The beech forest of Montejo, a russet pause in Madrid
Between cement and asphalt, suddenly, shades of orange, red, yellow… The autumn colors are framed in 250 hectares of forest, with green brushstrokes climbing up the trees. There is a reddish carpet on the floor that could decorate an elegant palace. But who walks on that carpet, if not nobility? Lizards, robins, roe deer… A wide range of animals that, according to legend, used to be human. Some believe that the elves and fairies of this forest attracted people with their songs to turn them into little animals. All kinds of tales inhabit the beech forest of Montejo, the only one in Madrid.
On the skirts of the mountain range of Ayllón, on the right bank of the Jarama river, more precisely in the gorgeous mountain range of El Rincón, the beech forest of Montejo makes up a landscape of high natural value. So much so that, in 2017, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. Before that, the Spanish government declared it a Natural Site of National Interest in 1974. These titles increased the care the beech forest was treated with. Hence, its access is restricted, and one must make a reservation to visit it.
One of the most remarkable traits of the beech forest of Montejo is its out of the ordinary existence, since it is rather unusual to find a forest like this at this latitude. However, the humidity and the rich soil of the area, as well as the microclimate that has formed there and the fact that its orientation attracts humid air masses, make this enclave the perfect “greenhouse” for its own growth.
Panoramic view of the beech forest of Montejo. | Shutterstock
Some of the beech trees in this forest are more than 65 feet tall. Some of them even have names, like the one called “the Beech of the Rock”, which is more than 250 years old. Apart from the beech, we can find other types of trees like oaks, hazels, birches, rowans, and hollies in the forest. When it comes to the fauna inhabiting the beech forest of Montejo, we should mention roe deer, boars, badgers, otters, wildcats, goshawks, partridge, blackbirds, and blue tits.
The best way of getting to know this forest, which is particularly beautiful in autumn, is just by walking through it. There are three main routes for that, and if we are to embark on any of them, we should book our visit beforehand. The routes are Senda del Río (“Path of the River”), Senda de la Ladera (“Path of the Slope”) and Senda del Mirador (“Path of the Lookout”). All of them take approximately an hour and a half to finish.
The first route, Senda del Río, spreads along the bank of the river that crosses this land of elves and fairies: the Jarama river. This is probably the easiest path out of these three, suitable for everyone, from kids to elders, even people with some kinds of disabilities. Senda del Río is also the perfect route for those who visit the beech forest of Montejo for the first time, considering that it guides us through the most remarkable beech trees in the area. The route ends next to an old charcoal pile, since this activity used to be really common in this enclave.
The beech forest of Montejo. | Shutterstock
The next route is slightly more challenging. Senda de la Ladera shares a section of its course with the previous path; indeed, the first 546 yards go along the Jarama river. After that, the way goes up a hill and dives into the beech forest, where we can also find some examples of black pine. In this case, the circular route spreads for up to 1585 yards, with a slope of 125 yards.
Lastly, Senda del Mirador is considered as the most challenging route here, but it is still of average difficulty. Once more, the first section spreads along the Jarama and it shares its course with the other paths. After those smooth 546 yards, the path ascends through a slope until it reaches a spectacular lookout. This route is slightly different compared to the previous ones, both in shape and theme. Either way, the traveler walking down these ways should always be careful, for one never knows when a fairy could emerge from the forest and turn us into a fox, or a lizard…
