This hike at the edge of the Sierra de Guadarrama departs from Collado Villalba and takes us through a landscape of big boulders to Canto Hastial, a low peak where in one direction we have a nice view over the valley behind Collado Villalba and in the other direction we stand at the feet of the high peaks of the Sierra de Guadarrama, such as Peñalara and Bola del Mundo.

  • From the bus stop (1) we follow the Camino de la Guija, which a bit further on changes into a wide and comfortable trail. We follow this path a good while. We ignore a side-trail on the left (2) and start to descend. We get past a construction of Canal de Isabel II on the left side. At a bend the trail goes uphill where on the right stands another construction. Just before the bend lies a narrower trail on the left, that we enter (3).
  • We climb for a while and ignore a trail on the left going downhill (4); here we continue straight on further uphill. We continue to climb and see at a given moment the top of Canto Hastial at our left hand, which can be recognized through its red-white antenna mast. We cross a narrow trail and turn left, further uphill (5). We reach another trail where we turn left again (6).
  • Via this trail we reach the top of Canto Hastial (7). Initially we return via the same trail. Where before we came from the right (6) we now continue straight on.
  • Further on at a narrow trail we turn left (8) and walk along a small wall with behind it a military zone. We follow this small wall a while until the trail runs away from the wall to the right (9).
  • We descend a long time and finally reach a trail where we turn left (10). We get past the ruins of a house with a nice viewing point. Further on the trail turns to the right (11) where it starts to follow the course of the stream Arroyo de Peñaliendre.
  • Via this trail we descend a long time until we reach another trail where we turn right (12). Further on we reach the stream Arroyo de Peña Herrera (13). Here we turn left over the rocks without a visible track. Once we get over the rocks the trail is clearly visible again.
  • We follow this trail a while until we reach another wide path (14). Here we turn right. We walk under the power line and reach the junction that we earlier during this hike already passed (3). Via the same route we follow the trail back to Collado Villalba (1).

Route Canto Hastial