Circular Munhoa-Olharrandoï from Guermiette

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This is a beautiful hike that takes you around the Guermiette valley via Munhoa and the Urdanzia and Leizartzeko passes. Once you reach the Ahartzako Pass, those with the most stamina can climb up to the Olharandoï Chapel or continue along the hillside following theGR®10.

Details

n°1144793
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.82 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,076 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,071 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,020 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 210 m
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Photos

Oilarandoi Chapel
Olharandoï Chapel
Guermiette Valley
Summit of Munhoa

Description of the walk

Parking in front of the Guermiette Chapel, which is the starting point for this hike.

(S/E) Walk down the road you came up for 100 metres.
Turn right in front of a beautiful house marked with Basque crosses. Turn right again, then right again at the fronton. Continue along the road to the Iribarrengo Borda farm.

(1) Take the road to the left at the farm. Go down past the Napalea farm (beware of dogs), then continue along the path, which is often muddy, until you reach a small stream. Cross it and go up the track on the other side, sheltered by a pretty wood.

(2) Continue along the track that climbs uphill, leaving the track that descends towards Harribeltz on your right.

(3) Leave the track that descends on your left and continue climbing gently. You will arrive at a sheepfold overlooking your route. Continue to the end of the track to reach a ruined sheepfold.

(4) Head directly up the slope towards the west, following a vague path.

(5) Turn south, following a path coming from the right, and avoid the rocky summit of L'Arzainharria on the left.

(6) Continue until you reach the ridge, then follow it to the summit of Munhoa, avoiding the rocky outcrops. There is a beautiful view of the Saint Jean-Pied-de-Port valley, the Iraty mountains, Pic d'Orhy, Pic d'Anie, the Iparla ridges and the Basque coast.

Red and white markings ofthe GR®10

(7) Descend to the Col d'Urdanzia, following the red and white markings ofthe GR®10.

(8) Go back up the road, leaving theGR® trail on your right.

(9) Take the path that branches off to the right, still marked in red and white, which joins the road at the bottom of Munhogain.

(10) When you reach the road, follow it to the right. Descend to the Col de Ahartzako, where there is a concrete enclosure for managing sheep.

End of red and white markings

(11) Climb straight up to the Olharandoï Chapel (recommended for the beautiful view at the top, but it's steep! There is an alternative route, see ¶ Practical information).

(12) Magnificent view of the Autza and Munhoa mountains you have just climbed, as well as the entire Guermiette valley. The descent is off-trail towards the north-east, avoiding the rocks. Aim for a group of two sheepfolds below, at the edge ofthe GR®10.

(13) Leave theGR®10, which branches off to the left, and take a well-marked track opposite. Soon you will follow a fenced meadow. Pass through several gates, remembering to close them behind you. Continue downhill to a large farm.

(14) Just before the farm, take the small road that branches off to the left. Follow it for about 500 metres until you reach a pretty path on the right.

(15) Follow it until it joins the road on the left, which leads to the Chapelle de Guermiette (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 231 m - Guermiette Chapel
  2. 1 : km 0.83 - alt. 251 m - Iribarrengo Borda farm
  3. 2 : km 2.66 - alt. 413 m - Track going uphill
  4. 3 : km 3.38 - alt. 525 m - Uphill track
  5. 4 : km 4.44 - alt. 642 m - Ruined sheepfold
  6. 5 : km 5.14 - alt. 814 m - Fork in the road to the south
  7. 6 : km 5.52 - alt. 925 m - Rocky summit of L'Arzainharria Arzainharria
  8. 7 : km 6.12 - alt. 1,020 m - Summit of Munhoa
  9. 8 : km 7.42 - alt. 866 m - Col d'Urdanzia (872m)
  10. 9 : km 8.01 - alt. 919 m - Path on the right towards the GR
  11. 10 : km 8.96 - alt. 845 m - Return to the road.
  12. 11 : km 10.21 - alt. 741 m - Col d'Aharza ou Ahartzako Lepoa (737m)
  13. 12 : km 11.06 - alt. 934 m - Chapel - Oilarandoi (937m)
  14. 13 : km 11.81 - alt. 631 m - GR10 junction
  15. 14 : km 12.69 - alt. 461 m - Large farm
  16. 15 : km 13.14 - alt. 484 m - Path on the right
  17. S/E : km 14.82 - alt. 233 m - Guermiette Chapel

Notes

There is a spring near (9).

Easier alternative
(11) Follow theGR®10on the right, which runs along the mountainside to join the (13).

If the trees that fell in the spring have not been cleared after the (1), here is an alternative route:

According to the IGN map (route not tested in the field), it seems that you can get around the difficulty by continuing straight on after the Napalea farm instead of descending towards the stream on the left.
You will come back to the stream after about 300 metres and can go up to the left after crossing it and rejoin the route described.

 Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 11 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
SARATAR
SARATAR

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Difficult after leaving Guermiette to reach the foot of Munhoa. The route is not very busy, so there are many possible variations. After that, it's just beautiful. Panoramic view of Munhoa and the Oilarandoy chapel. On the way back, don't miss the track that descends to the right towards the north (start not very clearly marked) after passing the first farms in Guermiette, or you risk a long detour.

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Boullé
Boullé
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The weather was magnificent, allowing us to hike in ideal conditions. Visibility was perfect. The end of the trail after the chapel is a bit difficult. It would be nicer to descend a little to rejoin the GR trail. We took 7½ hours, taking our time. The vultures are well worth watching.

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coupdephil
coupdephil

Thank you for your review. Enjoy your hikes!

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baigura
baigura

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really enjoyable hike, true to the description, with some very pretty views. There's quite a bit of burning going on at the moment, so some of the hillsides are quite blackened and there's a smell of burning in places, but it's only temporary. The walking sticks came in handy on the last descent after the chapel and a section of the trail that's a bit hard to follow, as trxiberotarra points out... There's a bit of everything in terms of terrain, which is very pleasant. No chance of getting bored. I highly recommend it!

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filgi64
filgi64

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A good route with splendid views of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Saint-Étienne-de-Baigorry.

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xiberotarra
xiberotarra

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful circular route with three challenges: the climb to Munhoa after the ruined sheepfold, which is quite steep as indicated by the elevation gain; the climb to the Oilhandoi chapel, which is a little gentler; and the descent to the GR 10 trail. There is a path, which is sometimes lost in the vegetation but can be found again fairly quickly. Hiking poles are very useful on this descent. The views from these two peaks are magnificent and make you forget your fatigue as soon as you catch your breath. The rest of the hike is perfect and much easier. As an aside, we thought it a shame to pass so close to Adartza, just a stone's throw from the Urdanziako Iturria pass. So we went there, reaching the 1,250-metre summit with some difficulty. Unfortunately, an invasion of midges meant we couldn't stay there for long. We returned to Urdanzia, where we searched for the spring. But it was behind a pastoral building a little further upstream that we found some cool water, which tasted like champagne after our efforts, as our reserves were beginning to run low. All in all, it was a very nice day, with this circular loop already quite sufficient, which we only made more challenging because we were well trained at the end of this season, which is ideal for hiking.

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coupdephil
coupdephil

Thank you for your review. I am delighted that you enjoyed the course.

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Stéphane GUILLAUME
Stéphane GUILLAUME

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route, with a lovely climb up Munhoa, where you have to be a bit adventurous because the vague path described in 4 is really vague as it merges with those used by sheep and horses. But if you keep the rocky peaks on your right and the cliff on your left, you'll be fine. What's more, you'll arrive right at the spot where the vultures take flight (just before the barbed wire).
This route is very varied. Be careful at point 12: descent off the Olharrandoi trail: depending on the season, the vegetation can be more or less tall. In September, the ferns are tall and the slope is steep, and I tried to follow a faint trail that disappears into the ferns. It was a difficult descent, but I may have missed a trail.
Thank you again for this beautiful, uncrowded route.

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coupdephil
coupdephil

Thank you for your review, we're glad you enjoyed the hike.

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herve CASTAING
herve CASTAING

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike completed in beautiful weather. A real treat, even if it's not exactly a walk in the park. Not marked, so difficult to follow without the app.
Happy hiking, everyone.

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coupdephil
coupdephil

Thank you for your review.
This hike is indeed quite challenging and is intended for experienced hikers.

Enjoy your walks.

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calou40
calou40

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very beautiful hike
a bit steep from point 4 (ruined sheepfold) to point 7 (summit of Munhoa)
and the climb from point 11 to the chapel was also tough, but once you reach the top, the view is magnificent.
No more obstacles after point 1.
I joined ROBERT Jean-Claude for the section between points 12 and 13. The trail is easy to see once you reach point 13, but there are a lot of ferns on the descent and it's quite steep. Be very careful on the way down.
Otherwise, the route is superb.
Have a good hike, everyone, and above all, don't rush, because this is meant to be a leisurely stroll and a pleasure.

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coupdephil
coupdephil

Thank you for your review.
I am delighted that you found this hike so beautiful.
I agree that in summer the ferns must make the descent after the chapel difficult, but fortunately your experience enabled you to find a path left by the herds.
Thank you for your feedback about the fallen trees.
Enjoy your walks.

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ROBERT Jean-Claude
ROBERT Jean-Claude

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

There were three of us on this hike today. I can confirm that we didn't encounter any obstacles along the way: the fallen trees had been cleared away.
It is a very beautiful hike. I had already done Munhoa and Olarandoy but not via this route.
The most difficult part was the descent between points 12 and 13 because the ferns had grown thick and the slope was quite steep in places. We didn't follow the marked trail exactly, but took a detour to the right of the trail where we found a sheep track that brought us back to the GR10.
Personally, I preferred to park lower down than the chapel, opposite the wash house: there is space to park several cars.

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coupdephil
coupdephil

Thank you for your feedback. Did you encounter any problems with fallen trees on the trail after point 1, as reported by a fellow hiker?

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