Portal de Turismo de Castilla y León

We welcome you to the Pinos Cimeros Park House in the northern area of the Gredos Mountain Range.

Before starting the tour, you should know that there are different spaces inside. This audio guide is divided into audio tracks with the information contained in the different rooms. The end of each track is marked by a single beep like the one you will hear now when the information changes:

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And a double beep when there is a space change. [SOUND SAMPLE] [SOUND SAMPLE]

After the beep, you can choose to skip to the next audio track.

As in the rest of the houses of the park spread throughout the Castilla y León region, it is the recommended gateway to these natural areas. At this interpretation centre, the educators will inform you about the Regional Park and help you plan your visit.

Here, information on emblematic species and habitats is provided to facilitate the identification and highlight the cultural and natural heritage of these places, in a respectful manner and promoting the conservation and appreciation of biodiversity and cultural heritage.

This house is located in the town of Hoyos del Espino, in the southwest of Ávila. The house is made of stone, with a rectangular floor plan and a sloping roof.

The Gredos Mountain Range, in the south of Castilla y León, is a mountain formation shaped by glacial erosion. It is notable for its rugged relief and sharp peaks, with the Almanzor Peak being its highest point. This region is rich in biodiversity, with diverse plant species distributed at different levels, including alpine species with numerous endemic species. As for the fauna, the mountain goat, the Almanzor salamander, and the Ávila snow vole stand out. In addition to its natural values, the Gredos Mountain Range has a rich historical and cultural heritage, such as the Roman road of Puerto del Pico and the picturesque villages of Candeleda and El Barco de Ávila.

To enter the Pinos Cimeros Park House, you must take the stairs or the ramp that leads to the glazed porch and gives access to the entrance.

On the left side of the house there is a garden with a stone hut and shrubs.

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Once you are on the porch, a new door grants access to the house.

At the entrance, a 2-metre long wall in front of the door contains a green shop display case where you can buy typical local products and a souvenir of your visit.

To the left of this wall is the reception desk. The lower part is made of wood and the upper part is protected by glass. Further on, a staircase leads to the upper floor. To your left, a space opens up towards the left corner of the house containing more elements of the green shop, you’ll also find a wooden bench against the wall, and a table with a glass-enclosed map of the regional park.

If you stand with your back to the door, on the right, there is a half-metre high trunk supporting a fragment of a log split open, inside there is a woodpecker's nest.

Further on, there is a round table with a map of the regional park. To the right of the table, in the corner of the room, there is an interactive feature with information about the park.

Going counter-clockwise, there is a glass-enclosed model of the park on a table.

The visit to the Gredos Mountain Range Regional Park House begins in front of the model of the park, which shows the names of the peaks, villages, valleys, and rivers. This area covers both slopes of the Gredos Mountain Range, which has different altitudes and was designated a Regional Park in 1996 by the Castilla y León Regional Government as part of the Network of Protected Natural Areas. It is also listed as a Special Protection Area for Birds.

The Pinos Cimeros Park House, which is where you are now, is situated on the northern slope and is represented by a small red house. On the southern slope is another park house, in Guisando, which is near Arenas de San Pedro.

On the model, the territory of the regional park and its 28 villages on both sides are marked in green.

From a geological perspective, the Gredos Mountain Range is distinguished by its formation during the Alpine Orogeny, when a fractured and uneven mountain range was created, with a Germanic relief. Subsequently, the mountains were shaped by erosion and quaternary ice. Forty-one mountain glaciers of three different types have been counted: valley, cirque and outlet glaciers.

The region exhibits glacial lagoons, cirques, gorges, and morainic deposits, with evidence of periglacial processes, such as frost weathering, which gave rise to unique and beautiful peaks and gorges.

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Continue to the next model, which is enclosed in an urn.

It represents the heart of the Gredos Mountain Range, the Gredos Cirque and the area of the Cinco Lagunas Cirque, which is the highest part of the mountain range.

The lagoons have weather conditions and altitudes that make them unproductive ecosystems, with long periods covered in ice that can extend for over seven months in some cases.

The Cinco Lagunas Cirque originally had no fish, but between the 1940s and 1960s, the salvelino or brook trout was introduced. This predatory fish is of particular concern in relation to endemic amphibian species such as the Gredos toad and the Almanzor salamander.

The environment in these upland areas is mostly composed of rocky terrain, with small areas of grassland in certain favourable locations. The remote location and the absence of livestock have protected the Cinco Lagunas area from the touristic pressure and degradation that affects other areas of the Gredos Mountain Range.

The Gredos Cirque, covering approximately 33 hectares, is the largest glacial Cirque in both the Gredos Mountain Range and the Central Mountain System. The highest peak in the mountain range, Almanzor Peak, and the Laguna Grande de Gredos, located at an altitude of 1940 metres in the northeast of the cirque, stand out in this landscape. This glacial lagoon is a place of interest for mountaineers wishing to climb the Almanzor.

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One panel protrudes perpendicularly from the wall and contains a second interactive feature, titled: "Come and get to know the Regional Park in detail." Here, you will find information on where to stay, typical dishes to enjoy, how the mountains were formed, which plants and animals live in the area and the main buildings of historical interest.

This interactive feature is on the far left of the panel. The rest of the space up to the wall is occupied by a large photograph of one of the gorges of the Gredos Mountain Range, called Barbellido, which also features inserts of photographs of flowers, mountain scrubland, high meadows, wild pines, black pines, resin pine forests, riverside forests, holm oak forests, oak groves, scrubland, and pastures for livestock, which correspond to the different bioclimatic levels and are examples of the different varieties that can be found in the Gredos Mountain Range.

The most traditional route within the Gredos Regional Park starts at the platform at the end of the Hoyos del Espino track, reaching the famous Gredos Cirque. Follow a cobbled path that climbs up towards Prado de las Pozas and leaves the Reguero Llano refuge behind. You will also have to cross a concrete bridge over the Pozas River, which cascades down an ancient glacial valley.

The altitude of more than 2,000 metres and the rocky soils mean that only shrubs grow here. Among these shrubs, echinospartum horridum and juniper can also be found to a lesser extent.

Piornos are small shrubs, up to 2 metres high, with a slender, flexible stem and small, narrow leaves. This shrub’s flowers are yellow, fragrant and grow in clusters. The piorno is an important plant for wildlife, as its flowers are a source of food for bees, butterflies and other insects, while its fruits serve as food for birds and other small animals.

Did you know that the piorno shrub also has medicinal properties? The piorno's leaves and flowers have traditionally been used to treat a variety of conditions, such as fever, cough and indigestion, although in large quantities it can be toxic.

After the climb, you will reach the top of Los Barrerones, from where you can see the Cirque and the Gredos Lagoon. To reach them, one must climb rocky slopes with crags, peaks, and large balls, characteristic of the granite relief.

The trail ends at Trocha Real, which leads to the foot of the large glacial lagoon. Its cold, clear waters reflect the high peaks that frame the Gredos Cirque: Almanzor peak, Risco de la Ventana, Los Tres Hermanitos, Cuchillar de las Navajas, and El Sagrao.

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To the left of this panel and a little further back, there is another sign occupying the back of the wall containing the green shop showcase. This panel is entitled: "The Gredos Mountain Range, a mosaic of life" and illustrates the enormous variety of scrubland, meadows, rivers, vertebrates, and plants that can be found in the almost 90,000-hectare park.

The Central Mountain System is an elongated mountain range that rises in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula and separates the basins and plateaus of the Duero and Tagus rivers.

The weather in the Central System varies according to the mountain range, the slope and the altitude of the mountains. The warmest area is on the southern slopes of the Gredos Mountain Range, as it is directly influenced by the Mediterranean climate typical of Extremadura. The lowest temperatures are recorded at the highest elevations and on the northern sides of the mountains, with winters that do not exceed 0 °C, which is what one would expect from a mountain climate.

In addition to its environmental values, the Gredos area also enjoys great historical, artistic, and traditional importance. The Roman road of Puerto del Pico and the villages of Candeleda and El Barco de Ávila stand out. In Barco de Ávila, you can also taste its famous and exquisite beans.

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Forming an L-shape with this panel, the next panel unfolds parallel to the building’s wall. It is divided into several sub-panels in a row.

The panel presents four of the five bioclimatic areas of the Mediterranean region.

On the north side, the scrubland is dominated by shrubs and other leguminous plants such as heather. The sparse arboreal vegetation consists mainly of Scots pine in Navarredonda de Gredos and Hoyos del Espino, as well as scattered patches of Pyrenean oak in the Tormes Valley. Holm oak is predominant in the shrub stratum, which has scarce pasture areas.

On the southern side, there is a predominance of cluster pines, alternating with crops on terraces. The rockrose and the heath occupy large areas, sometimes intermingled. Rockrose are small shrubs, up to 2 metres high, with a woody, thorny stem and small, oval leaves. Rockrose flowers are white, pink, or yellow and grow in clusters.

To the west, oaks and junipers on scree and steep slopes indicate the degradation of the forests.

Along all watercourses, willow is the most common species, along with alder, poplar, and black poplar. Willows can be large trees or small shrubs. They have a slender, flexible, light brown or grey trunks with long, pendulous branches. The leaves of the willow tree are elongated and narrow and have a bright green colour.

In the upper part of the gorges, there are isolated birch trees, while in the lower part you can find loros, a type of laurel.

However, the main ecological value of this mountain range lies in the rock vegetation, in other words, vegetation that grows and lives on rocks and withstands extreme environmental conditions, with distinctive species of these areas such as reseda gredensis or biscutella gredensis.

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The second part of this panel talks about the relief sculpted by ice and how glaciers have shaped this mountainous landscape. In the projected audio-visual piece you can discover that the Gredos Mountain Range was sculpted by erosion during glacial times. Describing the region as a spectacular succession of geographical features. It is worth highlighting its vertical relief with sharp peaks, gaps, and steep ledges, where the cirque and the Grande de Gredos lagoon stand out, presided over by the Almanzor Peak, the highest peak in the Central Mountains System at 2,592 metres.

In the house’s location, there is an extensive forest of Scots pines belonging to Hoyos del Espino and Navarredonda where many animals live, mainly birds.

Scots pines can reach remarkable heights and develop a straight, slender trunk. Their needles are a distinctive bright green and grow in pairs, giving them a distinctive appearance. This tree plays a crucial role in forest ecology, contributing to biodiversity and the maintenance of the forest ecosystems in which it is found. (SOUND)

The next part of the panel highlights the Botanical Treasure of Gredos, mentioning examples such as antirrhinum grosii, santolina oblongifolia, and the saxifraga pentadactylis, all of them endemic plants, found at altitudes of between 1,500 and 2,500 metres, an example of the richness and diversity of the flora of the Gredos Mountain Range.

In addition to the spectacular relief of Gredos, from a biological point of view, this habitat is one of the most fascinating spaces in Western Europe. Due to the geographical location, steep slopes, and the varied orientation of its hillsides, the Gredos Mountain Range is considered a true botanical paradise. The diverse plant species are distributed in superimposed levels, reaching their maximum expression on the alpine level, where numerous species unique to the area can be found.

In terms of fauna, the Gredos Mountain Range also stands out for its endemic species, including one mammal and two amphibians. The mountain goat, the Almanzor salamander, and the common Gredos toad are relevant examples of the unique fauna in this mountainous region.

The mountain goat is an herbivorous mammal of the bovine family. It is a large animal, weighing up to 100 kilos. It has a robust body, with strong legs and a long neck. The mountain goat's coat is reddish-brown with a white patch on the chest.

The Almanzor salamander measures up to 20 centimetres. It has a robust body, with a large head and bulging eyes. The skin of the Almanzor salamander is black with yellow spots. They are solitary animals and their diet consists of insects, worms, and other invertebrates.

The Gredos toad is a small amphibian. Its hind legs are partially webbed. The general colouring of the body is predominantly greyish, brownish or blackish, but all have spots.

In the floor display case you can find traces, footprints and signs of some animals, including tracks modelled in clay, horns, and droppings.

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In the following excerpt from the panel, you are shown three animals that commonly inhabit river waters: the brown trout, the otter and the Iberian desman. The presence of these animals is an indicator of clean, unpolluted water.

There is also a photo of cows of the Avileña-Negro Ibérica breed going up a cattle track that highlights the livestock use of these mountains. These animals weigh between 550 and 600 kilos and have a black coat. It is a very tough breed, which produces a highly prized meat, called Ávila Beef and had boasted its Protected Geographical Indication status since 1988.

The photo below is of a typical hut, a man-made construction that is typical of both sides of this mountain range.

Finally, this drawing depicts the high mountain area and some of the unique plant and animal species that inhabit it. These include the main endemic species of the Gredos Mountain Range.

The high altitude and continental climate in the higher levels of the Gredos Mountain Range has favoured phenomena such as population isolation and the presence of mountain species adapted to cold climates, which, together with a progressive climate from north to south, contributes to creating a unique and highly diverse fauna.

Over 230 vertebrate species have been catalogued in the Gredos Mountain Range, including numerous peninsular endemic species and four local ones. Local endemic species, amphibians and mammals, are mainly found in the summit. These include the Almanzor salamander, the Gredos toad, the Ávila snow vole, and the mountain goat.

As for amphibians and reptiles, there are important species such as the San Antonio frog, the midwife toad, the snub-nosed viper, the Iberian emerald lizard and the European pond turtle. And we must not forget fish such as the trout.

Birds are of great importance in the Gredos Mountain Range, as there are several critically endangered species there, such as the imperial eagle and the black stork. Others are considered vulnerable, such as the purple heron, common stork, Egyptian vulture, Montagu's harrier, turtle dove, and black vulture. We must also mention the species that make these mountains a unique bird area, such as the booted eagle, short-toed snake eagle, goshawk, Eurasian sparrowhawk, Eurasian griffon vulture, golden eagle, bluethroat, Alpine accentor, common rock thrush, and black redstart.

The diversity of mammals is equally remarkable, with the presence of Pyrenean desman, Spanish shrew, dwarf shrew, ratilla of Cabrera, otter, and wild cat.

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Advance to the panel on your right, which is the last one in this area.

The drawing shows the profile of the mountain range, which demonstrates the climatic and rain differences between the northern and southern slopes and how this influences the distribution of the bioclimatic areas.

A little further to your right, you can find an interactive screen that allows you to explore in more detail the rainfall of both areas, although rainfall is much more abundant in the northern area.

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The next panel is located to your right and behind you, depending on the direction of travel.

It is placed perpendicular to the wall and occupies the back of the panel with the photo of the Gredos Gorge. Here, the importance of water, rivers, irrigation ditches, snow pits, water troughs, and basins is explained.

Water in the Gredos Mountain Range is fundamental for the sustainability of this mountain ecosystem. The mountain range is home to a network of rivers, streams, and lakes that not only provide water for the maintenance of wildlife, but play a crucial role in regulating the climate and providing resources for local communities. The mountain range acts as a natural sponge that captures and stores water, gradually releasing it over time. This retention and release process contributes to the hydrological stability of the region, preventing floods and extreme droughts.

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Further on, there is a window in the wall. Next to it, a banner reads: "Water, source of life, source of wealth." Behind the banner, there are panels attached to the wall, and posts, one to the left of the banner and another one beside the back wall.

These panels show the activities that can be done in the park: bird watching, the attraction of the high peaks, living adventures, horse riding, hiking on the marked trails, climbing, and photography.

Turn, with your back to this last panel.

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Turn after reaching this panel and reach the four posts with panels. Pressing the button will turn on the monitors and play an audio clip. The first presents an excerpt from the book "Crónicas De Gredos" by Ángel Rituerto and Juan Andrés Feliú, which talks about Manuel González de Amezua, mountaineer and founder of the Spanish Alpine Club in 1907.

The second is another extract from the same book on Antonio Prast, who made a cartographic study of the mountain range published in 1924.

The third panel is about Abel Chapman, British explorer and hunter, based on his book "Unexplored Spain", of 1910.

Lastly, the fourth panel presents an extract from "Crónica De Gredos" again, this time referring to Isidoro Blázquez, who was the first head keeper of the King’s Preserve.

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Below you will find a panel with pictures and information on forestry, hunting, and fishing.

Below it, there is a mountain goat skull in a display case.

The skull of a goat is elongated, with horns varying in size and curvature, which is more pronounced in males, the horns of males being much larger than those of females. The front has a nasal cleft, eye sockets, and jaws with teeth adapted to their herbivorous diet.

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In front of this panel, on the left, is a black and white photo of King Alfonso XIII posing, holding in his right hand the horns of a goat. The title of this photo is "The royal preserve."

The history of the Gredos National Reserve started in 1905, when a small number of goats inhabited the area. The local councils and landowners ceded the hunting rights of the Gredos Cirque to King Alfonso XIII to improve the buck population. This area, which included Laguna Grande and the five lagoons, became the Royal Preserve. The King commissioned the Marquis of Villaviciosa de Asturias to train a team of guards, out of which the creation of the legendary "Blázquez" and "Chamorro" lineages stand out. Although the grant was made in 1905, it was not until 1911 when Alfonso XIII hunted for the first time, and in 1917 the formal demarcation was made by means of the "Demarcation Act." In 1932, during the Republic, it became a National Hunting Reserve and is now a Regional Hunting Reserve.

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The back of the hunting and fishing panel is occupied by a poster titled: "Visit Gredos in different seasons and discover how its landscapes vary." There are six photographs comparing the same landscapes at two very different seasons, corresponding to the area of the piornos shrubs, pines, and Pyrenean oaks.

Piornos are shrubs with flat leaves and yellow or white flowers. Pines are coniferous trees with needle-shaped leaves and cones. Pyrenean oaks are deciduous trees with flat leaves and green or yellow flowers. Generally speaking, piorno shrubs are the smallest, while pines are the tallest and most coniferous, and Pyrenean oaks are the hardiest and most deciduous.

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If you go anticlockwise, you will find a window and three pedestals with controls. When these controls are operated, images of the upper area are projected on a screen next to a map with observation points of the flowering piorno shrub in the park.

The flowers of the piornos are small, yellow or white, and grow in clusters. They have five petals and the centre of the flower is full of stamens and pistils. They have a pleasant fragrance that attracts bees and other pollinators. Piorno shrubs blossom in spring, from May to July, and fill the Gredos Mountain Range with colour.

Turn your back to the pedestals.

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To your left, two metres from the wall, there are panels on a former joint project on climate. It consists of a pioneering network of stations for the study and research of climate and climate change in the Gredos Mountain Range and Iruelas Valley. Its aim was to obtain climate data to study and share the interrelationships between different global climate systems and their mutual influence on global climate on local climate.

Continue to the end of the wall on your right, which has three windows.

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Go around the house and return to the green shop.

In this corner you will find details of companies operating in the area.

Then go up to the first floor, up the stairs on your left.

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The second floor is a square space surrounded by a wooden railing that occupies the centre of the Park House, with each side of this space being two metres from the walls and the sloping roof.

In the centre, there is a square table with chairs around it. From the ceiling hang large photos of the higher regions of Gredos.

In front of each photo, there is an informative poster about each of the photos.

The first is the Gredos Cirque and Laguna Grande, with information on glacial erosion and the names of the peaks.

The second photo is of the Gredos Mountain Range as seen from the south and identifies crop, ferns, and scrubland areas.

The next photo shows the northern area, with junipers, aromatic plants, and the names of some of the peaks.

The fourth photo is taken in winter from Almanzor, the highest peak in the Gredos Mountain Range and identifies the peaks shown in the photo.

The rest of the space on this second floor is usually occupied by temporary exhibitions.

If you look in front of you, you will discover mirrors on the railing, reflecting others on the ceiling, through which one can observe the mountain range surrounding the Park House.

Now, go down from this floor and go to the audio-visual room, which is outside the house, on the floor below the entrance floor. To access it, you must go down the stairs or the access ramp to the building and go around the house to your right.

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Normally, the toilets open to the public are in an annex building. But the low temperatures in the area in January, February, and March freeze them, and they are closed to the public. During these months, the toilets in this hall are used. You will find the beside the audio-visual room.

As you enter through the door with the sign: "Audio-visual," you will find these toilets on the left.

Continue and enter the multi-purpose room used for audio-visual content, talks, and workshops.

The 15-minute audio-visual presentation deals with the geology of the area, highlighting the formation of the mountain, the influence of glaciers on erosion, and the different types of erosion present in the Gredos Mountain Range. The aim is to give you an understanding of the general characteristics of this uniquely beautiful Natural Area, especially, the formation and landscape of Gredos.

Now, go out into the garden.

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When you leave the audio-visual room, you will find a hut in the garden, opposite the entrance. A chozo hut is a typical round building with a stone base, a conical roof covered with piorno shrubs and a wooden door, which leads to an open-plan interior with a wooden bench to the right of the entrance, attached to the stone wall. There are logs resting on this round stone wall and leaning towards the centre of the roof, where they join together, forming the conical support of the roof.

This is a reflection of how human intervention has played a fundamental role in the configuration of the Gredos landscape throughout history. From the ancient Celtic cultures, who converted forests into pastures, to the Roman influence that promoted Mediterranean crops and chestnut groves, various civilisations have left their mark on the mountain range.

In the Middle Ages, transhumance transformed the mountains, creating pastureland for livestock and giving rise to structures such as "masonry-bridges" and "shepherd's huts" like the one in our garden.

Although livestock and small crops were predominant, forestry and resin extraction are never sources of income. Tourism and the proliferation of second homes have had a significant impact on the landscape, affecting traditional culture and architecture. Despite these changes, there are examples of buildings adapted to the environment, using materials such as granite, wood, and adobe. The most notable urban transformation can be seen on the southern slopes and in villages close to the main roads, while more remote towns retain their charm and offer valuable lessons in indigenous architecture.

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In the car park, there is an area where motorhomes can spend the night. There is also a small tribute to the "Musicians in Nature" concert, which is held here every year, consisting of the silhouettes of some of the singers who have performed at the concert.

At the back, but also within the car park, is the entrance to a rope park.

With this audio track, the visit to the Pinos Cimeros Park House in the northern area of the Gredos Mountain Range comes to an end, where we’ve discovered the uniqueness of its landscapes, and the richness of its fauna, flora and orography that create a unique and idyllic ecosystem, which is also reflected in the local products and gastronomy.

If you would like more details, you are welcome to come to the reception desk or speak to any of the collaborators at the Park House.

Thank you for your visit.