Piñuécar: Hiking, History and Rural Traditions

Piñuécar lies at the foot of Cabeza de Piñuecar in a largely flat landscape surrounded by pastures and cultivated fields. Typical low scrub vegetation grows to the west.

Other places: Cervera De Buitrago, Torrejón De Ardoz, Daganzo De Arriba, La Serna Del Monte, Gargantilla Del Lozoya, Los Molinos, Villanueva De La Cañada and Tres Cantos.

Hiking and trails

The municipal area of Piñuécar is crossed by the Cañada Real Segoviana, eight Cordeles, four Veredas and two Coladas; all these paths are suitable for hiking. The route “Despoblado de Bellidas y espadaña de Sto. Domingo” begins in Piñuécar at the Iglesia de San Simón and is 7.8 kilometres long. After around 1.6 kilometres, it reaches the former village of Bellidas on private property. A house and traces of the streets of a once-independent settlement, where 11 families used to live, have been preserved there.

The “Frente de Somosierra” route can be started in Piñuécar or Gandullas and passes through livestock pastures and open holm oak forests. Thyme and lavender grow along the way, and holm oaks are also scattered throughout the area. The route passes the Civil War bunkers at Peña Retamosa. The different route lengths and means of travel make the paths comparable with one another without mixing up their respective themes.

El Camino del Anillo is a thematic, 109-kilometre pilgrimage route travelled on foot. It crosses Cima de los Vientos, which is referred to as Cerro Piñuecar. A version suitable for bicycles combines paths and forest tracks with local roads. The Espadaña de Santo Domingo can be seen from the route and is crowned by a stork’s nest.

History and Architectural Heritage

The guided El Parapeto route explores various positions and remains from the Spanish Civil War, which have been incorporated into the national heritage of historical and cultural interest. Several construction phases come together in the Iglesia de San Simón: the church has a single-nave layout and a rectangular Baroque tower, while the raised rounded apse points to a medieval building tradition.

Inside the Iglesia de San Simón are Baroque altarpieces, a round-arched triumphal arch and a holy-water font from the 16th century. Outside Piñuécar are the remains of the Santo Domingo church. It was formerly the seat of the Tribunal de las Aguas, which distributed irrigation water and punished violations by those responsible for irrigation.

Piñuécar also has a traditional Potro de herrar. Horses, donkeys, oxen and cows were secured in this device so that their horseshoes could be attached or replaced. A preserved section of the Reguera de Piñuécar can be seen at the intersection of Calle Real and Calle de Vellidas, along a small path between two houses heading north-east.

Traditions and Local Cuisine

The residents of Piñuécar continue to carry out the traditional work of maintaining the Reguera and celebrate this tradition. The festival in honour of the Virgen de la Candelaria is also still celebrated in Piñuécar. Local festive customs include Hornazo, which is also called La Merienda in Piñuécar. The dish consists of greased bread dough that is filled and baked; all versions contain a boiled egg, while some are sweet and others are filled with sausage.

In Gandullas, the forge has been restored and converted into a museum. The Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Paz in Gandullas preserves a baptismal font from the feudal period, known as a “pila de cristianar vasallos”. The traditional rural architecture of Piñuécar-Gandullas is characterised by the use of stone, clay and wood.

Water in the Municipal Area

A section of the Puentes-Viejas Reservoir lies on the southern edge of the municipal area of Gandullas, where water activities are possible.

To the main travel overview: Madrid.