Aritzakun from Bassassagar

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We set off in the early afternoon, and it was difficult to find a parking space. (We had to park by the side of the road, a long way from the intended starting point.)
A walk for a small family

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Date of your route : Dec 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The path is now concreted from end to end.

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Date of your route : Aug 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A fairly simple hike, with a description that is no longer really up to date since the path has been concreted over. It's straight ahead, just follow the road. A pretty stream accompanies us all the way, and a few beautiful but rather rare views punctuate the walk.

The abandoned village is of course the main (and only?) point of interest, rewarding in itself and justifying the hike, even if the fact that you can now get there by road takes away the "mysterious, inaccessible place" aspect that I imagine was part of its charm a few years ago.

The hike begins with a very steep 500m descent... which you then have to climb back up at the end. There is now an alternative path marked "pedestrian" that starts from the car park, which is recommended. However, the final climb is still quite tough. As mentioned in the reviews, it is also possible for the less adventurous to drive down and park at the bottom of the slope, but still.

Views: some are quite nice
Shade: almost all the time
Mud: none
Accessible to children: 12+ (10+ if you avoid the slope at the beginning)
Duration for a "good walker": 2 hours (not including the picnic in the village )

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Date of your route : Oct 24, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent walk along the stream, encountering pottoks (Basque ponies), wild pigs and flying kites and vultures, makes you forget that the forest path is paved...

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Date of your route : Oct 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

No surprise there. The testimonials accurately reflect reality.
It's true that the concrete track spoils this walk a little. I say "walk" because you only use existing wheels.
Ideally, this should be done in summer when it's hot, as there are lots of nice spots along the Aritzakun river for picnics and dips in the water. The route is also shaded.

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Date of your route : Sep 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

Hello,
Having known it well for a long time, this beautiful walk with its autumn colours has lost all its charm. Taken on 12 September 2021, the once shady path has been transformed into a continuous concrete road from the former Askenako Borda farm! Fortunately, I suggested extending the walk to include the mines circular, which allowed us to enjoy some more greenery.

NB: the village still has its charm!

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Date of your route : Sep 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Suggested corrections to itinerary 1574381

The car park is located above the farm. As the track is now paved up to the stream, you can park next to the water once you have crossed the ford.
(S/E) Continue on foot along the road that led you to the car park; the descent is steep. Avoid this if you park by the stream. You will appreciate it on the way back.
(1) Cross the river and take the path opposite, which goes up alongside a building. This path has become a cement track. A pity. The walk is therefore hard on the feet. The track runs alongside the Aritzakun river, sometimes on the right bank, sometimes on the left bank, with no possibility of going wrong.
(2) Take the path on the left that goes downhill and continue along the river
(3) Cross the river on a bridge without a guardrail (the bridge has disappeared. The water flows under the cement track) and continue to the abandoned village of Aritzakun.
(4) In the village, take time for a picnic and imagine what it was like when the village was inhabited. Today, the former residents maintain the site for our enjoyment.
The return route is the same as the outward route to get back to the car park (S/E).

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Date of your route : Aug 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A large section of the trail is currently being concreted, which makes the walk rather disappointing. I recommend taking a path marked with blue dots that starts after a small footbridge to the left of the track, about 100 metres after the two houses at the end of a field (about 500 metres after point 1 on the map). The path leads almost to the abandoned village. The bridge without guardrails now has brand new steel railings.

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Date of your route : Jul 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy walk, very shady

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Date of your route : Jul 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, very easy, bucolic walk.
From the bottom of the valley, there are beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
Please note that as the village is currently undergoing renovation, you will encounter cars and lorries on the road.

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Date of your route : May 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely shaded walk along the riverbank. A very pleasant picnic spot in the village of Aritzakun.
On the way back, the last hill in the blazing sun made some of us suffer.
It's a shame that the buildings aren't clearly marked on the Visiorando maps. That would help us to find our bearings.
If the buildings were marked in black, as on IGN maps, it would be clearer.

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Date of your route : Mar 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice walk along the stream, with impressive views of the mountains! No difficulty, except for the climb back up to the car! It's steep... Thank you, Hervé, for the description!

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