Andy Rodker's photos with the keyword: Las Machotas

From the Roman road near El Escorial. Perhaps view on large for details of the granite-flecked hills (Las Machotas) and the deserted farmhouse. The tree is a mature encina (holm oak) and is pretty ubiquitous - and much loved - in many parts of Spain

A bit too far for as clear a shot as I would have liked, especially without lenses, tripod etc, but the magnificent palace / monastery is visible for many miles around, especially from the surrounding mountains of La Sierra de La Guadarrama.

El Fraile from Collado de Entrecabezas. Granite extravaganza.

As Jenny says; a skill indeed and there are no spaces between the stones and no mortar needed!

In the distance the Sierra de Guadarrama. The Roman road probably passed slightly to the right of here; the modern path goes straight ahead as you see at the left of the shot.

The western facade of the monastery / palace. The central building is square, so all sides are equal, giving an idea of the enormousness of the conception and implementation. Nothing like it had been seen in Europe before. The outlying complexes as seen here add even more grandeur to the whole thing. The skyline is one of my favourite walks from La Machota Chica at the left to El Fraile on La Machota Alta at the right.

My views of this sierra last week were from a closer vantage point. I should have been there this week but an arrogant student decided that the immersion course was not to his taste and so he got it cancelled after only 2 minutes of us all meeting! I now have a battle to get paid and the academy has a fight to retain the contract. A worrying few days all round! (There was nothing wrong with the course).

Las Machotas and blackberries from the Roman road. I tried to convey the shimmering heat haze on this scorching August day.

Up (or down) a steep-ish incline and not quite a straight line! Between San Lorenzo de El Escorial and Zarzalejo. Madrid Province.

La Machota Alta / El Fraile. Not far from the Palace / monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

Not sure why this was taken with flash (a mistake of course) but I quite like the effect!

Near the summit after the exposed (but safe) scramble up a long slab. At the summit there are good views over the palace of San Lorenzo de El Escorial but unfortunately mine were too blurred to show. Although this was on October 21, it was extremely hot. I was relatively fit in those days but I was absolutely shattered at the end of the day!

That fence and tree again!

At the top of La Machota Chica and time for my packed lunch! This was in a very hot October 2011; my first visit to the palace, the Roman road and these mountains. I have returned many times since.

Seen from near Paralejo (our favourite restaurant village - it has four restaurants, a tiny church with storks nests and little else!), The Machotas are outlying mountains of the Sierra de Guadarrama and good fun if you like (as I do) scrambling around among granite rocks. La Machota Chica is seen ahead.

Near Zarzalejo, Las Machotas, granite country. Rain shower in the distance.

A very hot late October day but a magnificent long walk involving ancient woodlands, terrific parkland, the palace monastery, a Roman road, a tough and steep scramble up to a craggy granitic ridge and magnificent vistas. Perfect!

Throwing an impressive shadow! In the distance are the highest peaks of the Sierra de Guadarrama including Penalara, La Maliciosa and Bola del Mundo.