Alconada de Maderuelo

First light over the plateau

Early in the morning, while the air still holds the coolness of the night, the stone and adobe houses of Alconada de Maderuelo catch a pale, almost grey light. It settles into the cracks of the walls and along the edges of the boundary walls, sharpening every line. Tourism in Alconada de Maderuelo begins like this: quietly. There is no traffic, no shutters lifting. At times, the only sound is the beat of a stork’s wings on the rooftops or the wind arriving across the open fields.

The village sits at around 946 metres above sea level, on the high plains of north-east Segovia, part of the historic Comunidad de Villa y Tierra de Maderuelo, a medieval territorial organisation that once structured life across this area. Nearby lies the Linares del Arroyo reservoir, and a little further north, the first slopes of the Sierra de Ayllón begin to rise.

The landscape feels wide and spare. There are cereal fields, scattered patches of holm oak and stretches of pasture where old stone enclosures and former field boundaries can still be traced. In spring, the colours shift quickly. Red poppies and white daisies appear among the green crops, and after rain, the ground carries the scent of turned soil and fresh grass.

A village shaped by work on the land

At the centre stands the parish church of San Andrés. It is a simple building made of rough masonry, with a modest bell gable rising above the roofs. It is neither large nor ornate, yet its outline is visible from almost anywhere in the village.

The streets are short, and in several sections remain unpaved. Walking slowly reveals details tied to a long agricultural past. Wide wooden gates open onto yards, animal pens sit beside homes, and some façades still have bread ovens attached to them. There are also small cellars cut into the rock, once used to store wine or food.

Many houses retain exposed stone or original adobe. Some are well kept, while others show the marks of time: warped doors, walls worn by wind, and the effects of long winters typical of this part of Castilla. All of it belongs to the same setting, without sharp contrasts between what is preserved and what is fading.

Paths through open country

There are no marked trails or information boards around Alconada. Instead, agricultural tracks leave from the last houses and run out across gently rolling fields.

A simple walk involves following one of these paths for half an hour, then returning along a roughly parallel track. From slight rises in the land, the entire village comes into view: a small cluster of roofs, the bell gable of the church, and beyond that, kilometres of open countryside.

Comfortable footwear is a good idea, especially as the ground can change quickly. After heavy rain, the clay soil sticks to shoes and makes walking more demanding than expected.

Birdlife on the parameras

These high plains of north-east Segovia, known locally as parameras, hold more life than first appears, especially when approached quietly. The Montagu’s harrier often glides low over the fields, searching for small prey. Skylarks are easy to hear, singing as they climb almost vertically until they vanish into the sky.

At the start and end of the day, other, more discreet birds emerge. The call of the stone-curlew can sometimes be heard from the stony ground of fallow fields.

Binoculars are not essential for a walk here, though they can add another layer for anyone interested in watching birds.

Eating nearby and the wider area

There are no bars or shops in the village itself, so it makes sense to arrive with water or something to eat if planning to spend time walking around. For a meal or a longer stop, nearby villages offer options, as does the small town of Maderuelo.

Maderuelo lies just a few kilometres away. It preserves its defensive walls, narrow streets and several Romanesque churches, giving a sense of the area’s long history. The Linares del Arroyo reservoir is also close by and alters the landscape noticeably, especially at sunset, when the water reflects the wide sky of the plateau.

Life at a very small scale

In summer, the village sees more people, particularly in August, when families who still have houses here return. During those days, there may be simple celebrations organised by residents themselves.

For the rest of the year, Alconada returns to its usual rhythm: very few inhabited houses and a quiet that can feel surprising at first. The best approach is to arrive without hurry, walk for a while along the tracks, and then pause near the church or on one of the low rises nearby, watching how the light shifts across the fields. Here, time is measured less by the clock and more by the wind and the seasons.