Walks in the Montes de Toledo from Hontanar · Route no. 06
Los Porches Walk: an easy hike from Hontanar
The easiest way to get to know the countryside around Hontanar: an 8.5 km loop that leaves the village, drops through holm oak and rockrose to the Arroyo de las Lanchas and comes back over the Collado de la Madroña, with a good view of the valley before you arrive.
Route facts
A loop: you start and finish in Hontanar. Figures from the Wikiloc track by chachol (February 2021).
- 🐕 Dogs: yes, on a lead
- Waymarking: none, take the track
- Technical difficulty: none
- Best season: autumn, winter and spring
- Shade: little in summer
Distance from Cork Valley
3.5 km by road from Cork Valley to Hontanar. The walk starts in the village itself, by the square.
Road distance to the start of the walk, measured on the OpenStreetMap road network from Cork Valley in Hontanar.
Route map
The numbered points open Google Maps when tapped. Route drawn from the track published on Wikiloc by chachol, 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
The walk starts in the centre of Hontanar, at the information point by the square. From Cork Valley it is a few minutes along the Navahermosa to Navas de Estena road; park in the village streets or by the municipal swimming pool.
- 1Hontanar — the village information point, by the square. Start and finish.GPS: 39.6107, −4.4978 · Open in Google Maps
- 2Arroyo de Valdejachiva — the first stream the track crosses, among holm oaks and rockrose.GPS: 39.5968, −4.4933 · Open in Google Maps
- 3Arroyo de las Lanchas — the stream coming down from the sierra; here the walk turns back towards the village.GPS: 39.5890, −4.4825 · Open in Google Maps
- 4Collado de la Madroña — an open view over Hontanar and the valley before dropping back into the village.GPS: 39.6094, −4.4814 · Open in Google Maps
What the walk is like
From the square in Hontanar you head south along the tracks leading out of the village and are soon in open country: holm oak, rockrose and the odd Pyrenean oak, with the sierra always ahead. The track crosses the Arroyo de Valdejachiva and carries on gently downhill to the Arroyo de las Lanchas, the southernmost point of the walk.
From there you turn north along the other side of the valley, with a few gentle climbs, to the Collado de la Madroña, where a good view opens up over Hontanar and the valley. The last stretch drops back into the village. Take it slowly, in about two and a half hours: it is the best walk for a first day in the Montes de Toledo.
Photographs
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
🐕 Dog friendly. Always keep your dog on a lead: there are estates with livestock and, in season, hunting grounds.
No booking or permit is needed. The route is not waymarked: download the Wikiloc track to your phone before you set off, as mobile coverage is patchy along parts of the walk.
Frequently asked questions
Is Los Porches suitable for children?
Yes. It is 8.5 km on tracks with no technical sections and a total ascent of about 214 m. With small children you can walk as far as the Arroyo de Valdejachiva and come back.
Can I take my dog?
Yes, on a lead. There is livestock and hunting land in the area.
Where does the walk start?
In the centre of Hontanar, by the square, 3.5 km by road from Cork Valley.
Is it waymarked?
No. It is a well-known walk in the village, but it is not waymarked: take the track with you.
Where to stay
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.
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 WalkAn easy loop from the village · 8.5 km · 3.5 km from Cork Valley
- Arroyo de las Lanchas Walk · hiking route in ToledoWaterfalls 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)Los Porches Walk · map, GPS points and practical information to print and take with youRoute guide produced by Cork Valley from the track published on Wikiloc by chachol (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.