144 Río Mazanares 144 for money? They merely smile and wave, so we drive round and up beneath the imposing granite mountains towards Río Manzanares. Flowing from its source near the Navacerrada mountain pass, the water has created pools, smoothing and sculpting the rocks into strange shapes. We follow it upstream, stopping every so often to throw ourselves into its cooling waters. We hear families having fun, but the sheer length of the river, the vegetation, and the wide choice of swimming spots means it never feels crowded. Finally, after a scramble over some boulders, we reach an area of truly spectacular rock formations known as Poza de la Charca Verde (pool of the green puddle). Enormous rocks on one side have been worn so smooth that youngsters slide down them, laughing with joy as they slip into the deep water.
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This river often served as the backdrop for paintings by Goya, such as ‘Picnic on the Banks of the Manzanares’, which shows traditionally dressed Madrileños (people from Madrid) relaxing by the river. We meet two young, modern city-dwellers who tell us they regularly come here to get away from it all, commune with nature and escape Madrid’s stifling August heat. We can understand why. Diving from the rocks, we feel glad to be alive. 210
Guadalajara & Madrid