San Markos

This route is known as the SL-GI-3 San Markos. It passes by the Fort of San Marko, built on Mount Bizarain, which was used for military purposes until 1992.

From here, there are views of the Concha (the shell-shaped bay of San Sebastián), Passaia, and Txingudi Bay.

Details

3386429
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.03 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 237 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 238 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 259 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 62 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Cross the border at Behobia and continue on the GI-636 road to Errenteria. Take the Pasaia Antxo exit, which joins the AP-8 motorway. At the roundabout, take the second exit, still towards Pasaia Antxo; at the next roundabout, take the third exit towards Pasaia San Pedro. At the next roundabout, take the third exit towards Errenteria Beraun and keep left towards Beraun. At the roundabout, turn left and park at the foot of the buildings.

(S/E) Head south-west to go back via the roundabout you arrived at. Cross the bridge over the motorway. At the roundabout, turn right towards “Fuerte de San Marcos” and ignore the road branching off to the left.

(1) Take the concrete track branching off to the left.

(2) Turn onto the path branching off to the right before reaching the buildings.

(3) At the junction, ignore the path leading down to the right; follow the path heading south-west, which climbs through the trees and winds its way to a T-junction.

(4) Continue left, performing a circular loop around Mount Bizarain, then climb up to the fort via the road on the right.

(5) Leave the fort via a path that branches off to the right of the road heading south and cuts across a bend in the road.

(6) Turn left, heading south, then take the first left onto a tarmac road until you reach a junction with a fire hydrant.

(7) Take the tarmac road to the left and continue along a path to the right which joins a road.

(8) Follow this road to the left, which continues as a path on the right along the edge of the forest, to return to the junction from the outward journey.

(3) Take the same route back as on the way out to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 70 m - Car park in the San Marko district
  2. 1 : km 0.46 - alt. 86 m - Concrete track
  3. 2 : km 0.88 - alt. 113 m - Path on the right
  4. 3 : km 1.1 - alt. 105 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  5. 4 : km 1.56 - alt. 179 m - T-junction
  6. 5 : km 2.89 - alt. 259 m - Viewpoint - San Markos
  7. 6 : km 3.34 - alt. 209 m - T-junction
  8. 7 : km 4.01 - alt. 155 m - Crossroads - Fire hydrant
  9. 8 : km 4.3 - alt. 131 m - Road junction
  10. S/E : km 7.03 - alt. 70 m - Car park in the San Marko district

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Didmd
Didmd

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike should be avoided in wet weather or after a spell of rain... The paths are very muddy and dangerous on the steep sections.

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Lannemi
Lannemi
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely surprise. A short walk we took as a group one Sunday morning before heading off for lunch at a traditional local cider house. What a contrast to park at the foot of imposing buildings and find yourself in the lush green mountains in less than 10 minutes. A lovely surprise on arriving at the fort, where we were able to go inside and walk around the ramparts with a 360° view of the surrounding mountains and the whole coastline, including San Sebastián.
It was very busy as it was a Sunday. It seems to be the local residents’ Sunday walk, and on that particular day a fun run was being held, finishing with a party at the fort.
The walk alternated between small tarmac roads and dirt tracks. I’ll be back here with other friends or with my family.
We completed the walk in 3 hours but spent nearly 30 minutes at the fort.

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Hervé Bignon
Hervé Bignon

Thank you for your kind message.

The time is calculated automatically and does not reflect the wide variety of walking speeds.

Kind regards

Hervé

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Marion_arotz
Marion_arotz

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk in the hills above Errenteria, through woodland below Fort San Markos, where there are plenty of marked trails to follow.
The view from up there takes in the mouth of the Pasaia, Donosti Bay, and the foothills of Jaizkibel, behind which you can see the two Hendaye peaks and even the northern Basque coast.
A wooded route that takes us to discover hidden corners right on our doorstep.

We parked in a small car park (about 5 spaces) at the foot of the concrete track, as the stretch of road between the Beraun housing estate (marked as the start) and this track didn’t seem particularly interesting to us.
We completed the circular route in 1 hour 35 minutes, including a quick visit to the fort with photos.
(2 hours 45 minutes seems a bit of an exaggeration to me; there are no difficulties apart from a few short, gentle climbs).

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