The Meazuri mine and its tunnels

Discovery of an old mine and access routes via numerous tunnels that had been dug into the mountain. All this in the forest of the Aiako Harria (Aia Mountains in Basque) nature park, also known as the Three Crowns.

Details

1987452
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.99 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 203 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 203 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 441 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 291 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start: From Irun, head for the Aiako Harria Nature Park; the road winds up to the pass, with parking along the road that descends after the pass.

(S/E) Go down to the bottom of the car park and take the path heading due West into the forest on the right.

(1) Turn left. Leave the first upward path on the left and take the second downward path opposite. Follow the PR® GI 1012 path to the right, winding its way to a stream, which must not be crossed.

(2) Take the left-hand path opposite, which leads to a bridge. Cross the stream and follow the path opposite to the old Meazuri mine and ruined houses.

(3) Continue to the left over the water catchment workings: the crevasses on either side of this structure are where the ore was extracted.

(4) Then retrace your steps to the ruined houses.

(3) Turn left along the stream.

(5) Ford the stream and immediately fork left onto the path that passes through Meazuriko tunelak (Meazuri tunnels in Basque). Don't forget to admire the waterfall on the left between the tunnels, which is clearly visible between the last two tunnels. Further on, turn right (East) and you'll soon come to a path junction.

(6) Take the yellow-signposted path to the right towards Erlaitz, and at the next junction, turn right onto the path leading up from PR® GI 1012.

(1) Rejoin the PR® GI 1012 and continue straight on, slightly to the left to follow the opposite route to the parking lot (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 441 m - Departure car park
  2. 1 : km 0.46 - alt. 419 m - Joint A/R junction
  3. 2 : km 1.28 - alt. 334 m - Opposite
  4. 3 : km 1.59 - alt. 339 m - Joint A/R junction
  5. 4 : km 1.82 - alt. 348 m - Meazuri Mine
  6. 5 : km 2.26 - alt. 327 m - Ford and left
  7. 6 : km 3.44 - alt. 298 m - Turn right
  8. S/E : km 4.99 - alt. 441 m - Back to the starting point

Notes

Start: From Irun, head for the Aiako Harria Nature Park; the road winds up to the pass, with parking along the road that descends after the pass.

Warning: There are no water points on this route, so you'll need to bring your own.

Gears: If you want to feel at ease in the tunnels, we recommend you bring a flashlight
(a smartphone will do), otherwise you'll be walking blind with your walking sticks
as a white cane.

Worth a visit

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.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
N.TACHON
N.TACHON

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice, easy hike. Discovering the local heritage, point 4 of the water catchment area and the (impressive) crevasses is well worth the diversions. The tunnels can be muddy depending on the weather. And between two tunnels, there's a great view of the Aitzondo waterfall.

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Didmd
Didmd

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy walk with lovely views and interesting local heritage.

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Sydney2003
Sydney2003

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

No mines, but superb scenery and small waterfalls

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Lannemi
Lannemi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Family outing on a Sunday with 3 small children aged 6 to 9. A pleasant walk with the descent at the start and the ascent on the way back. All the tunnels are in the middle of the walk, which seemed a long way to go to the children, who were looking forward to this section. We missed the right fork on the way back and followed the yellow markings on the wide, winding path that also takes us back to the car park.
There is a large picnic area with barbecues at the start of this route.

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Patrick9464
Patrick9464

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route with superb views for the whole family, it's short and not difficult.

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Nono51
Nono51

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk, not very long, ideal with children, Pottoks and vultures, magnificent scenery.

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Marie Dubus
Marie Dubus

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great hike for the kids: they loved the river, the tunnels and the waterfall.
We couldn't find the right way back to the car park, which meant we had to make a little diversions, but we easily found our way back.
Don't do this on a rainy day, as the tunnels stay muddy for a long time.

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hendaye
hendaye

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An excellent route for exploring the mining heritage.

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visorando15250
visorando15250

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great family hike (children aged 12 and 15) to discover the mines, chasms, tunnels and waterfall. Take a pair of binoculars as we were lucky enough to see a griffon vulture between the penultimate and final tunnels.
This hike should be completed with the other hike to the foot of the waterfall.
To avoid the final, slightly steep climb (when you leave the signposted route), you can stay on the signposted route, which makes the walk a little longer, but the few hairpin bends before you reach it reduce the difference in height.

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Jackson17
Jackson17

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

It's a fun ride thanks to the tunnels it passes through.

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Martine et Patrick
Martine et Patrick

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We made a mistake when we set off: we didn't park at the first car park, but continued a little further below.
The walk can be done in either direction, just follow the clearly visible yellow and white signs.
A very interesting route, which can be completed by Pagogana, in 3 hours 45 minutes in all, according to the sign at the pass.

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CHILLA Louise
CHILLA Louise

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

hike to do in March.
It's my country and I don't know everything about it!
I'll give my opinion a bit later.

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