Manzanares el Real named Europe’s best trail running destination

Manzanares el Real, in the Community of Madrid, is the best trail running destination in Europe according to a SportsShoes.com study, which gives it 100 points out of 100. Zakopane (Poland, 96.8) and Cauterets (French Pyrenees, 93.6) come next. The analysis, published on 9 and 10 November, covers 90 destinations in 21 European countries and 9,003 routes.

SportsShoes.com is a British online sportswear retailer, so the ranking is the company’s own study and not an official classification. According to its data, global interest in trail running holidays has grown by 868% over the past year.

La Pedriza, routes and prices in the ranking leader

Manzanares el Real is about 50 kilometres from Madrid, at the foot of La Pedriza, in the Sierra de Guadarrama. It is one of the most recognisable natural areas in the range, with granite formations and mountain landscapes.

The study counts 229 trail running routes in the area, with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. There are routes for beginners and also for experienced runners looking for mountain terrain. According to the study, the average hotel price is 112 euros per night, among the cheapest in the top 20, and it is the destination with the lowest rainfall on the whole list.

Among the highlighted routes is the Yelmo de La Pedriza and Tolmo circuit, which starts at Canto Cochino and covers 9.35 kilometres with 580 metres of positive elevation gain. It culminates at El Yelmo, the most famous of La Pedriza’s rock formations. The town also has the Mendoza castle, a 15th-century building.

Vielha and Jaca, the other Spanish destinations in the top 15

Spain has three destinations among the top 15. Vielha, capital of the Aran Valley (Catalan Pyrenees), is 12th in Europe and second in Spain, with 83.1 points. It has 182 routes, 96 of which pass through places of cultural and historical interest, and the cheapest average accommodation of the top 20 destinations: 78 euros per night. One of its routes is the Garonne river and Vielha viewpoint circuit, at 11.9 kilometres and 470 metres of positive elevation gain.

Jaca, in the Aragonese Pyrenees and a former capital of the Kingdom of Aragon, is 15th in Europe and third in Spain, with 81.5 points. Its 273 routes are the seventh-highest figure in the whole ranking. Among the recommended routes is the circuit between the town and the Rapitán fort, at 8.68 kilometres and 270 metres of positive elevation gain.

The European podium and the big absentees

Zakopane, in the Tatra Mountains, offers mountain terrain with many high-difficulty routes, better suited to experienced runners, although it also has options for beginners. It stands out for its variety of landscapes: forests, lakes, rivers and summits. Cauterets, in the Hautes-Pyrénées, has more than 200 routes, an average score of 4.6, 35 routes of cultural interest and hotels at 104 euros per night.

Among the better-known names, Chamonix is only 14th and Cortina d’Ampezzo (Dolomites) is 21st, outside the top 20. According to the study, both lose points because of high hotel prices and fewer routes accessible to beginners.

The list also includes lesser-known destinations: Bodenmais (6th) and Winterberg (13th) in Germany, Campo Imperatore (17th) in Italy and Žabljak (19th) in Montenegro. In the United Kingdom, Ambleside (Lake District) is the best, 9th in Europe with 84.6 points and more than 200 routes, 74% of them high difficulty. Its top 5 is completed by Keswick (77.8), Aviemore (68.9), Grassington (63.4) and Fort William (59.2), and two British destinations make the European top 20.

Trevélez and Benasque complete Spain’s top 5

Fourth place in Spain goes to Trevélez (Sierra Nevada), one of the highest villages in the country, with just 24 trail routes and hotels averaging 85 euros per night, among the cheapest in the study. Fifth is Benasque, in the Aragonese Pyrenees, at the foot of Aneto, the highest mountain in the range, with 112 routes. With Vielha and Jaca, three of Spain’s top five are in the Pyrenees.

How the ranking was compiled

The study combines eight indicators grouped into five categories into a weighted score out of 100. The number of available routes accounts for 25% and their average rating for another 25%. The trail experience adds a further 25%: route difficulty (10%), landscape variety (10%) and points of cultural interest (5%).

Average accommodation price accounts for 15% and weather conditions for 10%, split between rainfall (5%) and average wind speed (5%).

The expert’s message on trail tourism and the environment

Ben Mounsey, a trail running and outdoor activities expert at SportsShoes.com, says that combining tourism and trail running allows people to discover places off the beaten track, although he warns that the rise in visitors can harm the most popular areas.

Mounsey says: “It’s great to see the popularity of trail running growing, as it’s a fantastic way to get off the beaten track and enjoy nature.” He adds: “Many popular destinations face high numbers of visitors, which can have a negative impact on the environment. That’s why we wanted to make sure our study included some lesser-known places, so that trail runners can discover new spots and ease the pressure on some of the most popular routes.”

The expert encourages people to research the destination in advance and to wear shoes suited to the terrain. On respecting the environment, he says: “As the sport grows, it’s more important than ever to be respectful of the places you visit.”