Walks in the Montes de Toledo from Hontanar · Route no. 07

Arroyo de las Lanchas Walk: waterfalls and sierra from Hontanar

The most beautiful climb from Hontanar: you follow the Arroyo de las Lanchas up past small waterfalls to the Collado de la Cruz de los Llanos, at almost 1,300 m, with views of Corral de Cantos and San Pablo de los Montes, and come back along a dirt track and the Senda de la Madroña.

The gorge of the Arroyo de las Lanchas on the climb from Hontanar — The gorge of the Arroyo de las Lanchas, where the climb begins.

⬇ Download the full route guide (PDF)Arroyo de las Lanchas Walk · map, GPS points and practical information to print and take with you

Route facts

Distance12.6 kmloop

Time4 hwith stops

Ascent+513 mtotal climb

DifficultyModerateaccording to the Wikiloc track

A loop from Hontanar. Figures from the Wikiloc track by Charo de la Cruz (May 2021): 3 h moving and about 4 h with stops.

🐕 Dogs: yes, on a lead
Waymarking: none, take the track
Hard section: the climb up the stream bed
Best season: autumn and spring
Water: little flow in summer

Distance from Cork Valley

3.5 km

3.5 km by road from Cork Valley to Hontanar, where the walk starts and finishes.

Road distance to the start of the walk, measured on the OpenStreetMap road network from Cork Valley in Hontanar.

Directions from Cork Valley Start in Hontanar on Google Maps View and download the track on Wikiloc

Route map

The numbered points open Google Maps when tapped. Route drawn from the track published on Wikiloc by CHARO DE LA CRUZ, over tracks, streams and roads from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL licence). The arrows show the direction of the walk.

Waypoints and how to get there

You leave Hontanar, 3.5 km from Cork Valley, along the same track as the Los Porches walk. At the Arroyo de las Lanchas you leave the track and climb up the stream bed; the way back is along a dirt track to the Collado de la Madroña and down a path to the village.

1
Hontanar — you leave the village along the Los Porches route.GPS: 39.6117, −4.4981 · Open in Google Maps
2
Arroyo de las Lanchas — here you leave the track and climb following the stream bed.GPS: 39.5888, −4.4818 · Open in Google Maps
3
Stream waterfalls — a string of small waterfalls; little water in summer, at their best after rain.GPS: 39.5858, −4.4808 · Open in Google Maps
4
Collado de la Cruz de los Llanos — the highest point: views of Corral de Cantos and, to the south, San Pablo de los Montes.GPS: 39.5823, −4.4654 · Open in Google Maps
5
Collado de la Madroña — you leave the dirt track and drop to Hontanar along the Senda de la Madroña.GPS: 39.6095, −4.4812 · Open in Google Maps

⚠ Still to be checked on the ground: the state of the path up the stream bed, which is not waymarked and may be overgrown, and how much water the falls carry at different times of year.

What the walk is like

The first four kilometres are the easy Los Porches walk: tracks through holm oak and rockrose, crossing the Cerezos and Valdejachiva streams. At the Arroyo de las Lanchas the best part begins: you climb up the stream bed between rocks, past several small waterfalls, beautiful even with little water, especially in late summer.

The climb ends at the Collado de la Cruz de los Llanos, at about 1,297 m, the highest point, with views of Corral de Cantos, one of the highest summits in the Montes de Toledo, and south towards San Pablo de los Montes. The descent is easy: a forest track to the Collado de la Madroña and from there the Senda de la Madroña back to Hontanar.

Photographs

The Arroyo de las Lanchas between rocks and holm oaks, Hontanar — The stream bed, between rocks and holm oaks.

Hontanar at the foot of the quartzite crags of the sierra, Montes de Toledo — Hontanar, at the foot of the sierra. Photo: marcialsalcedo, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The Hontanar valley and the Montes de Toledo from the track along the sierra — The valley from the track down, in the last few kilometres.

Holm oak woodland and poplars in a valley near Hontanar — Holm oaks and poplars in a valley near Hontanar. Photo: 19migmas63, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Dalmatian on the terrace of a wooden cabin at Cork Valley — At Cork Valley your dog sleeps indoors and comes with you on the walks.

Practical information

What to take

Plenty of water and something to eat
Hiking boots
Sun cream, a cap and sunglasses
A charged phone with the track downloaded
A lead for your dog

Rules in the hills

Stay on tracks and paths
Close any gates you open
No fires
Respect livestock and private estates
During the hunting season, avoid hunt days
Take your rubbish home

🐕 Suitable for dogs used to the hills. Always on a lead: there is livestock and hunting land. The climb up the stream bed is rocky, so it is not for older dogs or dogs with mobility problems.

No booking or permit is needed. The stream section is not waymarked: download the Wikiloc track before you set off, and avoid the walk when the stream is in spate after heavy rain.

Frequently asked questions

How hard is the Arroyo de las Lanchas walk?

Moderate: 12.6 km with about 513 m of total ascent. The hardest section is the climb up the stream bed, between rocks and without a clear path in places.

When do the waterfalls have water?

After the autumn rains, in winter and in spring. By late summer there is very little flow.

Can I take my dog?

Yes, on a lead, if it is used to walking in the hills and scrambling over rocks.

Where does it start?

In Hontanar, 3.5 km by road from Cork Valley.

Where to stay

Casa Espejo at Cork Valley at sunset, with the private pool lit up

Cork Valley · Mirror Houses and wooden cabins

The natural base for this walk: adults-only, pet-friendly rural accommodation in Hontanar, in the heart of the Montes de Toledo, 130 km from Madrid and 55 km from Toledo. Mirror Houses that reflect the dehesa, wooden cabins, a private Nordic hot tub and a saltwater infinity pool. Your dog sleeps indoors, goes everywhere with you and even has a pool of its own.

Certified Starlight Destination and Alojamiento Rural Singular of Castilla-La Mancha.

Check availability See the Mirror Houses and cabins

Other walks from Hontanar

Walks in the Montes de Toledo that start in or near Hontanar, with their road distance from Cork Valley. See also our walks in Cabañeros National Park.

Los Porches Walk · hiking route in ToledoAn easy loop from the village · 8.5 km · 3.5 km from Cork Valley
Arroyo de las Lanchas WalkWaterfalls and a 1,297 m pass · 12.6 km · 3.5 km from Cork Valley
Corral de Cantos Walk · hiking route in ToledoHontanar’s summit, 1,421 m · 17.4 km · 3.5 km from Cork Valley
Collado de Pasamontes and Hoz de Carboneros Walk · hiking route in ToledoCaves, a 1,400 m summit and waterfalls · 17.4 km · 6.8 km from Cork Valley
Hoz de Carboneros and Pico de la Sombrerera Walk · hiking route in ToledoWaterfalls, scrambling and a 1,400 m summit · 19.1 km · 5.6 km from Cork Valley

Take the route guide with you

Everything about this walk — map, GPS points, what to take and the rules in the hills — in a PDF ready to print or save to your phone before you set off, as mobile coverage is patchy along parts of the route.

⬇ Download the full route guide (PDF)Arroyo de las Lanchas Walk · map, GPS points and practical information to print and take with you

Route guide produced by Cork Valley from the track published on Wikiloc by CHARO DE LA CRUZ (view on Wikiloc). Map: track drawn over data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL licence. Distances, ascent and times as given by the original track. The map is for orientation and does not replace a topographic map or a GPS.