Crossing the Baïgura massif from Ossés to the leisure centre

From Bayonne, take the road to Saint-Jean Pied-de-Port. At Louhossoa, take the D119 for 6 km and leave one car in the car park at the leisure centre. With the second car, return to Louhossoa and continue along the road towards Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Before the Ossès junction, at kilometre marker 49, turn left onto a small road signposted ‘Gaztena Farm’. Park at the side of the road. The start of the walk is at the first road on the left.

(S) Take the first road on the left. After 250 metres, you’ll reach a fork in the road.

(1) Leave the road and take the path on the right. Go through a gate and continue along this path. After 1 km 200, pass a sheepfold on the left, then under the high-voltage power line; you’ll see a wooden hut on the right within an enclosure, followed immediately by a grassy clearing with a lovely view. The path becomes grassy and veers sharply to the right, running alongside a fence. At the end of the fence, it curves slightly to the left. Pass a ruin and continue to a pile of rocks. Turn left and reach the summit at elevation 560.

(2) Turn left, follow the ridge and reach a small pass.

(3) At the small pass, ignore the paths on your right and take the path marked ‘Haltzamendi’ straight ahead. This path continues along a ledge on the mountainside, climbing gently for about one kilometre. You’ll reach a pass and a grassy plateau at an elevation of 664. You’ll come to a signpost on your right.

(4) Take the path that climbs to the left and then runs along a ledge to reach a ridge with a signpost for Haltzamendi.

(5) Leave the Haltzamendi path and take the path running along the ridge to the right. This path roughly follows a contour line until it reaches a rocky outcrop which you’ll need to negotiate using your hands a little, but it’s not at all dangerous. To find the passage, look for Red Circles on the rocks.
At the top of this small chimney, look out for a path to the north, 200 metres away as the crow flies, which you can see marked out in the grass. Head for this path and reach it by passing between the rocks. Avoid going too far to the left. This grassy path leads to a pass.

(6) At the very large boulders directly in front of you, follow the path that runs between the two lower ones. Continue along the hillside through the grass below the Laina. After the clusters of large boulders, veer to the right.

(7) After the large boulders, veer to the right and approach the ridge diagonally. Follow it to the summit.

(8) Join the road and follow it to the first bend. Take the track leading towards the summit of Erregelu and leave it immediately by taking a path that descends to the left, marked with yellow signs.

(9) At the hairpin bend, follow the path to the left. It descends initially through grass, passing between some rocks and through the forest. Continue along this path until you reach the nature trail at elevation 501.

(10) At the discovery trail, cross over and take the grassy path that heads off to the north-east. This then curves to the left, turns north-west and joins a road.
Here you have two options: either turn right onto the road and head for the car park, or cross the road and follow a path further on (marked on the map). Turn right onto the track and head for the car park (E).

At the leisure centre, you can enjoy refreshments or a meal. Open until 7 pm. Friendly service and excellent food. Meals are served until 2 pm. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays out of season. It’s best to book in advance. La Gaita Restaurant

Please note that you’ll need two cars.