Urkiola Natural Park

The Urkiola Natural Park (5,955 ha) covers the highest terrain of the Aramotz Mountain Range, constituting a limestone barrier among the Bizkaia's regions of Arratia and Duranguesado, and the Alava's Aramaio Valley, separating at the same time the basins of the Cantabrian and Mediterranean rivers. The geographical position and the physiography of these mountains form an abrupt landscape dominated by rocky soils and highland pastures. The lower slopes and the bottom of these mountains accommodate pine tree, holm oak and pollarded beech tree groves.

Category: Natural parks

Municipalities:

Alava: Aramaio. Bizkaia: Abadiño, Dima, Durango, Izurtza, Mañaria, Atxondo.

Information:

Caserío Toki Alai (Information Centre)
Barrio de Urkiola
ABADIÑO
Phone: 946 814 155
E-mail:tokialai@terra.es; espacios.naturales.protegidos@bizkaia.net
Web: www.urkiola.net

Services:

The Natural Park takes its name from the pass running through it from north to south, and from the sanctuary built in honour of San Antonio Abad and San Antonio de Padua. It is a place of pilgrimage located in the heart of the natural area. Etymologically speaking, Urkiola comes from "urkia", the Basque word for birch tree, which can be easily found in the park.

Mountaineering, climbing and prehistoric sites

The Urkiola Natural Park basically comprises a series of massifs and enormous white limestone rocks and deep gullies and valleys between each one. The Urkiola mountaintops have promoted a great love for climbing and hiking. Anboto (1,330 m) is the park's highest summit and it is frequently visited, but just the most daring approach the cave of Mari (a Basque mythological figure) on its northern slope. More caves attracting lovers of potholing are Askondo, Baltzola, A-1, Abaro-Jentilzubi and Larrano o Urrekazulo caves.

The steep walls of Astxiki, Urrestei and Alluitz are an appropriate scenario for a rock climbing and have been the cradle of great Basque mountain climbers. Nowadays Atxarte owns one of the most important rock-climbing schools of the Basque Country with over 400 easy and difficult climbing routes.

The area accommodates prehistoric sites, such as Axlor and Bolinkoba, which have provided animal and human remains (cave bear, reindeer, horse, remains of teeth of human forebears from the Middle Paleolithic period in Axlor), as well as the tools used by our ancestors.

The parkland offers numerous routes that are recommended throughout the area, including many picnic areas. Besides, there are two lodges in the sanctuary where visitors can stay overnight, since camping in the park is not allowed.

Remarks

In the vicinity of the Urkiola Pass stands the Interpretation Centre of Toki Alai, which accommodates a permanent exhibition of the natural and cultural characteristics of the park. We strongly recommend to visit this centre in order to get a better understanding of the landscape. Besides, it is accessible to disabled people.

There is a rock climbing school in the park.

The area offers varied activities, such as rock-climbing, abseiling, hiking, mountaineering, potholing, biking, guided tours...

Fauna

The Urkiola Natural Park is an area of shepherding tradition, where cattle raising is a significant activity, mainly based on sheep ("latxa" sheep) and bigger cattle (mares and cows).

Birds are well represented by a variety of outstanding species, both rupiculous (griffon vulture, Egyptian vulture, peregrine falcon,
Alpine dunnock, rock thrush) and forest species, particularly birds of prey (goshawk, sparrowhawk, European honey buzzard, hobby, European short-toed eagle, etc.). Among the carnivorous mammals are the marten, the polecat and the wild cat.

Urkiola saw the killing around the mid-19th century of what was considered to be the last bear in the Basque mountains, although there are doubts whether it really was wild or it had escaped from captivity.

Flora

Although the conifer plantations (pine tree) that produce wood within a relatively short amount of time cover an important part of the surface, there are still a number of vast beech forests such as those of Arangio, Eskubaratz or Urkiolamendi.

The Cantabrian holm oak, well represented in this area, is to be found on dry, stony hillsides such as those accompanying us on our way up the Urkiola Pass from Mañaria. Somewhere around grows the Limodorum abortivum orchid, which is rare in the Basque Country and even exceptional this far north.

The rupiculous flora that takes roots in the rocky cracks and fissures is highly interesting. Given its enormous variety, we will only mention three typical mountain species: em>Aquilegia pyrenaica, Anemone pavoniana and Androsace villosa. There are also little enclaves of incipient peat bogs, where the water flows very slowly soaking into the ground, creating a home for plants exclusive to this environment and which are rarely found in the Basque Country, such as Eriophorum angustifolium and Rhynchospora alba.

Location and accomodations in the neighborhoods

Access: From Bilbao and San Sebastián, take the A-8 or the N-634 up to Durango and once there, follow the BI-623 towards Urkiola. From Vitoria follow the road N-240 up to Legutiano and once there, carry on along the A-623 leaving Otxandio behind and up to Urkiola.

Public Transport: Continental Auto, S.A. line Vitoria-Durango stops in the upper area of Urkiola.

Car Park: In the Urkiola Pass, it is possible to park next to the sanctuary as well as at the Interpretation Centre of Toki Alai. Very close, 200 metres away heading towards Otxandio, there is a large car park.