Natural tourism: El Castañar de El Tiemblo (Ávila)
The City Council charges for accessing this natural setting on autumn weekends.
El Castañar de El Tiemblo (Ávila), one of the most spectacular, ancient and best preserved in Europe, is experiencing its most splendid period at this time; also the one with the greatest influx of visitors. And it is not for less, since this small forest of chestnut trees located at the eastern end of the Sierra de Gredos, very close to the Community of Madrid.
This space included within the Valle de Iruelas Natural Reserve, has become in recent times a claim for lovers of nature and yellow and ocher landscapes. Every year at this time, the chestnut grove gives the thousands of people who visit it moments to remember at the foot of centenary trees, among which the famous “ Abuelo” stands out, & nbsp; a sixteen meter specimen Its perimeter has been badly treated by the passage of time and by the action of the man who is located about 50 meters from the refuge. & nbsp; “El Abuelo” & nbsp; appears pierced in its central part, so that invites to pass under its entrails.
Autumn is the ideal time to visit a place that seems to be taken from some fantastic movie in which the forests become one more protagonist, with trees that seem to start moving at any moment. If you stop while walking among them, you can hear the leaves falling from the treetops, causing a relaxing symphony. The floor turns into a carpet of ocher and yellow leaves at this time.
Therefore, it is not surprising that during the autumn months especially, this chestnut forest becomes an attraction that is increasing, so that it is difficult to reach by car, due to the massive influx of people. Therefore, since last November 1, access is regulated.
This is a measure that will be effective during the weekends of the autumn and some of the summer months, depending on the influx of visitors. The aim is to contribute to the conservation of a place of high ecological value, thus slowing down the deterioration of this beautiful place.
It contemplates the charging of an access fee to El Castañar of 6 euros for vehicles and motorcycles, of 10 for quads and 60 for buses.
This measure does not apply to pedestrians or cyclists, although people who want to use one of the two public buses that are made available to visitors at the crossing from which the path begins, must pay a fee of 2 euros.