Pagoeta means "beech grove" and these trees, along with a rich and varied flora and fauna, are found in abundance in this natural reserve, which is characterised by its easy access and the balanced presence of human activities.
Pagoeta shows a succession of gentle mountains with woods and plains which stretch out to the coast. The proximity of the sea and the diversity of orientations and soil types ensure the vegetation, which is always green as a result of the Atlantic climate, is tremendously varied.
Compared to other natural reserves, Pagoeta is unique due to the presence of man. The homesteads, with their traditional Basque agricultural exploitation, are spread over a landscape which they humanise, providing an example of a balanced relationship with nature. The influence of man can be seen in some of the emblematic points of this space: the restored iron mining site of Agorregi, the primitive natural ice houses ("elurzuolak") and the botanical garden which surrounds the Iturraran homestead.
Classification:
Natural reserve
Extension:
1,335 hectares
Accesses:
N-634 main road between Orio and Zarautz, heading northwards. Main road from Tolosa to Azpeitia (GI- 2634), heading southwards.
Situation:
In the towns of Aia, Zarautz and Zestoa, on the Guipuzcoa coastal chain.
Flora and fauna:
To listen to the sound of the woodpeckers or to watch the deers is just one of the pleasures to be found in Pagoeta, a haven for game, which provides a habitat for roebucks, wild boars and wild cats. Beech trees, some of them are over forty metres high, holm oaks and yews, along with American oaks and red firs, make up these spectacular forests.