Madrid - Tres Cantos - Colmenar Viejo - Madrid loop 20090606

Route around regional park of "La Cuenca Alta del Manzanares". The original route starts and ends in Tres Cantos, but this one includes also the way from Madrid, Palomas neighborhood.

0,0km - First part of the ride follows "routa verde" bicycle path in north-west direction (anti clock wise) until 13.5 km where it turns right to another bike path towards north villages of Madrid.

13.5km - bike path along M-607.

24.0km - Tres Cantos. Exit from bike path to dirt road - start of original route. The route goes to the west, crosses small river (at this time of the year can be dry) and continues along the fence of El Pardo park until the beginning of lake of Arroyo de Tejada.

33.5km - route turns north with steep ascent and continues through some difficult sections along the river. Later through dirt roads until the bridge of M-607 road (most north part of the route)

49.4 - M-607. The route turns right and continues through narrow stone path to the east to Colmenar Viejo (the most fun part of the route with some technical sections)

56.0km - Colmenar Viejo. Through the town center and to the south next to train station and small cementary. Very nice descent through dirt roads until Tres Canton to meet the bike path again.

67.8km - with the bike path along M-607 and later routa verde, back to Palomas with the same route.

90.6km - Palomas.

Level moderate to difficult for few uphill sections and stone path before Colmenar. Probably better to do in the spring or autumn with lower temperatures as the route doesnot offer much shadow. Nice views to metropolitan area of Madrid and Cuatro Torres!