Telephone: +44 (0) 1722 322 652 Email: [email protected] Basque Pyrenees to San Sebastian The true heart of Basque culture https://www.onfootholidays.co.uk/routes/basque-pyrenees-to-san-sebastian/ Route Summary At a glance The Basque Pyrenees and San Sebastian 8 night version - the full walk, with easier and harder options. (No Fri/Sat starts unless staying 2 nights in Ziga.) How much walking? Full days: 13-24 km per day, 4½-6½ hrs walking Using shortening options: 12-17 km per day, 3½-4½ hrs walking Max. Grade: page 1/10 Of our two walks in the Basque region of northern Spain, this is the true centre of Basque culture – the well-kept villages of the western Pyrenees, for centuries protected from incursion by the mountains. Route Highlights ● Authentic Basque culture in gentle countryside ● A generous-hearted people ● Traditional unspoilt village architecture ● Impenetrable language interpreted with laughter, but a good mix of French, Spanish and English spoken ● Beautiful ridge walks with views for miles around ● San Sebastian – City of Culture, and La Concha beach (Europe’s best beach according to TripAdvisor) We Recommend Extra nights en route in Bera, extraordinary Hondarribia and of course the City of Culture (and "Pintxos") San Sebastian Grading Full days: 13-24 km per day, 4½-6½ hrs walking Using shortening options: 12-17 km per day, 3½-4½ hrs walking The first three days walking are largely unsigned so care needs to be taken to follow the route notes and maps carefully. After this the route is mainly on GRs and well signed. Highest point on route: 1,075m (Mt. Alba). Some narrow paths with drops may worry the acrophobic (avoidable by choosing shorter options). Medium-hard/hard: Average cumulative uphill stretches (CUSs) 820m (430m-1035m) per day. Medium: CUSs 490m (430m-585m) per day using shortening options where available, including some taxi transfers (local supplement) GPX file available for handheld GPS or smartphone App for complete route. Important note: Times given for each day are walking times for an “average” walker and exclude stops. “CUSs” stands for “Cumulative Uphill Stretches” and measures the aggregated ascents in each day, expressed in metres of climb. See “Walk Grading” for more information. page 2/10 When to go The best months to walk: May, June, mid-September to mid-October Other possible months: April, early September, late October The Basque Pyrenees are at their best in the spring (late April-June) or September. The second half October can be misty, restricting the views. Summer can be hot and busy, particularly in San Sebastian - July and August are not possible for this reason. Single night stays in San Sebastian at weekends can be problematic so avoid landing there on weekends and holidays if you don't want an extended stay there. N.B. Avoid San Sebastian from 18 until 26 September 2020 - it's the Film Festival and hotels are incredibly expensive. Please note: date ranges shown are for a 'normal' year. While Covid-19 restrictions remain, please contact us to discuss your plans and availability. Itinerary Day 1 - Arrive in Ziga Arrive in pretty Ziga, a small village with great views of the Baztán valley. Your comfortable hotel will welcome you with a good (if late by non-Spanish standards!) dinner to prepare you for tomorrow's first walk. Day 2 - Ziga to Elizondo Today begins with a gentle uphill walk out of Ziga. Enjoy mountain views and the Baztán valley before descending to Irurita, the perfect place for a lunch stop. If time allows, don't miss the chance to have a coffee and taste one of the chocolate specialities at the pastry shop on the square. After lunch, the route continues through the traditional villages of Gartzain and Aristegui, and the day's walk ends in bustling Elizondo, the capital town of Baztán valley. (4 hrs, 13½km, CUSs 430m) Alternatives: None - except to ride with the luggage. Day 3 - Elizondo circuit Your adventure starts in earnest today with a fabulous circular walk. There are three options – easy, medium and the main route for hardy walkers who want to reach Alba’s top (1075m), with superb views. All start by following the GR11 so navigation is quite straightforward and birdwatchers are in for a treat too (kites and griffon vultures aplenty). Return to Elizondo by following shady woodland paths and visiting the little villages of Gartzain and Ariztegi on the way. (5¾hrs, 21¾km, CUSs 1035m). Alternatives: Without Alba: (4¾hrs, 15km, CUSs 485m). Easier option: (2¼hrs, 11km, CUSs 450m) Day 4 - Elizondo to Erratzu Leaving Elizondo behind, this morning you will climb the hills above the Baztán valley before descending to the remote valley of Iñarbegui, with views across to impressive Mt. Auza. Then follows a pretty gorge (you can take a detour to visit the Xorrokin waterfalls) before the walk takes you into Erratzu, where you will stay. A shorter, easier version follows the longer for 4km then winds northwards, gently descending through bucolic farmland to pretty Erratxu. (Main route: 4¾hrs, 16½km, CUSs 725m, short route: 4¼hrs, 12km, CUSs 585m) Alternative: None, except to ride with the luggage the whole way. Organise this the night before with Aznar. page 3/10 page 4/10 Day 5 - Erratzu to Etxalar A lovely day full of contrasts. Climb up to the ridges, visiting pretty Urrasun and Zuaztoi along the way before joining the GR11. Then cross meadows, farms and oak and beech woods, with views to truly savour. Leave the GR to descend gently to Etxalar, probably the most beautiful village of the whole trip! (5¾ hrs, 22½ km, CUSs 820m). Alternatives: If you prefer a more gentle day, take a taxi lift (paid locally - €10) to Otsondoko pass and join the GR11 after a gentle climb. (4¼ hrs, 16¾km, CUSs 550m), or just miss the first 2½km, to the main road at Arribiltoa (5hrs, 19km, CUSs 820m). Day 6 - Etxalar to Bera Start the day with a lung expanding climb out of Etxalar. At first in oak woodland, you will soon be enjoying views across to two valleys before reaching the Lizaieta pass, on the border between Spain and France. Those seeking more of a challenge will choose to bag Ibantelli for its 360 degree views but if you prefer a gentler walk just keep walking along the GR11. The walk ends in Bera, where you will enjoy a very comfortable hotel. (4½hrs, 15½km, CUSs 800m, or without Ibantelli just 3½ hrs, 13¼km, CUSs 500m ) Day 7 - Bera to Hondarribia A day of many parts! A long climb up at the start of the day is richly rewarded by some fabulous ridge top walking – don’t shirk the peaks either as, on a clear day, you can see for miles around. For a while you straddle the Spanish/French border – literally having a foot in each country. Then you very definitely enter France for the afternoon and only re-enter Spain when you take a little boat from Hendaye to Hondarribia (one of Spain’s most historic towns) where you will spend the night, having first sampled its restaurants and cafés. (5½ hrs, 20km, CUSs 900m) Alternatives: If you would like to shorten the walk and lose all of the early climbing organise with Aznar the evening before, a taxi to the Ibardin Pass. Pay locally, ~€15. (4 hrs, 16½ km, CUSs 410m) Day 8 - Hondarribia to San Sebastian The walk starts with quite a pilgrimage up to the Guadalupe sanctuary (worth a quick visit) before ascending further to the impressive Jaizkibel coastal ridge, with views for miles. Then descend dramatically into Pasaia, an authentic sailing and fishing village from the Middle Ages and the ideal place for a coffee or beer stop. A short boat trip takes you to the other side of the harbour where you will then continue with a gentle coastal walk into beautiful San Sebastian. Congratulations! (as designed 6½ hrs actual walking, 24km, CUSs 1030m, or easier off-ridge option 24 km, CUSs 790m) Alternatives: Shorten the walk by travelling with the luggage as far as Pasaia - leaving 8km, 2¼ hrs actual walking, CUSs 415m). page 5/10 Travel Information ARRIVING BY AIR The best airports with European flights are Biarritz (France) and Bilbao (Spain). Intercontinental flights use Madrid, followed by an internal flight to Pamplona (nearest to the start) or San Sebastian (Hondarribia). Land by: Pamplona – 17:00 for local bus (not Sundays) to Elizondo, 19:00 for pre-booked taxi (supplement) the whole way. Biarritz – 19:00 for pre-booked taxi transfer (supplement) c. 1¼ hrs. Bilbao – 13:30 for local buses (2) via San Sebastian, or 17:00 for pre-booked taxi transfer (supplement) c. 2¼ hrs. Also possible to take bus to San Sebastian and then taxi transfer from there to start. Return flight earliest: Bilbao – 9:00 am (after regular shuttle from San Sebastian) Biarritz – 13:00 (ditto) Flight information can change rapidly and not all flights run daily. Please do check directly with the airlines’ websites or Skyscanner (see below) before finalising any booking with us. Do not book your flights until we have confirmed that we have provisionally reserved accommodation for you. For up-to-date schedules and flights from all airports check Skyscanner. ARRIVING BY TRAIN Nearest railway station: Start: Pamplona or Hendaye/Irun – pre-bookable taxi to first hotel included in price from Hendaye/Irun, supplement from Pamplona Finish: San Sebastian Sample journey by rail: Via Paris: TGV Paris Gare Montparnasse to Hendaye. ~5 hrs.