El Escorial - Puerta Malagon - Embalse de San Juan - El Escorial loop 20090815

Loop from El Escorial to Embalse de San Juan.

0,0km (at 922m)- El Escorial train station. Starting point of the loop is train station in Escorial, accessible from Madrid with local trains "cercanias", with very regular service from all the main train station: Chamartin, Nuevos Ministerios and Atocha. From the train station route starts north-west to direction of the palace, with very steep climb, then between the houses to the road to Abantos peak and Puerta Malagon pass - all the time with steep and demanding climb!

11,5km (at 1520m) - Puerta Malagon. The highest point of all the route and of course end of the difficult climb. The route turns left to the south-west with fairly flat/downhill section through nice and wide dirt road. Nice views to the north to Castilla Leon region.

18,5km (at 1350m) - M-505 road. In village Robledondo, the route exits dirt road and follows with local road M-535 and later bigger M-505 and continues down to big round about of roads M-505, M-512 and M-533, called Cruze Verde. Route continues with M-533 for next 900-950m to reach small parking area at the curve of the road.

21,4km (at 1220m) - exit from M-533. At this place route leaves M-533 and continues with small narrow dirt road down to the forest and later through the fields, all the way until Robledo de Chavela - probably the most fun and technical downhill of the route! Great one!!!

27,5km (at 880m) - Robledo de Chavela. Route reaches road M-512 in the village and continue south along the road (asphaltus section).

32,1km (at 830m) - Round about. The route meets a round about of roads M-512 and M-539, continueing with M-512 still south. After another 1,5km turns right (west) to big wide dirt road and continues with it for another 10km.

42,4km - Sharp right turn. Route turns sharp right towards rest area with a view point to Embalse de San Juan. Later goes down to meet M-501 at the dam.

49,2km (at 512m) - San Juan dam. The returning point of the route at the bridge with the view to the dam of San Juan lake. The lowest point of the route. The route goes back a little with M-501 and turns left to the dirt road after about 1km to start ascent in the forest.

61,4km (at 1080m) - peak. End of the ascent - difficult one with many sandy sections. Nice views in all directions! The route goes down back to M-512 and for about 6km, follows the same path as previously done, back to Robledo de Chavela.

70,5km (at 885m) - Robledo de Chavela. The route turns right to M-521 in the village, leaving the previous path. First part is uphills to the pass at 1065m. After the pass the route leaves local road M-521 to the left to wide dirt road in north direction until rail tracks in village Pajares.

80,1km (at 990m) - Pajares. Route passes the village and continues by the rail tracks to the north with narrow, stone path - again nice fun to manuver between the stones :-D The path crosses the tracks just before M-505 to enter Escorial from the south and reach the train station.

88,7km (at 920m) - back in Escorial train station.

Level difficult for overall distance, few very steep climbs, some technical downhill sections and accumulated ascent/descent of about 2,5km! The route is very very nice with various landscape, surface and beatiful views! No water available on the route (had to buy at gas station in Robledo de Chavela, twice!).