The GR11 Trail. Brian Johnson
track through the farmyard (3hr 15min, 370m). The water-point in the farmyard seems to be well protected by loose dogs! Continue up the track, turning sharp right at a junction with a dirt road and veering left to a picnic area with a water-point (3hr 40min, 440m). Discrete camping should be possible here.
Fork left at the picnic area. The track veers right, after which you ignore right turns and continue straight to the top of the hill, then stay on the main track past a barn and veer left round Bagalta (628m). Then fork left on a grassy path to rejoin the main track. Pass a barn at the Collado de Irazako (530m) then reach a power-line where there is an ancient tumulus. Stay on the main track, ignoring turns, to reach a complex road junction at the Collado de Ursumia (4hr 35min, 535m). Turn right (S) along a track, following the main track at a junction, then fork right at a col to start the descent. Fork left three times during the descent, then right along a path which contours through woods before joining a track just before reaching the road at Collado de Esquisaroy (5hr 15min, 518m, N43°13.010 W001°33.080). There is a sign down the road on the right to Casa Rural Landa Etxea, but the author has no information on this possible accommodation.
Urrizpil and Umboto from W slope of La Ronda
Cross the road and take the path forking right. Fork right at a junction (5hr 50min, 725m) and fork right and left as you continue to climb to a track joining from the left. Traverse right (W) of Atxuela (825m) to Collado Achuela (795m) with a small iron cross. The track contours W of La Ronda (854m) to reach the Collado de Iñaberri (6hr 20min, 795m, N43°11.522 W001°32.141). Excellent dry campsites.
Fork left, roughly S, ignoring a myriad of paths, then veer left into the woods and turn left down a good track and immediately right along a path which leads to Caserío de Maistruzar (6hr 30min). Immediately after the farmhouse is a spring, Fuente de Maistruzar. The path joins a track, and then forks right to reach a road at Plano de Bagordi (6hr 55min, 580m) where there is a picnic area with a water-point. Turn left along the road and after about 1km fork left down a path, the first of several ‘shortcuts’ (though it may be as easy to follow the road). Turn left on regaining the road. The next shortcut, also on the left, passes below a clay-pigeon shooting range. Stay on the road if you hear shooting. Go straight across when you next meet the road, then right along the road before taking a path to the left. Follow the track across the road when you next meet it (360m). You need to take this track as it does not return to this road but brings you down to another minor road. Turn left and follow the road down to the Elizondo bypass, which will not be shown on older maps. Cross carefully and keep straight on into Elizondo, turning left along the main street to a large church on the right (8hr, 200m). There is a water-point in the churchyard.
Detail on the church at Elizondo
Elizondo is a small town with a seasonal tourist office and a range of accommodation. As well as smaller shops there is a large supermarket just NE of the church. Ferreteria Quevedo has ‘original’, ‘easy-clic’ and ‘Coleman-style’ camping gas.
Facilities on Stage 2
Elizondo Tourist Office: tel 948 581 517
Hotel Elizondo: tel 948 580 872 www.hostalelizondo.com
Hotel Baztan: tel 948 580 050 www.hotelbaztan.com
Hostal Antxitonea: tel 948 581 807 www.antxitonea.com
Hostal Posada Elbete: tel 948 581 519 www.posadaelbete.com
Albergue Kortarixar: tel 626 532 452 www.kortarixar.es
English-speaking Mark Woldin offers bed and breakfast at his home as well as rides from the trail. Tel 660 976 422 [email protected]
STAGE 3
Elizondo to Puerto de Urkiago
| Start | Elizondo |
| Distance | 19km |
| Total Ascent | 1100m |
| Total Descent | 400m |
| Difficulty | Easy. The waymarking is good but you will have to take care with navigation in mist as the route is complex and undefined in places. It will be muddy and slippery in wet conditions. |
| Time | 5hr 40min (8hr to Albergue Sorogain in Stage 4) |
| High Point | Collado Bustalmorro (1170m) |
The traditional end of Stage 3 is at the Puerto de Urkiaga, but this road pass is without accommodation, good campsites or water! The main option for those requiring accommodation would be to continue to Albergue Sorogain, which is just over 2 hours ahead (see Stage 4). An alternative would be to use Hostal Arrobi Borda whose owners offer transport to and from the Puerto de Urkiaga.
The walking is primarily through woodland and pasture on paths and tracks over steep rolling hills. The route reaches 1000m for the first time. There are no obviously good campsites until you reach the Collado de Urballo.
Head up Avenida Monsenor Berecochea, immediately right (W) of the church. A left and right turn lead you out of town to reach a GR11 information board (216m, N43°08.542 W001°30.848). Fork right up a track, soon forking right and left before rejoining the road. Follow the road for about 100m then turn right along a path which veers left. Turn left at a track and immediately right. Turn right when the track continues through a gate, then fork left up a path, passing right of a farm. Join a track and turn right along a path (45min, 361m) as you come close to the road.
Continue climbing, cross a concrete track (1hr) and pass a spring (435m). When the track switchbacks right, veer left along a path and pass more springs. Higher up cross a stream and keep straight on, steadily climbing until you reach a track (1hr 40min, 470m, N43°06.373 W001°29.730). Turn right, then fork left at a switchback on a major track. Keep straight on along a grass track when the major track bends left, soon passing a water-point (20m left of the track) with good campsites. The track narrows to a path and climbs gradually to arrive at a hunter’s cabin (2hr 40min, 888m, N43°05.664 W001°29.000) just below the Collado de Urballo. The hunters’ cabin has a water-point and picnic tables. Continue up to the col. Camping is possible at the col. In good visibility you could easily climb Peña de Alba-Lohilu (1074m) to the SE.
Hunters’ cabin at Collado de Urballo
Keep straight on up the earthen track, soon forking right up a path. The paths are a bit nebulous with many sheep tracks, so follow the waymarks carefully as you contour the grassy N flank of Peña de Alba-Lohilu and reach the border fence at Border Stone 127.
In 1659 the Treaty of the Pyrenees was signed on an island in the Rio Bidasoa to end the 1635–1659 war between France and Spain, and a new border was fixed at the Pyrenees. However, the border was not properly settled until the Treaty of Limits in 1856. Border Stone 127 is one of about 600 numbered stones that were positioned in the 1860s to designate the border.
Pass ancient tumuli as you follow the fence along the ridge. Eventually, after a couple of shooting towers, leave the border fence as it veers off left. Soon reach another fence, which also