I am returning soon to the Sierra de Guadarrama, near Madrid, to complete my research for Book Three. Few people in the UK have heard of the Guadarrama, so it will be called “The Mountains of Madrid”. I have the help of Tim Price, a young Englishman who was born and bred in Madrid. We aim to have the book on the shelves before the end of 2019.
This is a brilliant walking area, with lots of easy, moderate and strenuous routes taking you to over 2,400 metres altitude. The views are long-distance and brilliant. And you get the chance to visit the famous capital city of Spain as well.
AND HERE IT IS – PUBLISHED 1OTH FEBRUARY 2020
Hi Phil, it was nice meeting you and your group on the trail to Jario. Whilst in the Picos I did several of the walks in your book and found your descriptions to be helpful and accurate when used in conjunction with a suitable map (I used the IGN series of maps 1:25000, I know you recommend the Adrados edition, which in my opinion is clearer and easier to use)
The Valdeon area was my favourite part of the Picos, I also visited Somiedo, Ubina, Redes and Urbasa (basque). To be fair the whole of this part of Spain is beautiful and a walkers paradise, I would also recommend a visit to the city of Leon and parts of the coast if time allows.
I am already planning a return trip next year, probably September again. I was camping for the 6 weeks I was there and whilst I never had problems finding a site they do start closing from the end of September so it is worth checking the websites.
Thanks again for publishing this very useful guide, a must for anybody visiting the area for a walking holiday.
Thanks for the positive review Steve. I am glad you found the book useful. As you say, the whole of the north of Spain is a wonderful place and is well worth exploring. The Picos de Europa are just the best bit!