WALKING IN CENTRAL SPAIN

MAPS

Extremadura, Castilla La Mancha (Michelin Regional Maps) Published April 03

Pais Vasco, Navarra, La Rioja (Michelin Regional Maps) Published April 03

Michelin Spain, Castilla y Leon/Madrid Map No. 575 Published June 02

Madrid Y Alrededores (Michelin Zoom Maps) Published April 09

Guadarrama Parc Natural Published April 04. Limited availability.

The Mountains of Central Spain, Jacqueline Oglesby - The Sierra de Gredos and Guadarrama are the highest part of the long chain of hills and mountains which splits the big central tableland of Spain. Popular from Madrid, they are rarely visited by foreigners except those en route to the coast or the medieval cities which surround the range. The two sierras form an impressive physical barrier, reaching a height of nearly 2600m and being snow-capped for five months of the year, and they have much to offer the walker, scrambler or climber. The Sierra de Gredos are the highest and most inaccessible mountains in Central Spain with many long approaches up wild valleys or spurs to spectacular corries backed by jagged aretes. The Sierra de Guadarrama, nearer to Madrid and crossed by several high road passes, offer more intimate walking on a dense network of good footpaths and with a rich variety of scenery from rolling ridges to tightly packed granite towers. Published Jan 96.

Historic Walking Guides Madrid, Beebe Bahrami - This book takes you on a journey through centuries of Madrid's history via a series of walks. Each one is themed, from medieval buildings to historic wine taverns. Find out where artists and writers gathered, and uncover many of the mysteries around Madrid's past. At the end of your day, eat, drink or sleep in one of the suggested historic restaurants, taverns or hotels. Published Dec 09

North from Granada: A Walking Tour from Granada to Toledo and Madrid in a Direct Line, Roy Nash - A very enjoyable read. This is NOT a serious book about walking in Spain, but a really humorous, and sometimes quite touching, account of the adventures of 2 very different middle-aged men who just decided to walk together from Granada to Madrid. Whether or not you know Spain, or even like walking, I think you're with them every step of the way, and by the end your feet ache too! You feel their frustration as they get into one scrape after another, as they argue and sulk, but are determined to keep going. And at the end you really share their pride when they eventually achieve their goal. Apart from being hugely entertaining, the book is visually attractive, with lots of photographs to aid the reader's imagination, and some amusing vignettes. It would make an ideal gift. Buyer Review. Limited availability. Published April 03

Hardcover Version Limited availability.
 

Barcelona & Madrid Made Easy: The Best Sights & Walks of Spain's Top Cities, Andy Herbach. Published June 06. Limited availability.