Presa El Gasco

Looking at vultures

 There is a strange artifact of history that is now a pleasant park and a fantastic walk. The El Gasco Dam is a failed dam constructed in the late 18th century. It was intended to be a grandiose engineering project leading to canals connecting Madrid and the Atlantic Ocean. At the time it was to be the tallest dam ever constructed but after being plagued by delays and setbacks, an early failure led to the project being abandoned. The steep walls of the dam are still visible and you can walk freely on top the very steep walls. It's a cool experience and the views over the valley are fantastic. I highly recommend visiting its Wikipedia page to learn more about its strange history.

There are a couple of trails in the area that wind through the hills or along the incomplete canal. There is a much longer loop that goes through a classic Mediterranean tree and shrub habitat. There are some beautiful views across Madrid and nice assortment of trails winding in and out of the rocks. 

We were lucky to see a group of Griffon and Black Vultures scavenging a Wild Boar carcass by the river. There were probably thirty to forty of them and we saw several go to perch in the sun across the valley while others fought it out for a piece of the boar. I was surprised at how open the area was, there were no fences or installations of any kind. The area was popular with dog walkers and I understand why with such an enjoyable walk near to several smaller suburbs. 

Views from above

Nice wooded area by the canals