approaching the base of the waterfall, we will continue ascending halfway up the slope, enjoying unbeatable views over these spectacular waterfalls.

Further up we reach the path that we left behind when we crossed the first stream, in an area with bushes at medium altitude where the path becomes scattered. The next step is to go around the rocky area where the waters of the Arroyo de la Peña rush down to the upper part of the ravine, at the back of the waterfalls. A short horizontal crossing and a short descent bring you down to the stream of La Peña (0h35min).

This area can be confusing. It involves climbing up the slope in front of us following a path that runs parallel to some large granite milestones, ignoring the path that heads off to the left. The path briefly enters a beautiful pine grove before dying out at a small...

(0h45min; 2,4kms) firebreak (1.572m)one of the many that run through the upper part of the sierra, like a scar from the fight against the fires. We follow it upwards. Soon a path on the right breaks the monotony, but it does not last long.

On the way back to the firebreak and after overcoming a second ramp, we reach a second firebreak that crosses us horizontally. We continue our way, all the way up to gain as soon as possible the hill where the provincial boundary between the two provinces is located. Madrid and Segovia.

Stretches like this one are the norm on this climb.

Once you have gained the hill (1h10min; 3,9kms) the firebreak turns to the right, there is no way to get lost, you climb and climb ignoring any detour until you reach the top of the...

(1h55min; 6,5kms) Cebollera Vieja / Tres Provincias (2.128m). At the top there is a geodesic vertex and a monolith in honour of the forestry agents.

Monolith at the summit in honour of forestry agents.

The views on clear days are extensive. To the north we can see the northern Castilian plateau; to the east the nearby Pico del Lobo (the highest peak of the Sierra de Ayllón); to the south our route with the Sierra de la Cabrera in the background; and to the west the Sierra de Guadarrama. We start to descend in a southerly direction to cross a firebreak that runs along the entire ridge of the Sierra Cebollera mountain range, which we are going to cross.

The firebreak runs along the top of the entire ridge of the sierra.

The firebreak can be followed all the way to the pass of Peñón or by taking the paths that ascend first to the Cabeza del Tempraniego (2h10min; 7,8kms) and then to the Cabeza del...

View back towards Cebollera from Cabeza del Tempraniego.

Crossing the wide pass that precedes Cuchar Quemado.

(2h50min; 9,9kms) Cuchar Quemado (2.045m). Once again at the firebreak, we continue down to the Peñón pass, where the last ascent of the day to the summit of...

(3h40min; 13,6kms) Cebollera Nueva (1.834m). The track ends a few metres before the summit, at a fence that is not necessary to cross and to which we must return after visiting the vertex that rises next to some ruins.

For the descent we will look out for a firebreak that descends to the right (north), through which we will descend losing height very quickly. We cross a track and continue straight on until we reach another one. We follow it to the left in search of a path that does not exist, so that, at the slightest opportunity, we go down through the pine forest in search of a clearing that occupies the bottom of the small valley, about 200 metres from the track.

A path that runs along the left bank of the river, parallel to a fence, leads to the clearing. We leave the pines behind and enter the deciduous forest. We cross a track with a concrete water crossing (4h10min; 15kms) and continue descending along a delightful path by the river.

Autumn is the ideal time to go into the forest.

We follow it for about 350 metres before crossing a wall and leaving the stream. A clearing allows us to contemplate the meadow before reaching...

(4h20min; 15,7kms) Fuentefría (1.522m). The path immediately comes out onto a track along which we continue our walk. At the same point, a detour on the right leads to a viewpoint that is well worth a visit. It will take us an extra 10 minutes, which we will add to the timetable described above.

Viewpoint over the Dehesa Bonita de Somosierra.

The track is very pleasant to walk on and soon we reach the signpost tree "Mostajo de la Dehesa de Somosierra II", an 18-metre high mustard tree. Now the track zigzags, on the right we leave another sigular tree (a holly), we optionally take a shortcut and then a junction on the right that descends through a beautiful forest to cross the stream of La Dehesa.

Beautiful woods at the end of the route.

There is only a short climb through the forest, followed by a crossroads and a short descent before we reach the national road (5h00min; 18,5kms), where we return to the...

(5h10min; 19,4kms) Puerto de Somosierra (1.445m).