Otsibarremeheka

Head towards Camou. Walk past the church and, at the next small crossroads, take the^second road on the right (signposted ‘Col d’Oxibar’). This road winds its way uphill. In the village, park near the Croix d’Artekatea

(S/E) From the Croix d’Artekatea, turn left onto the stony track. Pass through a gate. On the plateau, there is a junction of tracks, but head towards the solitary barn.

(1) Take the path on the left and walk past the barn. This path climbs through the copse. Pass very quickly past a ruin. Sometimes in open ground or under a few trees, follow the single path to the road.

(2) Keep to the left on this road, passing a typical drinking trough with three small stone basins. The road climbs slightly before descending again to a dirt track.

(3) Take this track, which is on the right. It zigzags upwards in the open, sometimes quite steeply, across this distinctive terrain. Before it descends again, pass by a pretty promontory: ‘Maide Korralea’, featuring a pile of stones from an ancient protohistoric enclosure. Continue until the track crosses another track on a slight incline.

(4) Turn left under the trees. Very soon, just a few metres above the path, you’ll come across a small cave. It’s worth taking a peek inside. You’ll reach the road at the Col d’Oxibar.

(5) Immediately take the path leading down to the right, below the road. It enters the forest and follows an old track. It passes close to a barn with a shingled roof, situated in a meadow. The path winds its way through a mix of woodland and open ground. Go through a gate and follow it straight on until you reach the first junction.

(1) Return to the car park by turning left and following the path back along the same route you took on the way out until you reach (S/E).

Markings: Yellow
Facilities and services: picnic area.

(3) Maide Koralea
Soule is one of the few regions where ancient traces of human settlement are still very often visible. Hilltops have been converted into temporary dwellings or fortifications. Here, these are the remains of an enclosure with dry-stone parapets, a defensive structure from ancient times. All that remains are stones scattered here and there. Your imagination will do the rest, as this key site of protohistory is situated in a strategic position for spotting potential enemies.

The hot springs of Camou-Cihigue
The village of Camou-Cihigue is renowned for its thermal spring, whose waters emerge from a charming cave known as ‘Lamiña ziloa’, the ‘lamiñak’s’ hole. These important figures from Basque mythology are builder-goblins, friends of humankind, who live near watercourses, in caves and forests. Legend has it that at night, the ‘lamiñak’ gather around the hot spring. This spring (33.5°C) is said to have healing properties for rheumatic and gynaecological conditions, as well as for growth delays in children.
In the early 20th century, the owners of the Aguer house converted it into a spa. Originally equipped with four bathtubs and a shower, baths lasted between 5 and 20 minutes over a period of 9 to 21 days. For many years, the spa was a popular destination for visitors from Soule, often farmers.