The Egieder and Beltzaiz peaks from Gurutze

The starting point for this hike is at the Gurutze car park.
To get to this starting point by car, see the “Practical Information” section below.

Please note: the presence of numerous hunting posts means this walk is prohibited during the hunting season (check for exact dates).

(S/E) From the car park, head towards the roundabout you have just passed by car, cross the road towards the large mushrooms (which form part of the hotel’s décor), and walk around them following the pavement. Then take the concrete track on the right. Look out for the white and yellow markings; these are the colours of a local trail (^PR®-GI 1011) which you will follow for quite some time. Go round a power station on the left and come out onto a tarmac road.

(1) Turn left and walk alongside it for about a hundred metres, keeping to the left-hand side of the road. Cross the road, then immediately take the path on the left. You’ll see white and yellow markings again. It’s a pleasant dirt track through the forest. Pass through a gate (don’t forget to close it behind you), cross a stream and come out onto a road; take the right-hand path.

(2) Leave the road by turning left at the edge of a forest: look for white and yellow markings on the trees. Continue straight up, following first the trees and then a fence to reach the summit, which is open and therefore clearly visible. It is a steep climb through the grass. Once at the top, take a short detour to the left along a narrow path through the ferns to reach the summit of the Egieder (330 m).

(3) There is nothing to distinguish this summit apart from a few rocks on the ground. But the landscape is absolutely magnificent. On one side, San Sebastián with its two hills (Urgull and Igueldo), the easily recognisable Jaïzkibel with its antennas, the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Ciboure (magnificent) and, further away, Biarritz. On the other side, the Trois Couronnes massif. Descend via a small path on the other side and you’ll very quickly reach a large area of very well-preserved cromlechs. These are the Egiar cromlechs: for more information, see the section ‘During the hike or nearby’ below. Continue left along the path which passes several hunting posts and comes close to a road.

(4) To avoid it, look out for and take the small path on the right, following the white and yellow markings. You’ll reach a section of tarmac road; follow it to the left then cross the road. Go through a gate (please close it behind you).

(5) Turn right onto a wide track which is not right next to the fence on the left, but slightly towards the middle of the field. This will take you to Lerungo Arkaitzak (alt. 400 m) or, more precisely, to the foot of the impressive stone wall ahead of you.

(6) Follow this wall, going round it via a very narrow path that climbs. Then stop at the foot of another wall, as the last 5 or 10 metres require climbing. Retrace your steps.

(6) Take the path down to the left and reach the Col de Lerunzaba, situated near the road: enjoy the superb view over the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Ciboure.
Continue straight up the slope to the summit of Beltzaitz (424 m), recognisable by its triangulation point, i.e. a cylinder on a cube.

(7) Continue in the same direction to begin the descent, looking out for a hunting post a little further down and the path leading to it. A little further down, look out for another hunting post and follow the path leading to it in the same way. Continue the descent, following the white and yellow markings, to reach a point close to the road, then join it further down at a bend.

(8) Follow the road round this bend on the left-hand side for a few dozen metres, then take the path on the left which climbs alongside a fence: as you take this path, you will notice a gravestone a few metres to your right. Further on, cross the road and continue straight ahead to rejoin the road you have just crossed .

(9) At this point, leave the yellow and white markings and head left. At the first junction, turn right but walk as far to the left as possible towards a gate which you must pass through (make sure to close it properly behind you).

(10) To the left of this gate, slightly below, look out for a small monument commemorating those who were shot. “Shot for defending the Republic and the Basque Country” is written on the monument, along with the names of those executed. (For further information, see the section “During the walk or nearby” below). Continue along the path, which becomes a bit unclear as there are multiple tracks. You should take a path slightly to the left and look for a green arrow on a tree. From there, it is a very beautiful, well-marked little path through the forest.

(11) Cross the small stream (Ugalde erreka) to reach the other side and continue along the path, which begins a fairly long, straight descent.

(12) At the three-way junction, don’t let the descent carry you away; instead, turn left and continue until you come out onto a concrete path. Turn left to reach a tarmac road.

(13) Turn left and follow it for about 500 m: this is the GI-3452 road and there is some traffic, so please take care. Note the bunker on the right.

(14) This point marks the end of the walk along the road and you must turn left. Look out for the yellow arrows as this is one of the routes to Santiago de Compostela (Camino de Santiago Vasco del Interior). Follow these arrows. As you pass, note a very large scrapyard and another bunker. This concrete path does climb a little.

(15) A few metres before a private property gate, usually closed, on the left-hand side of the road with a sign warning of bees, enter the forest for a few metres to see the Algorrieta cromlech, somewhat hidden amongst the vegetation. It has a diameter of about 5 m and features a tumulus. Return to the road and continue along it until you reach the car park (S/E).

Driving route to the start of the hike.
From Saint-Jean-de-Luz, head to Béhobie to cross the border.
After crossing the bridge, at the roundabout take the^first exit towards the GI-636 San Sebastián.
Pass the Easy Gas petrol station and at the roundabout take the^2nd exit towards GI-636 Errenteria and the motorways. A little further on, after a fairly large sign indicating the motorways, look out for a tiny sign on the right marked "Urdanibia": then turn off about a hundred metres further on onto the small road on the right.
At the roundabout, head towards Hondarribia and go through the tunnel. At the tunnel exit, take the road that turns left.
At the stop sign, turn right.
At the roundabout, take the^2nd exit towards GI-2134 / Oiartzun.
At the next roundabout, take the^first exit towards GI-2134 / Oiartzun.
Finally, at the next roundabout (before which there is a large signpost indicating Oiartzun straight ahead and Arkale on the left), continue towards Oiartzun and park immediately in the car park on the right. (Note: at this last roundabout there is also a car park at the^third exit).

For your information, by car from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, the journey is approximately 22 km and takes around 25 minutes.

The Egiar Cromlechs

Firstly, the word ‘cromlech’ comes from Breton: ‘crom’ (circle) and ‘lech’ (stone). It is therefore a circle of stones used as a prehistoric burial site. Contrary to popular belief, there is no treasure at its centre, but only the ashes of a person or a ceramic vessel containing ashes. These were undoubtedly people belonging to the groups of shepherds who inhabited these mountains until around 800 BC and whose presence is attested.
More specifically, the information panels at the Egiar cromlechs state that this site was discovered in 1909 by Pedro Manuel Soraluce. It was studied again in 1967. It is attributed to the Iron Age, that is to say, the first millennium BC. There are seven groups of cromlechs, the largest of which has a diameter of 20 m and the smallest of around 2 m.

The Pikoketa Executions

On Tuesday 11 August 1936, a small garrison of the Irun Communist Youth, along with several carabiniers, was stationed in the vicinity of the hamlet of Pikoketa, armed.
They were attacked by Colonel Beorlegui’s fascist troops from Los Arcos.
The latter prevailed and immediately shot 13 people (9 young volunteers, including 2 women aged between 17 and 25, and 4 carabiniers) who had surrendered. The names of these people are inscribed on a plaque.
Every year, a commemorative ceremony is held at this site.