Sierra de Guadarrama

Only a few sections haven't seen the paving stones uprooted and used for building walls and farm buildings. This is one such section. On the ground, this road is not at all a straight line. From the air and on the map it is a typical straight Roman road! The red and white waymark is for the GR10, the long distance walk from Valencia to Lisbon - or Lisbon to Valencia if you prefer. This is recent. I was surprised to see it here as previously, the GR10 passed many kilometres further north, through the centre of the Sierra de La Guadarrama. Perhaps they will be alternating the routes every couple of decades or so in order to give the paths a rest! If so, it is a good idea (although I am told that the GR10 is not much used and I must say that on my many walks using fragments of the GR10, I have never seen any long-distance walkers!)

One of the happiest HFF shots I can remember posting for a few months! Now all we need to do is make it work!! Wild flowers near Valdemanco, Madrid, on the approach to La Sierra de La Cabrera.

Encina (holm oak), Canchos Largo y Gordo. And granite, granite and more granite! Look closely at the oak. It has been lopped. This is a 'managed' wild landscape! It is also my favourite walking country.

I got lost and followed this path only to find myself in a field with a bull. The next field also had a bull ... and the next. I couldn't escape them so, as nonchalantly as I could, I retraced my steps, adding over an hour to my journey!. But then it is Spain, after all!

Close to Madrid but centuries away. On Z please. Last chance to save this site. www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/ipernity-members-association-a-non-profit-entity/x/16256307

May 1. Forecast bright, sunny and hot, I was caught out by a snow storm which came out of the blue, and wearing only a t-shirt. Fortunately it passed by in half an hour and the sun came out again! On 'z' please. Fundraising is still going on, ultimately IMA need at least 50,000$ to continue Ipernity into 2018! www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/ipernity-members-association-a-non-profit-entity

Please give as generously as you can: www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/ipernity-members-association-a-non-profit-entity

The Convento Monasterio de San Julian y San Antonio, backed by the Sierra de La Cabrera and El Pico de La Miel.

By the Roman road - near El Escorial and Zarzalejo.

Typical of the granite scenery here.

'Z', please!

Sierra de La Cabrera. Granite. Winter scenery but no snow that year. 'Z' please! Alternative title: Toque Rock!!!!

Buitres Leonidas. Griffon Vultures. I was fortunate to get this close. I was upwind and in the shade; it helped! El Cancho de La Bola, Sierra de La Cabrera. Photo taken in May 2013, regardless of the exif date!

They only open this fully on the hottest of days and when the sun is at its highest; an hour or two at most. And because Spain adheres to Central European time, this means between 3 and 5 pm! They really are quite small; miniature wild tulips!

El Cancho Largo, El Cancho Gordo and Convento Monasterio de San Julian y San Antonio. Granite. Winter sun.

Monasterio de San Antonio below Canchos Largo and Gordo.

La Bola del Mundo in the Sierra de Guadarrama from El Pardo, northwest of Madrid. This mountain was thought at one time by the residents of Madrid to be the highest mountain in the world! It isn't even the tallest mountain in the Sierra de Guadarrama! (Z please!). Photo taken in May 2013, regardless of the exif date!

Taken with my short-lived Samsung. It self-destructed 2 months after I bought it. The company said 'water damage' which wasn't true. But I got nowhere with them so I vowed to have nothing to do with Samsung ever again. Poor PR in my book!