Rascafría is the main village of the upper Lozoya valley, a green, high, glacier-carved trough on the northern side of the Sierra de Guadarrama where the Lozoya river runs down from the peaks. It is a small place, around sixteen hundred people, but it feels bigger than it is because of what surrounds it: the great ridge of Peñalara, the highest summit in the range at a little over two thousand four hundred metres, lies just to the west, and the old pine forests close in on all sides.
On the edge of the village stands the monastery of Santa María de El Paular, founded as a Carthusian house at the end of the fourteenth century by a Castilian king and later used by Benedictine monks. The buildings include a Gothic church with a famous carved altarpiece in alabaster, a cloister, and a quiet, prosperous feeling that suits the setting. A short walk away a wooded path leads past the Lozoya river to the old bridge and the Presillas pools, where Madrileños come in summer to splash about in cold clear water.
This is also a food stop with some character. The valley is known for river trout, for roast lamb and for hearty mountain stews, and the village has plenty of cosy restaurants and bars where you can sit at a big table by a fire in winter. Do not expect an elegant menu; the point is warm, solid food in good quantity, with a plate of cheese and a jug of local wine, and a coffee afterwards on a terrace with the sound of running water.
The riding here is what draws motorcyclists. The road from the Puerto de Cotos down through the pines is a long, flowing run of well-banked bends, and the approach from the Morcuera pass on the other side is equally good, with some tight hairpins and lovely views. In summer the traffic is heavy at weekends, with walkers and cyclists, and in winter the high passes can have snow and ice, so look for any closures before setting out.
For fuel, check your tank before leaving the valley: San Ildefonso, over the pass to the north, is the sensible larger town, and Rascafría itself should have a pump, but do not rely on it late in the evening.