The Atxuria circuit via the Col des Trois Bornes

From Sare, follow the signs for the Sare Caves. Park just before the caves, in the small car park on the right.

(S/E) Go through a gate and take the stepped path on the right, marked with yellow signs. The start is quite steep. At the end of the steps, it becomes less steep and leads to a water intake and a fence. The path turns right onto a stony track. Take this track to the left, passing the first path on your right. Continue until you reach a junction.

(1) Do not follow the yellow markings which head off to the left; instead, carry on straight ahead and pass to the left of a barn flanked by magnificent oak trees, several of which are over a hundred years old (information board). A little further on, pass to the right of some small cliffs and reach a stream: Urioko Erreka.

(2) Cross the stream for the first time. After heavy rain, the crossing may prove tricky. About twenty metres further on, you’ll reach a junction.

(3) Leave the path that goes straight on and cross Urioko Erreka again. The same warning applies as for the first crossing, except that you can go straight on and, after a wide circular loop, look out for a path on the left which allows you to cross the stream more easily and rejoin the path you left.

(3) The path climbs and reaches a junction.

(4) Ignore the path on the left, which climbs steeply towards the Venta Loretxoa. Turn right. The path approaches a woodland and runs alongside it through a vast meadow. After a while, it veers left away from the woodland. The path continues to climb, passing to the left of a paddock and a farmhouse, and joins a wide track.

(5) Take this track to the left and follow it to the Col des Trois Bornes.

(6) Turn onto the path that runs flat out to the left. It turns into a trail, skirting the copses to the left and roughly following a contour line to the Col Ibainetea.

(7) Take the grassy track that runs alongside the forest on the right. After passing through two fences – a cleared passageway – you’ll reach an enclosure with a barn.

(8) Go round it on the right and head down to the Urbiako Pass

(9) Take the road on the left and follow it to Zugarramurdi.

(10) Turn back and take the road which climbs to the right of the church and leads towards the cemetery. After the cemetery, continue along the road which is circular and leads to the right. Follow it to a sharp right-hand bend. Leave the road on your left which serves several farms.

(11) Turn right and you’ll come to another junction with a sign for Venta Halty.

(12) Carry on to the left for 300 m and, when you reach a small meadow, take the paved path that descends towards the rock face. Follow this path to Venta Halty

(13) Do not head towards the venta but take a path branching off to the left. A point of interest along the way is a hole on the left, from which cool air rises from the depths of the earth. Very pleasant in hot weather. The path joins a road leading to Venta Anton. Cross the road and continue on the left-hand side along this path, which runs alongside the quarry and rejoins the road. At the entrance to the caves, turn right and head for the small car park (S/E).

According to several Visorandone users at point (13), the path is blocked and you must continue along the road and follow the new ‘blue horses’ route. I will go and check this on site before updating the route description.
At waypoints (2) and (3), crossing the stream can be dangerous after heavy rain.
At point (8), the path follows a small stream which can become very wet in rainy weather.
Following feedback from walkers, a moderator asked me to review my route. After re-walking it twice following a spell of rain, I have kept the starting points (2) and (3) as they are, because whilst crossing the Urioko Erreka proved tricky for some – which I believe to be the case – this is likely to be after heavy rain. It should therefore be avoided when this is the case.
At point (7), following feedback, I have altered the route, which previously ran through a gully.
In Zugarramurdi, as the path is blocked off after the caves, the return route has also been altered.

There are several restaurants in Zugarramurdi. The food is good and reasonably priced.
Places to see in the village include the Witches’ Museum and the caves.