In the first part of this series about Skiing in Spain, in the Sierra de Gredos mountains, I talked about the area and the scenery, the highest mountain in the region, the Rosarito Reservoir and the Laguna del Barco. Although the general area and scenery are remarkable, and one of the best natural areas in Spain, you probably came here to learn more about the skiing in the area, and where to stay!
La Covatilla!
The main ski area in the Sierra de Gredos is called La Covatilla, on the north-western edge of the mountains. This is not the giant ski resorts of the French and Swiss alps, but offers a fantastic little ski zone just a few hours from Madrid and not far from the southern cities. There are normally around 25-30 runs open, and they have a pretty good range of easy and long, gently sloped roads runs, going up to steeper and more difficult runs for the more experienced skiers. There aren't any black runs here for the real adventure seeker, the long sweeping red runs will be enough for almost everyone. The link below will take you to a piste map of the area, where you can see every run, where they are, and the different lifts. The lifts are mostly the drag-lift type, where you still have your skis on the floor, which is more comfortable for some, and more anxiety inducing for others. There was definitely a few occasion when I was learning to ski, when I was dragged up a mountain ass first on those drag-lifts!
The runs are located at a fairly high altitude, with the lowest lift sitting at 1989m and the highest going up to 2368m. Getting to the resort is not too difficult, as there are plenty of buses and other options from the town of Bejar.
When to ski?
Although in Caceres (my city, a little further South) it's normally around 25 degrees in late April, these ski runs are an icy -3 degrees, meaning that you can ski for a surprising length of time in the year. There is often more than a metre of snow still on the slopes, and you can be pretty confident that you can find snow here for much of the year.
Where to stay?
The nearest village with hotels, apartments and the like, is Bejar, around 25 minutes away from the slopes. There is also the beautiful mountain village called Candelario in between, where you can find apartments and some hotels. Bejar is a nice mountain town, and is relatively large and has everything you need. Candelario in comparison is very small, and absolutely stunning. The views of the mountains from this picturesque little town are incredible!
The author
Joe Thorpe
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