Lovely old 4 bedroom village house for hiking Madrid mountains

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Rustical´s review                                                  See prices

A group of friends saved this old farmhouse from a fate worse than demolition – modernization – and renovated it superbly and to the last detail. Today, it’s a terrific house that has lost nothing of its original essence while gaining in comfort and facilities. Stone walls and polished wood in beams, ceilings and furniture lend weight and dignity to this fine old residence.

Entrance is via a furnished patio, a lovely spot to sit and soak up the sun. The living room is very grand. Soft lamplight and a fireplace ensures a homely feel and the preponderance of wood a natural ambience. There are different places to sit and relax. If the temperature drops, there’s central heating.

The kitchen comes fully equipped with dishwasher et al and there’s a dining room which is supposed to seat twelve, but we judge it to be fine for nine only, comfortably, and that determined our maximum sleeping capacity for this property.

The bedrooms are interesting. On the ground floor, two small sitting/dressing rooms (with private shower/wc) have wooden staircases up to a raised gallery, where their twin beds are arranged. And the generous loft space has been converted into two large, romantic double rooms (an extra bed can be added here), each with a comfortable sitting area, wooden floors and views of the Guadarrama mountains through a skylight. The ceilings are sloping but not low. Again, each bedroom has its own en suite bathroom.

Alameda village (population 200) is set in a valley between the mountains of the province of Madrid. They are used to having visitors from Madrid city here, although foreigners are a rarer sight. You will be made welcome in local restaurants which serve first-class roasts, lamb, goat and suckling pig.

This region of Madrid has plenty offer to the visitor, with good treks starting from your front door. For a more alpine and higher experience, treks around Peñalara and Cotos Natural Park are our personal favourites, up to Peñalara peak at a respectable 2,400 metres altitude.

Then there are the pine forests of Navafria. When you drive up through the imposing old trees you pass from Madrid into Castile and another world.

The Sierra Norte and Sierra del Rincon are Biosphere reserves, mountain landscapes where you can get off the beaten track and visit little-known villages such as La Hiruela. The Hayedo de Tejeda, the southernmost beech woods in Europe are situated here. A beautiful forest hike from the elegant, grey-stone Paular Monastery in Rascafría takes you to the Morcuera mountain pass.

The medieval village of Pedraza is less than 30 minutes distant and Madrid itself an hour and a quarter.

Distribution
On two floors
Ground floor: furnished patio; living room; dining room; kitchen; two twin-bedded rooms with wooden stairs up to sleeping gallery and sitting room & shower/wc below
First floor: two double-bedded rooms with shower/wc.

Facilities
Central heating; fireplace; dishwasher; washing machine; DVD & TV; CD player; barbecue; all linen provided.

Location & Distances
At the foot of Alameda village (shopping, pharmacy, restaurants, bars), where the countryside begins.

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