Peñalara
Encyclopedia
Sistema Central
The Sistema Central is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in the Iberian Peninsula.-Description:The Sistema Central is a primary feature of the Meseta Central, the inner Iberian plateau, splitting the meseta into two parts...
mountain chain which lies at the center and divides the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
. Straddling the provinces of Madrid and Segovia
Segovia (province)
Segovia is a province of central/northern Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of Burgos, Soria, Guadalajara, Madrid, Ávila, and Valladolid....
, Peñalara reaches a height of 2,428 metres above sea level. Consequently, it is one of the most emblematic and important peaks of the Guadarramas.
The eastern section of the mountain lies in the municipality of Rascafría
Rascafría
Rascafría is a municipality of the Community of Madrid, Spain.In its territory is the Monastery of Santa Maria de El Paular....
in the province of Madrid, belonging to the Vale of Lozoya, and its western section is located in the Vale of Valsaín in the province of Segovia. The peak's summit is a designated natural park
Natural park (Spain)
In Spain, a natural park is a natural space protected for its biology, geology, or landscape, with ecological, aesthetic, educational, or scientific value whose preservation merits preferential attention on the part of public administration. The regulation of the activities that may occur there...
known as the Parque Natural de Peñalara, which features several small lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s and some steep escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
s.
The outline of Peñalara is rounded, displaying few underhangs. The hillsides of this mountain are covered with different types of vegetation, depending on the elevation. Largely undisturbed oak tree
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
groves are found at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,300 metres. From 1,100 metres to 2,000 metres, the slopes are dominated by wild pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
forests. From 2,000 metres up to the summit, the vegetation consists of more sparsely distributed, low-lying bushes particular to high elevations. The animal habitation of the mountain is made up of small mammals, a large variety of insects and various bird species such as eagles and vultures.
See also
- Mountain range of Guadarrama
- Peñalara Nature ReservePeñalara Nature ReserveThe Peñalara Natural Park is a natural park of 7.68 km² inthe northwest of the Community of Madrid.The park is situated in the central zone of the Sierra de Guadarrama, in Spain. The reserve includes Peñalara's summit, the highest peak of the mountain system, and an area to the south-east of...
- Guadarrama National ParkGuadarrama National ParkGuadarrama National Park is a proposed National Park in Spain. The project would protect some of the most ecologically valuable areas of the mountain range of Guadarrama , located in the Community of Madrid and Castile and León...