Aratz
Encyclopedia
Aratz is a mountain of the Basque Country
located at the mountain range Altzania (called Urkilla too) that provides the extension for the massif Aizkorri, in the country of Spain
. It lies right on the line between provinces Gipuzkoa and Álava
, the summit rising at 1,443 m high, next to Elurzuloak (1,431 m).
on the fringes of the Alava
plains (840 m drop from the summit) and at the spring Ezkaratza (drinking water) by the Way of St James
west of the San Adrian tunnel
.
Basque Country (historical territory)
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
located at the mountain range Altzania (called Urkilla too) that provides the extension for the massif Aizkorri, in the country of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It lies right on the line between provinces Gipuzkoa and Álava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
, the summit rising at 1,443 m high, next to Elurzuloak (1,431 m).
Access points and trails
The main access points are located both in the town of AraiaAspárrena
Asparrena is a municipality located in the province of Álava, in the Basque Country, northern Spain. The municipality comprises various population nuclei, the main one being the town of Araia.-External links:*...
on the fringes of the Alava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
plains (840 m drop from the summit) and at the spring Ezkaratza (drinking water) by the Way of St James
Way of St. James (route descriptions)
The Way of St. James extends from all corners of Europe, and even North Africa, on its way to Santiago de Compostela and Finisterre.The local authorities try to restore many of the ancient routes, even those used in a limited period, in the interest of tourism....
west of the San Adrian tunnel
San Adrian (tunnel)
The San Adrian tunnel or Lizarrate represents the most outstanding milestone in the historic inland Basque route of the Way of St. James. It consists of a natural cave carved by water erosion in the rock with an opening on either side north and south; it also holds an hermitage inside...
.
- The route starting off in Araia (PR-A11) heads north past the ruins of the fortress Marutegi on a rock halfway (VIIIth century). Soon after, the trail with yellow and white signalization must be abandoned right to get to the spring Iturriotz (1h10, drinking water), and on to the switching point with both GR-121 and PR-A12 coming from Ezkaratza. The summit of Aratz lies on the south-east after surmounting steep limestoneLimestoneLimestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
karstKARSTKilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
slopes with no clear trail (1h45).
- From Ezkaratza, some minutes away from the pass of San AdrianSan Adrian (tunnel)The San Adrian tunnel or Lizarrate represents the most outstanding milestone in the historic inland Basque route of the Way of St. James. It consists of a natural cave carved by water erosion in the rock with an opening on either side north and south; it also holds an hermitage inside...
, the PR-A12 circuit trail penetrates south-east up into the forest until it merges with GR-121 (red and white signalization) and the above route coming from AraiaAspárrenaAsparrena is a municipality located in the province of Álava, in the Basque Country, northern Spain. The municipality comprises various population nuclei, the main one being the town of Araia.-External links:*...
.
- A third but less popular route sets off in Beunda on the way to San Adrian. The concrete track winds down west until the milestone Aldaola where it forks (altitude 850 m). The option is to follow the left track, which going down reaches and crosses the stream. At this point, the northern face of Aratz towers on the left covered with a vast beechBeechBeech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
forest. In no more than 150 metres, the track veers sharply to the east and on to south-east until the pass of Allarte (1,141 m high) is reached.
External links
- Description of some accesses to Aratz (Archived 2009-10-25) Site in Spanish