The Cerro Almodón via ferrata, next to the San Juan Reservoir in San Martín de Valdeiglesias, is now one of the new gateways to vertical adventure tourism in the Community of Madrid: a modern facility equipped with clamps, cables, and a spectacular suspension bridge that allows visitors to walk along the rock face with unobstructed views of the San Juan Reservoir.
Officially known as the Virgen de la Nueva–Carlos Molano Via Ferrata, it has become the region’s first certified via ferrata, establishing the area around the reservoir as one of the most attractive settings for combining sports, nature, and water-based recreation.
The total route features approximately 400 meters of equipped sections on granite rock, with an elevation gain ranging from 78 to 250 meters depending on the sector and the chosen route. It has been designed with two main levels: a K3 route, classified as moderate difficulty, and a more demanding K4/K4+ route, which requires good physical fitness and upper-body strength on the vertical and aerial sections. On the via ferrata K scale—which ranges from K1 (very easy) to K6 (extremely difficult)—a K3 route involves vertical sections, some exposed stretches, and features such as bridges, while K4 enters the “difficult” category, reserved for people with prior experience who are accustomed to the physical demands of rock climbing.
The landscape: Madrid’s “Caminito del Rey”
One of the main attractions of the Cerro Almodón via ferrata is its setting: the route winds along rock faces on a hill that overlooks the San Juan Reservoir, offering continuous views of the water, the boats, and the pine forests that carpet the slopes. From the higher sections, the panoramic view opens up like a natural amphitheater over the reservoir, creating an effect very similar to that of the balconies and walkways of the Caminito del Rey in Málaga, but with a less rugged and more wooded landscape, where the blue of the water and the green of the pine forest share the spotlight with the granite rock.
The famous Tibetan suspension bridge is one of the route’s iconic highlights. It is a cable structure that connects two sections of the via ferrata and requires you to cross with the reservoir right beneath your feet, making it a highly photogenic experience and the most adrenaline-pumping moment of the route. Added to this are ledges where you can rest and small natural balconies that serve as lookouts, offering views of both the reservoir and the landscape of Madrid’s Sierra Oeste.
Compared to other via ferratas in Spain
Compared to some of the country’s major via ferratas, the one at Cerro Almodón falls in the middle range in terms of difficulty and length, designed for a broad but active audience. Compared to extreme routes such as Cágate Lorito or Feliz Navidad in Catalonia—both rated K6 and reserved for highly experienced via ferrata climbers—or Circ du Soleil, rated K7+ and considered the most difficult in Spain, the Madrid via ferrata offers an intense yet accessible experience for physically fit individuals who want to go beyond classic hiking without venturing into highly specialized activities.
This makes Cerro Almodón a very interesting option for those who have already tackled an easy via ferrata and want to step it up a notch without venturing into extreme routes:the K3 sector is suitable for active athletes who aren’t afraid of heights, while the K4+ is clearly aimed at via ferrata climbers with some experience. It is not, therefore, a route suitable for absolute beginners or families with young children, but it is a logical next step for anyone who wants to experience sensations similar to those of the Caminito del Rey with a slightly greater athletic challenge—always using certified equipment (harness, helmet, fall arrest device, gloves) and, preferably, with a professional guide if you haven’t mastered the technique.
