Stage 2: Following the royal cattle route towards the medieval castle of the Mendozas. Tres Cantos to Manzanares el Real 25,1 km, 6,5 hrs, é513m, ê344m, ñ661-1008m 0,0 km ñ745m Tres Cantos tvsäã 0,9 km ñ748m Junction onto Camino 10,5 km ñ881m Colmenar Viejo tvsäã 17,3 km ñ852m Medieval bridge S 25,1 km ñ911m Manzanares el Real vsäã P The route goes mainly over dirt roads and farm tracks, with short pieces of asphalt. Between Colmenar Viejo and Manzanares some sections are quite stony and there is a significant climb. Albergues: Manzanares el Real: None. The albergue Peña Sacra is at the moment closed. For pilgrim accommodation you will have to continue seven kilometres to Mataelpino. Hotels: Colmenar Viejo: Hostel El Chiscón, Calle de los Frailes 89, tel. 918 452 847. Private house at Andrea s, rooms and bunkbeds, tel. 918 450 990/617 655 243. Manzanares El Real: Residencia La Pedriza, Calle de Urumea 8, outside the city centre on the camino, tel. 699 902 763. Mirador La Malaciosa, Avenida La Pedriza 60, pleasant place with wooden chalets, tel. 918 527 065. Hotel Rural El Yelmo, further down the road at Avenida La Pedriza 67, tel. 918 530 655. The large hotel Parque Real was closed at the time of research. Campings: Manzanares El Real: El Ortigal, on the north side of town close to the granite walls, Calle de los Montañeros 19, tel. 918 530 120. Leave Tres Cantos retracing your steps back over the bridge out of town. Proceed on the path next to the waterworks and behind the building turn right and continue next to the railroad. After 200 meters at a junction turn left. Continue for 1,5 kilometres
until the bottom of the valley. Cross the stream and then keep right following the path along the river. You cross the stream multiple times, with Colmenar Viejo already visible on the horizon. Pass a few farms, where you ignore all side roads and eventually you arrive on an asphalt road next to the cemetery of Colmenar Viejo. Continue for one kilometre until a roundabout, where you cross on the right side and follow the sign towards centro urbano. After passing a school turn left in Calle Santa Ana. Follow this road upwards, passing behind the basilica, and turn left onto the square next to it. The Basilica of Colmenar Viejo: The church dates from the 15 th century and has been erected in gothic style under the watchful eye of the Mendoza family who resided in the castle of Manzanares. Its size, with three naves is enormous considering the small village where it has been build. The altarpiece is especially unique, which consist of three panels. They were crafted between 1566 and 1579 by various artists. This was the result of the early death of their predecessors, apparently is was not a lucky assignment. The basilica is accessible between 09:00 and 13:00 or at night during mass. A small museum in the back can also be visited during the morning hours. Pass the fountain and walk into Calle del Reloj, which continues as Calle Colmena del Cura. At the miniature roundabout continue straight ahead and where the road splits, keep right into Calle Jacinto Benavente. You arrive at a crossing where you turn left and then immediately right again into Avenida de América. Arriving at a park cross it diagonally and turn right onto the wide road. Cross two roundabouts straight and at the third turn left into Calle Pilar de Zaragoza. At the end continue on the sand track and you pass a fantastic wall painting with the first two phrases of a poem by Antonio Machado: Caminante son tus huellas el camino y nada mas; Caminante no hay camino, Se hace camino al andar. Walker, there are your footprints the path and nothing else; Walker, there is no path, the path is made while walking.
After crossing the second asphalt road you continue on the path just left of the park. On this path you leave Colmenar Viejo behind and proceed on a dirt road. Follow this for over a kilometre and where it splits fork right. Continue on the path all the way down towards a railway tunnel. From here you continue for two kilometres on the stony but very nice path until you arrive at a busy provincial road. In front of the barrier turn left and then ignore a path on the left (careful, there is a misplaced yellow arrow!). Instead continue straight ahead underneath the road, fork left and cross the medieval bridge. From the bridge climb up the path and turn right. A bit further in the curb of a dirt road keep left and at the next junction fork left again. In front you can see the dam of the Santillana reservoir. Follow the wide dirt road for four kilometres; a tough climb. At a junction with small powerlines overhead and a cattle water trough you turn right and continue the climb for a little more until Manzanares el Real finally comes into view. Descent in the direction of the village and arriving at the asphalt road continue straight ahead over the bridge. At the roundabout continue straight ahead and cross the bridge to head into town. (The Camino de Santiago turns left in front of the bridge). If you are going to the camping or one of the two hotels on Avenida La Pedriza, take the first road to the left after the bridge and continue for about a kilometre. The church and city hall are on the main square straight ahead and the castle is a bit further down. Castillo nuevo de Manzanares el Real The crown jewel of Manzanares is the castle which was built in 1475 by the Mendoza family. It replaces an earlier castle; of which you can see the foundation when you leave the village on the camino. Firstly, the castle was used as a defensive fortress, but the rulers decided to add some decorative elements and turn the castle into a pleasant place to live. Most notably the balcony on the south side was added in baroque style and has great views over the lake. At the end of the 16 th century the castle, like most in Spain, entered into decline. What you see today is the result of two extensive reconstructions in the 20 th century. Visiting hours are between 10:00 and 17:00. Entry is 5 euros (3 euros for over 60).