Santa-Barbara and Sentier des Sommets

Between Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle and Ascain, this hike is inspired by another called "Collines d'Ibarron" (Ibarron Hills), but I like the trail that starts at point (9).

Details

7405127
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.07 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 381 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 383 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 221 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 11 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Take the D918 to Ibarrun and park in the fronton car park.

(S/E) From the car park, follow the yellow Sainte-Barbe markings that start on the Chemin d'Aroztegia. Cross the Nivelle river over a Roman bridge. Continue on the Chemin d'Aroztegia to the farm of the same name.

(1) Go through the cattle grid and turn right, then left onto the path that climbs into the forest.

(2) Climb to the right along the small path marked "Santa-Barbara". At the foot of the hill and the pylon, take the path on the right that climbs to the Santa Barbara Cross, where the ikurrina (Basque flag) flies.

Descend on the opposite side (south-west). Join a track suitable for vehicles and follow it to the right (west-south-west). Further on, the track turns north-west. You will come to a T-junction.

(4) Take the path on the left that descends to a crossroads.

(5) Then take thefirst path on the right.

(6) After about 100 metres, turn left and ford the stream. Follow the wide track that climbs up opposite until you come to another stream.

(7) Cross it and head towards the Martinhaurrenborda sheepfold.

(8) Before the sheepfold, take the wide track that branches off to the left. Pass in front of the Jubilee Cross from the year 2000.
Continue along the mountain trail, passing by the Basque pig farm. A few hundred metres after the sheepfold, you will find a path leading off to the left.

(9) Enter the path through a gate (close it behind you). The path winds its way until it joins a wide track.

(10) Turn right onto the track, which climbs then descends and returns to the Aroztegia farm.

(1) Continue straight ahead to return to the car park where you started (A/D).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 15 m - Parking at the fronton in Ibarron
  2. 1 : km 0.68 - alt. 17 m - Cattle grid
  3. 2 : km 1.18 - alt. 98 m - Path on the right
  4. 3 : km 2.13 - alt. 181 m - Croix de Santa Barbara
  5. 4 : km 3.29 - alt. 94 m - T-junction
  6. 5 : km 3.69 - alt. 57 m - Turn right towards the ford.
  7. 6 : km 3.79 - alt. 51 m - Fording
  8. 7 : km 4.8 - alt. 133 m - Crossing a stream
  9. 8 : km 4.9 - alt. 140 m - Martinhaurrenborda
  10. 9 : km 6.43 - alt. 221 m - Trail starts on the left
  11. 10 : km 7.85 - alt. 92 m - Wide track on the right
  12. S/E : km 10.07 - alt. 15 m - Return to the car park.

Notes

There are no water sources along the way.

There is a table for lunch at the edge of the pig farm, but you may prefer a bench in the shade near the Martinhaurrenborda sheepfold (8).

Worth a visit

From Martinhaurrenborda (8), you can add a return trip to the summit of Bizkartzun for a beautiful view of the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
LM64
LM64

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike with beautiful views of the coast and the Rhune. Very sunny and warm weather; there were some trail runners in the morning but not many walkers in the middle of the day. An easy hike if you can cross the streams... there had been a lot of rain and we had to take a detour at one of the fords (the first one), which added about 1 km to the hike. Very pretty and varied landscapes.

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Anne-Valerie
Anne-Valerie

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A short, easy hike with varied landscapes!

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CeFran82
CeFran82

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views
Easy and pleasant hike

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Thierry65
Thierry65

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes


A very beautiful parish-specific to Brittany hike with stunning views. No need to be particularly fit, and accessible to most people.
I highly recommend it.

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Lannemi
Lannemi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A four-hour hike without too much elevation gain, done at the beginning of the year to ease back into things after the holidays. The walk is very pleasant on beautiful trails (not heavily bulldozed as mentioned in a previous review). The first climb at the start is the only 'difficulty' of the hike. After that, it's a hilly walk with two streams to cross over stones after a rainy period. We had a sunny day with beautiful blue skies and lovely views of the surrounding mountains and the Atlantic coastline.

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skyppyy38360
skyppyy38360

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with views of the St Jean de Luz cove from the summit of Santa Barbara. A very varied route, full of pleasant surprises. The return journey is a little more leisurely but necessary to take in all the beauty of the landscape.
This hike comes highly recommended by the Tourist Office and our hosts!
Thanks to the hiker.

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Coco64
Coco64

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, a few people at the Basque pigs but great hike.

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Castelet
Castelet

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with beautiful views.
Unfortunately, many paths have been widened by bulldozers, losing much of their charm.

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