Information on the Sierra de Gredos, Central
Spain
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The Sierra de Gredos forms part of the Sistema Central, together with the Sierra de Guadarrama, that cuts across the centre of Spain from the North East of Madrid towards the border of Portugal, running in a Northeast to Southwest direction. They form a barrier between the Mesetas, the higher plains of northern Castile (now known as Castilla y Leon) and the lower plains of southern Castile (Castilla La Mancha) and Extremadura. The Gredos mountains are an area of Spain that is overlooked by most visitors to the country who imagine that central Spain is comprised solely of hot, dry plains. The central area of the Sierra de Gredos forms the Parque Regional de la Sierra de Gredos - Gredos Regional Park. The regional park covers some 86,236 hectares. The Sierra de Gredos is a beautiful mountain range with peaks reaching up to nearly 2600ms, starting at the Cerro de Guisando in the East and stretching some 135 kms to the West. It offers a variety of terrains, ecosystems and climates with a wealth of wildlife and nature, some of it unique to this area. The nature lover and the outdoor enthusiast need look no further. The two faces of the Sierra, the South and the North, are very different, having very different terrains, ecosystems and climates and hence offering different activities. To the North is a high hanging valley dominated by the major peaks and cirques. To the South the Sierra de Gredos drops dramatically down to the River Tietar (Valle del Tietar and La Vera); with Almanzor at 2592m it forms a steep rocky barrier rising up to 2000ms above the valley floor. The Sierra is a major watershed for two great rivers that flow East to West across most of Spain, the Duero (Douro) and the Tajo (Tagus). The Rio Tormes rises near the village of Navarredonda and flows west to El Barco de Ávila where it turns North to join the Duero. The Rio Alberche rises near the village of San Martín del Alberche, flows East to just beyond San Martín del Valdiglesias where it turns South and joins the Tajo at Talavera de la Reina. The river Tietar on the South of the Gredos flows into the Tajo at Monfragüe Natural Park, a paradise for birdwatchers and within reach from the Gredos. The Gredos mountains are very accessible being approximately 2 hours from Madrid and Valladolid, both well served by flights from the UK. They are within reach of some of the most famous historical cities of Spain including 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Ávila, Toledo, Salamanca, Segovia, Caceres, Guadalupe, Mérida, El Escorial, Plasencia, Trujillo. More information is also available on: www.vivagredos.com
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