Life in lake El Campillo, born from destruction

Even though it might not seem so, the Community of Madrid has highly valued natural sceneries, as well as a good deal of hydrographic sites. One of them is as large as unheard of: the Southeast Regional Park. With a size of more than 31 500 hectares, this territory extends along the rivers Manzanares and Jarama through 16 municipalities. However, humankind is responsible for the current state of this landscape, which contains a series of artificial lakes. El Campillo, located in Rivas, is the second largest lake after El Porcal.

The project to build this lake started between the 60s and the 70s. At first it wasn’t intentional, only the result of an extraction work carried out in the Jarama river’s watershed. In other words, it happened because of mining activities, which caused a list of negative effects that damaged the ecosystem: loss of vegetation, environmental decay, the aquifer’s deterioration, pollution… Paradoxically, these activities led to the construction of lakes like El Campillo, provoking a diversification on the landscape’s flora and fauna. Luckily enough though, many years later we can perceive the positive effects of the process.

One route to please them all

Lake El Campillo has a perimeter of more than 3 miles, and there’s a path which follows its outer limits. Said path is considerably popular among the citizens of Rivas and Arganda, partly because one can arrive to the latter if they continue to walk straight instead of bordering the lake. The path is perfect for pleasing everyone: sportspeople, kids, elderly people, dogs… It’s also very common to find there bicycle riders and runners going for a stroll, families enjoying a sunny Sunday afternoon or sightseers wandering with their four-legged companions.

The route can be completed within the hour and, about halfway through the path, there is a picnic area for those who might fancy a little rest. There is another interesting spot just in the beginning of the path, next to the parking lot: El Campillo Center of Environmental Education. They have a permanent exhibition called Con el Parque: Los valores del Parque Regional del Sureste (Together with the Park: the values of the Southeast Regional Park), which goes through the park’s cultural and natural resources, and they also host temporary exhibitions.

Herons, ducks, coots, cormorants… These are some of the many species the visitors might spot near the water. And many here isn’t a hyperbolic expression: there are 156 different species living in the lake and its surroundings. The mammals in the landscape, like water rats and foxes, are more difficult to see. Of course, there are also aquatic creatures, such as barbels and carps.

Blue waters and trees and cliffs in the background

Lake El Campillo. | Shutterstock

A different face for each season

Apart from animals, in this route around El Campillo we’ll find a beautiful landscape. Even though the lake’s surroundings conform one of the most arid locations in the whole region, this body of water enables the propagation of different plant species. In the valley, crowned by a steep slope that can be seen from the riverside, blackberry bushes, ash trees, white willows and reeds sway with the wind.

Needless to say, it’s quite surprising that this path is only 12 miles away from the city center, the starting point being next to some residential areas of Rivas-Vaciamadrid. It’s not recommended to visit this place if the weather’s too hot, but the landscape has a different face for each season. Either with autumn’s russet dress, soaked in spring flowers, or even under a pale winter’s cloak, lake El Campillo is a safe bet that anyone can enjoy for whatever span of time they like.


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