You leave the Burricleta Centre and Manzanares el Real to the south and cycle to la Glorieta del Montañero.
After crossing the road and passing a riding stables you get to a bridge which goes over the tail end of the reservoir and a bit further on there is a fork in the path. Follow the tarmac path on the left and closed by a barrier which doesn't let vehicles through.
It's easy to see a fisherman in this area on the water's edge trying to tempt a pike or a carp to take a nibble of his bait.
The path follows the edge of the Santillana reservoir, from where you can get exceptional views of La Pedriza and the Mendoza castle better known as Manzaneres el Real which can be seen reflected in its crystiline waters on clearer days
The river vegetation, mainly made up by willows, rockroses and cork oaks, which grow in the valleys of Cabeza Llescas, complete the environment which we're cycling through.
The path runs mostly next to the river vegetation which grows on the edge of the reservoir and it is easy to find somewhere to lie down, let time pass by and feel the coolness of the water.
The riverside forests are forests near a riverbed or reservoir and so they are composed of species that require big quantities of water such as poplar and willow trees which need more than two hundred litres of water per day. They are home to a great variety of fauna which find an oasis in this type of habitat to shelter and find food. More than fifty species of bird nest in this environment: nightingales, warblers, golden orioles and owls are some examples.
The softwood of the poplar tree is ideal for woodpeckers to build their nests in and its leaves are a food source for caterpillars. The hollow trees are a refuge for mammals like bats, mice, shrews and polecats.
Following the tour, at the end of the track there is a fence which crosses the track. This is where you turn around and start the return trip back to Manzanares el Real on the same route.
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