The Croix des Anglais and the Bois d'Ustaritz

A circular route through the Ustaritz forest, passing by the Croix des Anglais and the Otsantz Chapel.

Details

3134608
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.31 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 167 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 167 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 144 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 40 m

Photos

Description of the walk

From Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, take the D3 towards Bayonne. At the top of the hill, continue on the D3, which branches off to the right towards Ustaritz (Oihan Bidea).
Take the fourth road on the right, the D250 towards Ustaritz.
The car park is on the left-hand side of the road.

(S/E) Head back towards Saint-Pée along the road until you reach the first fork.
Cross the D250 and take the track opposite, then the first track on the right just before a water catchment, and walk to the Croix des Anglais and back.

(1) Return to the path you took on the way there and turn right to continue the route until you reach the D3 road.

(2) Turn left along the road; the path runs alongside the road and then loops back to a crossroads.

(3) Head west on the path that approaches the D3 road and runs alongside it, climbing south-west towards Otsantz and returning to the road at a T-junction.

(4) Turn left onto the small road marked as a dead end, which leads to a farm.
Go around the farm on the path that branches off to the left.

(5) After the Sainte-Madeleine d'Otsanz Chapel, the path runs alongside the Halzabaltzako Erreka stream and crosses it via a wooden bridge, then joins a carriage road.

(6) Turn left. The path is marked as private property but you can still pass through. After 100 metres, turn right along the stream and 150 metres further on, turn right again to cross the stream.
The path makes a wide U-turn and runs along the edge of a clearing, then crosses the clearing.

(7) Turn left towards the north-east, then 150 m further on, turn left again.
Ignore the path that joins on the left and continue straight ahead. The path runs alongside the stream and turns south-east.

(8) At the T-junction, continue straight ahead towards the east. The path continues along the stream and heads north-east.

(9) After crossing a wooden bridge, turn right, then 50 metres further on, turn left towards the north until you reach the D250 road via a carriageway.

(10) Turn left onto the D250 road towards Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle (Senpere) to return, ignoring the road that branches off to the right. Return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 130 m - Car park on the D250
  2. 1 : km 0.58 - alt. 139 m - Calvary - La Croix des Anglais
  3. 2 : km 1.38 - alt. 122 m - D3-D250 junction
  4. 3 : km 1.99 - alt. 108 m - T-junction on the D3
  5. 4 : km 2.89 - alt. 134 m - Cul-de-sac road
  6. 5 : km 4.42 - alt. 60 m - Chapel - La chapelle Sainte Madeleine d’Otsanz
  7. 6 : km 4.71 - alt. 64 m - Road suitable for vehicles
  8. 7 : km 5.78 - alt. 79 m - Three-way junction
  9. 8 : km 6.69 - alt. 46 m - T-junction
  10. 9 : km 7.97 - alt. 42 m - Bridge over the stream
  11. 10 : km 9.61 - alt. 117 m - D250 crossroads
  12. S/E : km 10.31 - alt. 130 m - Return to the car park

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 28 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
pballay
pballay

Overall rating : 3.5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable
Very busy route : No

The route is no longer usable because part of the route has been privatised. You must therefore use the official route (clearly marked in yellow). In a short while, depending on the weather, several sections will become impassable; it was already borderline at the beginning of October. What a shame.

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User 26027510

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It's very difficult to do this hike without the app because there are very few markers on the ground. You end up relying more on looking for yellow crosses than on signs or directional markers.
Did it in less than 3 hours despite the very muddy conditions
in many places.

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S@nson
S@nson

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route, best enjoyed in dry weather (parts of the route can be muddy) and sunny weather (a good part of the route is in undergrowth).

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Wulfy
Wulfy

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed in sunny and mild weather, but after a rainy day. We bypassed some very muddy sections by taking the nearby road, which was not very busy that day.
A very pleasant walk, which offered us beautiful views of the neighbouring mountains, beautiful lighting on the streams and some rare flowers (columbines, lychnis, etc.).

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Phil6440
Phil6440

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk... Definitely to be done during the dry season!

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Devrieze
Devrieze

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

This season, in October, there is a lot of mud
I've already done this hike in spring and summer
Very beautiful hike and visit to the chapel possible

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Gfaure64
Gfaure64

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike 🥾

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SM COSTES
SM COSTES

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

1/I strongly advise against this route in winter: it is extremely muddy and walking speed is very slow.
2/Part of the trail runs parallel to the main road, with its noise pollution, so there is no point in being out in nature.

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Cath64600
Cath64600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This can be done during the hunting season

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Djé64
Djé64

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Family hike. The route runs through flat forest land, and at the end it would be better to return to the forest rather than follow the road.

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hilaire.vachon
hilaire.vachon
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant walk in the shade on a very sunny day. One small regret: a group of elderly people who took over the chapel for a picnic, talking loudly and getting in the way of people taking photographs.

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AnaPhil
AnaPhil

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Hi, A fairly simple walk in the forest, with a large section running alongside a very busy local road. No difficulties, but only worth doing if you live nearby and want to walk your dog, as there's not much else of interest.
the last few kilometres are on a paved country road where cars drive fast
However, it has the merit of existing (it didn't set my imagination alight).
Enjoy your walks, everyone!

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Les Billanges
Les Billanges

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant hike, which can be done in hot weather as it is largely shaded and follows a stream through the forest.
Along the route, there are a few glimpses of the peaks of the Basque Country.
There is a beautiful chapel halfway along the route, and you can picnic on the stone benches nearby.

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PASCOUAU
PASCOUAU

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful, easy hike

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phany33
phany33

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful panoramic views, a very relaxing route between the countryside and the mountains, very quiet on this Saturday morning in February (I didn't meet anyone) and fairly easy for someone like me who isn't used to hills

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