Artzamendi via the three passes in a circular route from Olathea

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A superb hike startingfrom the picturesqueCol de Mehatze and its megalithic site, passing viathe Col d’Arzatey. You’ll follow the boundary markers and walk along the vertiginous ridges of Zerkanbide, rubbing shoulders with the vultures.

You will then climb Artzamendi via the splendid Col de l’Âne and return via the Menditipiko Bizkarra ridge and its panoramic views of the western slope to complete this extraordinary circular route, which showcases the finest aspects of the Basque mountains.

Details

n°9143952
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.56 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,451 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,451 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,995 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 774 ft
Downloads
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Photos

From the Zerkanbide ridges
From the Zerkanbide ridges
Zerkanbide ridge

Description of the walk

To reach the start, head to Itxassou via the D918. Follow signs for “Pas de Roland” via the D249 then the D349.
Once at Pas de Roland, take the road that goes straight on and follows the course of the Laxia. At the junction, take the road on the left that climbs to the Col de Mehatze.

(S/E) Descend along the track heading south-east and follow the boundary markers to the Col d’Artzatey. Continue along the path in the same direction, leaving the track that passes via the Col d’Espalza on your right. You will then reach the Zelhaiburu sheepfold.

(1) Continue on to reach the Zerkanbide ridge. Climb slightly along the ridge, then follow it along.
Above a stone-walled enclosure, head down until you reach a copse of trees.

(2) Follow the track to the left along the fence. Turn right to reach the Maraputxunea sheepfold. Cross the meadow to the gate, then cross the bridge over the stream. Follow the wide path back up to the road and head to the Olhatea car park.

(3) Follow the road due north, passing a lodge. Leave the road at a right-hand bend and follow the wide path which climbs northwards for about 800m, to the Eihera sheepfold.

(4) Take the path heading north-west, keeping to it and ignoring all the branches to the right or left, to reach the Col de l’Âne.

(5) Cross the Col de l’Âne plateau and take the path climbing south-west up the side of Artzamendi. Climb up to a large solitary oak on the slope near the ruins of Arimaluxenekoborda.
Continue along this path, first south-west, then south-east, following the yellow markings which lead to the summit of Artzamendi.

(6) Descend the grassy slope towards the south for about a hundred metres. Turn south-west to cross the access road to the air base and reach the Menditipiko Bizkarra ridge. Enjoy the view of Mondarrain and La Rhune from here.
Descend along the ridge via a path that is sometimes steep, to the Col de Mehatse (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,444 ft - Col de Mehatze ou col Méhatché (716m)
  2. 1 : mi 0.99 - alt. 2,057 ft - Zelhaiburu sheepfold
  3. 2 : mi 2.2 - alt. 945 ft - Grove
  4. 3 : mi 2.94 - alt. 1,076 ft - Olhatea grassy car park
  5. 4 : mi 3.8 - alt. 1,729 ft - Eihera sheepfold
  6. 5 : mi 4.54 - alt. 1,893 ft - Col de l'Âne (584m)
  7. 6 : mi 5.65 - alt. 2,995 ft - Artzamendi
  8. S/E : mi 6.56 - alt. 2,444 ft - Col de Mehatze ou col Méhatché (716m)

Notes

Take care on the Zerkanbide ridge; do not approach if you suffer from vertigo. The descent from the ridge is tricky in wet weather, as there is a risk of slipping.
IBP= 80

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 27 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Lechene44
Lechene44
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk. I can confirm that the descent after the ridges can be slippery, but otherwise it’s not difficult to follow the Visorando route. The views are magnificent!

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thierrylafitte
thierrylafitte
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Personally, I really enjoyed this hike; the view from the ridges after reaching the summit of Artzamendi is stunning 😍, and the effort of the climb is well worth it. The descent on the way back does require a bit of care, though, and you really do need to turn right just before point 6 and follow the fence!
Thanks 😉

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PASCOUAU
PASCOUAU
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk

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lasserre
lasserre
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk completed on 1 April 2024. Beautiful and unobstructed.
No well-known inn! But head towards the “Ostape” lodge to find the direction of Olhatia (over 3 km from the Noblia bridge in Bidarray).
At point 6, indeed, at the fence: turn right.
Thanks for this great walk

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Piment
Piment
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I can confirm that it is no longer possible to cross the meadow from point 6; the gate is padlocked. We followed the fence to the right, crossed another meadow and reached the stream. You can cross it via a bridge just past a stone barn. You rejoin the path, but you have to open and close a barbed-wire fence again, followed by a large gate just before the road.

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thua00
thua00
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The final section of the access road (around 3 km) is VERY narrow with few places to pass, so please take great care on this stretch.
A very beautiful walk with magnificent views. No problem with the sun at this time of year, but there is no shade before point 6.

However, the major drawback is that from point 6 onwards the route is incorrect; it is no longer possible to reach the Maraputxunea sheepfold and cross the meadow, as the access is blocked by a chain and padlock. I tried to go round the meadow on the left by continuing along the path, but you come to the stream below, which is lined on both sides by barbed wire. I had quite a struggle to finish the hike. Perhaps it’s easier to turn right at point 6 to go round the meadow (lined with barbed wire)....
This situation must be recent, as the previous review is dated 25 November 2023 and this point isn’t mentioned.

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Cclolo
Cclolo
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely circular route that takes 3½ hours to complete; by following the route, it’s hard to go wrong.

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Castor63
Castor63
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2023
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 little or no signposting on part of the route, but this is more than made up for by the GPS track.
The direct climb to the summit should definitely be avoided in wet or rainy weather as it is very steep and on grass.

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ribouchon
ribouchon
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really lovely walk, with some shaded areas along the route; in summer, it’s best to set off fairly early

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Vega84
Vega84
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike we did in June, so we didn’t come across many people. The scenery was magnificent, with plenty of vultures to be seen, and we cooled our feet in the river towards the end of the walk. We had no trouble following the GPX track, even though the path sometimes disappeared into the ferns. We were the only ones, or almost the only ones, in the car park.

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calou40
calou40
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A really lovely walk
The walk isn’t dangerous, as some comments suggest
There are no signposts apart from a section of the GR10, but with the GPX file available to download for the GPS route, there’s no problem
Personally, I found this circular loop absolutely superb and my brother-in-law really enjoyed it too

(For those who’ve left negative comments on various points) Whilst the hike can sometimes be tricky due to the lack of signposting, the route not always being obvious, or the difficulty, there are tools like GPS that make it much easier – and having a good sense of direction helps, of course (there are no little directional signs like you find in towns (-; )

As for the difficulty, you need to choose a hike that suits your fitness level and not complain afterwards because it was too hard

I’m no expert, but everything is designed to help people find the right hike for their level on the site.

A hike is a stroll, not a race

Enjoy your walk, everyone

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Jber13
Jber13
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Follow the GPS route, as with the many 'paths' trodden by animals, it’s not easy to find the right one!
Take a detour via the Col de Mehatse (car park) to see the cromlechs and hear the explanation.
A very beautiful hike...

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Francis40
Francis40
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant and well-marked route.
Very quiet, except at the summit where there are lots of vehicles and campers.
Beautiful scenery, route with very little shade.
Thank you

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Jean Seguin
Jean Seguin
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I read the description after the walk so I can follow it all. Sometimes, in the fog, I had to follow the track on the Garmin. Indeed, there are no markings from the Col de l’Âne to the summit, and not much on the Zaikambide ridge either – just sheep tracks; which one is the right one? With all the cliffs in the vicinity, a GPS is essential if visibility is poor. Alternatively, at the Col de Mehatxe, take the road that descends into the cirque and passes through Mendiburua to Olathia.
A superb route; the green plateau is always magnificent. Thank you

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xiberotarra
xiberotarra
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I deliberately did this walk again to check that everything was still in place. The grassy car park at Olhatea is still there, with about ten spaces. It isn’t signposted as such, but it’s easy to spot. A sign on the main road points to a small track leading uphill to the right, which you follow at the start of the walk. The Col de l’Âne hasn’t changed, even though it isn’t signposted! However, on the climb up Artzamendi, most of the old yellow markings have disappeared, no doubt because this old route has been cleared of markings to make way for the Mondarrain-Artzamendi walk via the Pas de Roland in Itxassou. But the path is clearly marked. The rest is as described. Once again, the gate in the meadow after the Maraputxunea sheepfold is down on the right (incidentally, at this time of year, there isn’t one).
I should also point out that it is at the very first hairpin bend that you must leave the path leading to the inn. I thoroughly enjoyed this hike once again.

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