Pico Villuercas climb from Guadalupe

The route

You set off from Guadalupe, in the shadow of the monastery, and the first few kilometres follow the road that crosses the sierra northwards, among chestnut and oak trees. The gradient is steady and lets you settle into a rhythm. After that stretch, you take the turn-off onto the service road that leads to the antennas on the summit: narrower, with worn tarmac and the odd patch of gravel. It's 15.7 km and +1,093 m to the 1,591 m roof of Las Villuercas.

Where it bites

The average is 6.9%, but it isn't spread evenly. The main road section is the more manageable part; the hard work comes on the service road, where the steepest stretch recorded in the route data reaches 16%. Save some strength for the last kilometres, with the antennas already in sight.

Where to stop

Guadalupe is your place for a coffee before and a meal afterwards: it has bars, restaurants and a tourist office. On the climb, don't count on reliable fountains, so set off with both bottles full. At the top there's a viewpoint over the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara geopark: parallel quartzite ridges and the valleys that drop towards the Guadalupejo and the Ibor.

When to go

Spring and autumn are its season. In winter there may be ice or snow up high, and in summer it's best to climb first thing. On the descent, brake before the bends: gravel collects on the service road. Respect the signs around the antennas.

Getting there

Guadalupe has no train: the nearest stations, in Navalmoral de la Mata and Talavera de la Reina, are more than an hour away by road, so you'll usually arrive by car. Park at the entrances to the town, outside the historic centre, which is narrow and steep, and ride up from there.