The Vasco-Navarro Railway Greenway The Vasco-Navarro Railway Greenway is a long and attractive route between the Arlabán pass (the boundary between the provinces of Álava and Guipúzcoa) and Estella, a town on the Way of St. James. It crosses the entire province of Álava from north to south-east and enters the rural district of Tierra Estella via the rural districts of Llanada Alavesa and Montaña Alavesa. Because of its length, the fact that it passes through the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, and the existence of the long impassable Laminoria tunnel, the proposed route is divided into different sections.

TECHNICAL DATA ACONDITIONED GREENWAY Through Llanada Alavasa and Montaña Alavesa towards Estella.

 

    LOCATION

Between the Arlabán Pass (on the Álava-Guipúzcoa border) and Estella (Navarra). Section I: Between Vitoria/Gasteiz and the Arlabán Pass (Álava). Section II: Between Km 2.7 of the Vitoria/Gasteiz-Otazu road (A-2130) and the Laminoria tunnel (in the vicinity of Ullibarri-Jauregi). There is a spur between Andollu and the Estíbaliz Sanctuary (Álava). Section III: Between the Santo Toribio Chapel (Cicujano, Arraia-Maeztu. Álava) and Murieta (Navarra). Section IV: Between Zubielqui and Estella (Navarra). ÁLAVA-NAVARRA IMPORTANT: Works on the high speed line between the station at Urbina and Villarreal (Legutiano). The diversions are perfectly signposted. Lengh: 76.4 km of Greenway + an 8 km section via the Guereñu Pass to avoid the Laminoria tunnel. Section I: 14 km + 1 km of practicable but undeveloped trail between the ÁlavaGuipúzcoa boundary and the Arlabán pass. In the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz we can follow the trail of the old railway line on a bidegorri (cycle path) between the east car park of the Gamarra Park and Madrid Street (1.2 km). Section II: 20,2 Km (17 Km + 3.2 km of the spur to Estíbaliz). Between Vitoria-Gasteiz and the start of the Greenway there are 2 Km (1.2 Km of road and 0.7 Km of cycle path). The detour around the Laminoria tunnel is 8 Km long with steep slopes. Section III: 37 Km. Section IV: 3 Km. Users: * *Section I: Suitable with difficulties in the section affected by works (Urbina-Villarreal). Section II: Suitable. The detour around the Laminoria tunnel is not suitable for people of limited mobility (steep slopes). Section III: Suitable, although there are sections shared with motor vehicles and sections with an uneven surface. Section IV: Suitable on the cycle path. * (Vitoria-Gasteiz–Amarita crossroads section) Type of surface: Section I: Vitoria/Gasteiz-crossing providing access to Amarita (4 km): tarmac. Crossing providing access to Amarita-Arlabán Pass (10 Km): compacted earth.

   

 

Section II: Compacted earth. Section III: Alternating sections of compacted earth and tarmac. Section IV: Compacted earth and tarmac. Natural setting: Section I: Llanada Alavesa. Ullibarri-Gamboa and Urrunaga reservoirs, wetlands with prolific bird and plant life. Beech and oak forests of the Elgea mountains. Arlabán river gorge. Arlabán pass. Oak forest at Amarita. Riparian forests bordering the rivers Zadorra and Santa Cristina. Section II: Arable land and beech forests with oak, holly and bilberry. Llanada Alavesa and Montaña Alavesa. The Laminoria tunnel passes below the Ullibarri pass which separates the two ranges of hills known as the Montes de Vitoria Orientales and Montes de Iturrieta. The beech forest at Iturrieta is considered to be the most important of its kind in Álava. Section III: The ranges of hills known as the Montes de Vitoria and Sierra de Iturrieta, the Laminoria valley, the Igoroin gorge, the Pocilones defile, the Arboro and Soila hills, the Istora ravine (very close to the Greenway, between Santa Cruz and Zúñiga), the valleys of the rivers Berrón and Ega, the Izki Natural Park, the Sierra de Codés and Sierra de Lóquiz mountains, the Yoar Natural Park, large leaved linden and yew trees at Antoñana, Barranco de Lasia Nature Reserve, and the Arquijas defile. Section IV: The Ega valley and the Muskilda hill. Cultural heritage: Section I: Historical town centre of Vitoria/Gasteiz. 5 Vasco-Navarro Railway stations. Romanesque portal of the San Esteban Protomártir parish church and the Durana bridge. The San Martín parish church, bridge and Arzamendi Palace in Luko. Section II: Historical town centre of Vitoria/Gasteiz. Estíbaliz Sanctuary. Stately houses at Aberasturi. Marquesa de Salvatierra Palace at Gauna. San Blas church, town hall, Ayala chapel and Santa Clara convent at Alegría/Dulantzi. Old stations and railway buildings. Section III: Invención de la Santa Cruz church, stately houses and town hall at Maeztu. Santo Toribio chapel and Romanesque church of San Esteban at Aletxa. Cicujano parish church. Romanesque church of Santa Eufemia in the village of Leorza. Church of San Martín de Musitu (12th C). Vasco-Navarro Railway stations. Ibernalo church and sanctuary at Santa Cruz de Campezo. Remains of mediaeval walls, stately houses, mills and tower houses at Antoñana. Shrine, chapel and mediaeval town centre at Zúñiga. Churches at Acedo, Ancín, Mendilibarri and Murieta. Section IV: Monumental area of Estella.

   

 

Infraestructure: Section I: Greenway. Section II. Greenway. The detour around the Laminoria tunnel is not Greenway. It uses mountain trails with steep slopes. Section III: Greenway. 5 tunnels (the Acedo tunnel is 1.4 km long), 3 viaducts and 4 footbridges Section IV: Greenway. 1 tunnel There are rest areas in every section How to get there: Section I: Vitoria-Gasteiz. Renfe, Madrid-Irún line. Landa and Durana. Bus. Empresa Pesa. Vitoria/Gasteiz-Arrasate/Mondragón line. Legutiano. Bus. Empresa Continental-Auto. Line 11: Vitoria/Gasteiz-Durango. Empresa Juan Aja. Line 12: Vitoria/Gasteiz-Aramaio. Section II: Jauregi. Bus. Empresa Hermanos Alegría. Line 10: Vitoria/Gasteiz-Arraia. Trokoniz. Bus. Empresa Hermanos Arriaga. Vitoria/Gasteiz-Trokoniz line. Alegría/Dulantzi. Renfe. Vitoria/Gasteiz-Irún line. Bus. Line. Empresa Hermanos Alegría. Line 10: Vitoria/Gasteiz-Arraia. Section III: Antoñana. Bus. Empresa Hermanos Arriaga: Vitoria/Gasteiz-Estella line. Santa Cruz de Campezo. Bus. Empresa Autopullmans Palacio. (Vitoria/Gasteiz-Estella) and 30B (Contrasta-Vitoria).

Lines

30A

Section IV: Estella. Bus. Empresa La Estellesa: Pamplona-Logroño and San Sebastián-Logroño lines. Empresa Hermanos Arriaga: Vitoria/Gasteiz-Estella line. Conection: Section I: Vitoria/Gasteiz, 12 km from Legutiano. Section II: Vitoria/Gasteiz, 3 km from Otazu. Section III: Vitoria/Gasteiz, 27 km from Cicujano and 45 km from Antoñana. Section IV: Estella, 3 km from Zubielqui.

   

 

Maps to use: Section I: National Geographic Institute Map: scale 1:25.000. Sheet 112. Section II: National Geographic Institute Map: scale 1:50.000. Sheets 112, 138 and 139. Section III: National Geographic Institute Map: scale 1:25.000. Sheets 139-I, 139-III, 139-IV, 171-II and 172-I. Section IV: National Geographic Institute Map: scale 1:25.000. Sheets 140-III and 172-I. Mapa Oficial de Carreteras (Official Road Map) published by the Ministry of Development. More information in Guía de Vías Verdes (Greenway Guides), volúmenes 1, 2 y 3

DESCRIPCIÓN Section I: Vitoria/Gasteiz-Arlabán Pass Km. 0 / Km. 7,4 / Km. 10,2 Section II: Vitoria/Gasteiz - Laminoria tunnel Km. 0 / Ramal Estíbaliz / Km. 6 / Km. 12 / Detour around the Laminoria tunnel Section III: Ermita Santo Toribio - Murieta Km. 25 / Km. 29,3 / Km. 33,3 / Km. 36 / Km. 39,7 / Km. 46 First of all a warning: the Vasco-Navarro Railway Greenway is not described in only one direction. As it is an ‘escape route’ for the inhabitants of Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque Country is the starting point for the first section, described from south to north, and the second section, which we travel in a south-easterly direction. The second and third sections of the Vasco-Navarro Railway Greenway almost cover the 69 km of disused railway line between Vitoria and Estella, but a section close to Estella is yet to be completed. Although the 3 kilometres closest to Estella (including the Zubielqui tunnel) have been recovered, there is still an isolated 6.5 km section which has yet to be developed. This section, which at the moment requires using either a busy road or alternative tracks, makes it impossible for us to reach our goal, the historical city of Estella, safely and conveniently. Once at Estella we can join one of the greatest adventures to be had on mainland Spain: the French part of the Way of St James. Before setting off, we should also warn that between Vitoria-Gasteiz and Murieta there is a discrepancy between the physical kilometre markers and the distances cited in this description. The trackside kilometre markers we find en route refer to the distance covered from Estella. But since our journey takes us in the opposite direction, the kilometre count in this description starts from Vitoria/Gasteiz.

   

 

SECTION I: Vitoria/Gasteiz-Arlabán Pass From the capital of the Basque Country to the Sierra de Elgea via Llanada Alavesa Km 0 The route starts in the outskirts of the capital of the Basque Country, Vitoria/Gasteiz, following the northbound route of the Vasco Navarro Railway, specifically the line serving the village of Mekolalde (Bergara. Guipúzcoa). The railway used to cross the city, but it has been gradually overrun by urban growth. On the northern periphery of the city, at the Gamarra industrial estate, the old railway line reappears, now recovered as the Vasco-Navarro Railway Greenway thanks to the works undertaken by the Álava Provincial Government between Vitoria and the Arlabán Pass. The starting point is located in the east car park of Gamarra Park, next to the modern, green, oddly shaped building which houses the municipal indoor swimming pool. Here there is an information panel with a map of the Greenway clearly marking the start of this trail which, for the first four kilometres, has a tarmac surface. The path strikes out northwards along the original track bed of the railway, passing through the agricultural landscape of Llanada Alavesa. This rural district is a huge flat surface practically enclosed on all sides by a number of mountain ranges. The flatness of the terrain enabled the engineers to build the railway track in a straight line, so Greenway users are untroubled by any bends in the route. Straight ahead our view is dominated by the mountains and gorges of the Sierra de Elgea, the final heights of the tableland before it plunges down towards the sea. We leave the city of Vitoria/Gasteiz behind us as in quick succession we cross a concrete bridge over the broad Zadorra river, a recently built footbridge over the gully immediately afterwards, and a bridge carrying the Autovía del Norte (A 1) motorway. The Zadorra river is fed by the “cantimplora (water bottle)” of the Basque Country, a system of reservoirs situated near its source, serving not only Vitoria/Gasteiz but also the densely populated conurbations of the Lower Nervión. We now climb an almost imperceptible gradient and, shortly after leaving behind the tiny village of Gamarra Menor (Km 1.2), we reach a point where the past meets the

   

 

future. The old rail bed of the Vasco Navarro Railway passes underneath an impressive viaduct carrying the high speed line. At Km 2 we reach Durana station, of which now only the station master’s house survives, now converted into a pleasant restaurant where travellers can take a break (and whatever else they fancy...). The Greenway continues on its straight course to Retana/Erreteana, at Km 3.3. Here the old railway station has been maintained in a perfect state of repair, although it has been converted for residential use. As we leave Retana there is an information board indicating the cycle path between Escalmendi and the dam of the reservoir. This offers Greenway users an alternative route leading eastwards along local roads to the nearby Ullibarri-Gamboa reservoir and its biodiverse wetlands. At the point where our Greenway crosses over the road leading to the village of Amarita (Km 4) the tarmac surface ends and is replaced by one of compacted earth. Close to Amarita there is a small forest on the banks of the Zadorra offering a great diversity of species: oak and maple grow alongside ash, poplar, willow and alder. After passing under the high speed line and the new AP-1 motorway (Km 5.9) the terrain becomes more rugged. The trail now runs tight against the foothills of Monte Urbiña and passes by the Arzamendi Palace and, some distance away, the village of Luko (Km 6.7). Km 7,4 At Km 7.46 we depart from the original route of the railway. We skirt around the station at Urbina and its surrounding area (now private property) and enter the village of Urbina. The station building has been perfectly preserved as a private house which, in case we had any doubts as to its origins, is known as “El Apeadero*” [*see note at the end of this section]. Between Urbina and the station at Villareal (Legutiano) the works on the high speed line have interfered with the original route of the Vasco Navarro Railway. The detour takes us down the Camino de Bagoeta, a tarmacked road with little traffic. However, the works on the high speed line mean that the road is occasionally used by trucks, so care should be taken while these works last. A series of well-placed signposts lead us through this works-affected area. Km 10,2 A signposted detour takes us under the high speed line and we rejoin the original route of the Vasco Navarro Railway near the station at Villarreal de Álava (Km 10),

   

 

which is still standing but is in a lamentable state of repair. The station is in the middle of nowhere, nearly 5 Km from the village which gave it its name. And in this case we can honestly say that the village ‘gave’ the station its name since the village now has another one, taken from its original name in the Basque language, and is known today in Spanish as Legutiano. The station buildings and the transformer substation that used to supply power to the railway’s overhead lines still stand proud in the middle of the countryside. Once past Legutiano station, the route leaves behind Llanada Alavesa with its farmlands cloaked in green cereal crops or stripped naked by the plough, and begins to climb the foothills of the Sierra de Elgea mountains. Just after the Greenway passes once again under the AP-1 motorway we enter the luxuriant Santiagolarra oak forest. Now beneath a canopy of trees, the Greenway arrives at Landa station (Km 12.8), whose railway building has been refurbished for social purposes. Almost immediately we cross over the A-3002 road, which leads to the village of Landa, which in Basque means “countryside”. Such a rural name is testimony to the rural nature of this area and the way the setting of this Greenway has evolved from the bustling city of Vitoria/Gasteiz to the border between Álava/Araba and Guipúzcoa/Gipuzkoa. This is evidenced by the fact that close to Landa is one of the most attractive landscapes on the route, which runs just a few metres from the tail of the Ullibarri-Gamboa reservoir, a beautiful recreational area with bathing areas, kiddies’ playgrounds, a car park and restaurants. From Landa another cycle path sets off; it runs around the reservoir as far as the village of Ullibarri-Gamboa and from there to the dam. An excellent walk or bike ride. On the other side of the tarmac the Greenway continues along what is probably its most attractive section. The trail climbs steeply up the Arlabán river valley, through a mixed forest of beech, oak and alder which cover the slopes of the Isuskitza and Usokoaitzu hills in the heart of the Sierra de Elgea. A kilometre beyond Landa, the developed section of the Greenway ends at the border between Álava and Guipúzcoa (Km 14). However, the compacted earth path on which we arrived continues for a further kilometre as far as the restaurant which overlooks the Arlabán Pass in the Guipuzcoan municipality of Leintz Gatzaga. *Note: An ‘apeadero’ is a small station with few or no facilities and often unstaffed. In Britain such a station used to be known as a ‘Halt’ although the term (but not the concept) has fallen into disuse, for reasons of image. The word ‘apeadero’ is used later in this description with the above meaning. SECTION II: Vitoria/Gasteiz-Laminoria tunnel From the Llanada Alavesa to the Vitoria and Iturrieta hills, via Estíbaliz.

   

 

Km 0 Shortly after leaving Vitoria/Gasteiz the A-2130 road crosses the narrow Puente Alto area, leaves the Olaranbe sports facilities behind it and, after taking a curve to the left, reaches the starting point of our Greenway. It is a small area of compacted earth on the edge of the right hand hard shoulder which on weekends is jam packed with vehicles. Confirmation that we are where we are supposed to be is provided by an information board announcing the Vasco-Navarro Greenway and by the three iron posts installed across the entry to the Greenway to limit its use exclusively to walkers, cyclists and people of limited mobility. The Greenway starts off by climbing a short ramp up to the old track bed on top of a small bridge which spans the crossroads with the Zurbano - Montes Altos de Vitoria/Gasteiz cattle trail. From this modest and artificial viewing point we can spy a church surrounded by the houses of Otazu, the first village on this route. A short way into our route we come across a pleasant twofold surprise: the spectacular footbridge which spans the road, and the river Santo Tomás. On the other side of the footbridge is the rest area and the Otazu Apeadero. The good taste of Alejandro Mendizábal, chief engineer responsible for building the railway and architect of the station buildings of the Vasco Navarro Railway, has left its mark on this pretty little station, whose main building looks like a country house with its balconies and porch. The building, in an impeccable state of repair, is used today as a tourist hostel under the auspices of the Vitoria/Gasteiz city council. The station forecourt is now a shady rest area with a water fountain. From Otazu you cannot miss the trail: it sets out across the Llanada Central plain, where it runs in a straight line between fields of cereal crops. But the Greenway is not only flanked by crop fields. A long stretch of this straight section is bordered on its left by the wall of the El Salvador burial park, Vitoria/Gasteiz’s largest cemetery. Some 2.5 km further on the trail reaches another small village, Aberasturi, whose solitary church tower gradually hoves into view on our right. The Greenway passes to the north of the houses of the village and crosses over the Aberasturi bridge before reaching the road to Vitoria/Gasteiz, which we need to cross. On the other side of the road we find another unusual building. The Aberasturi station building looks more like a residential house (in fact, that is exactly what it is today) than a building designed for use by railway travellers. Only the platforms provide us a clue as to its previous use. Before leaving Aberasturi behind, we could do worse than visit the village itself (by making a detour from the crossroads next to the station) where there are some impressive emblazoned houses bearing witness to bygone days of splendour.

   

 

A long cutting cleaves the hillside of the Monte Arrezabala as our Greenway continues along one of the relentless straights that characterize this section of the railway through La Llanada. When we emerge from the cutting, now perched on an embankment, we will soon be able to see the Estíbaliz Sanctuary. Once beyond the high embankment the trail plunges into a leafy forest of gall oak. The Greenway, now climbing very slightly, reaches Andollu. Here at this village strung out along the road to Estella the Vasco Navarro Railway line splits into two. At the station, with its impressive station building, the railwaymen used to switch the points to direct the trains either to the province of Navarre or towards the steep inclines which electric railcars used to climb on their way to the Estíbaliz Sanctuary. The crossing of the busy road immediately beyond the station would have been a black spot on this route were it not the fact that the Provincial Government of Álava built a brand new subway when they developed this line as a Greenway. On the other side of the subway (Km 6) the route splits into two: the 3.2 km spur to Estíbaliz to our left and, to our right, the principal route which continues for another 11 km towards the Laminoria tunnel. Estíbaliz spur (Length: 2 km)

To reach Estíbaliz from Andollu the route makes a pronounced curve northwards, climbing through a gentle landscape of farmland. During this climb we are likely to hear the raucous sound of Talgo locomotives or the powerful electric units which pull trains on the big brother of our modest railway, the present day Madrid-Irún line. The fleeting passage of those trains can be heard a little over a kilometre away from our route, beyond Elburgo, a small village visible to the northwest. To our left we can also see the houses of another small village of the province of Álava, Villafranca. A couple of curves during which the rail bed plunges into another deep cutting serve to help us gain height almost without noticing and arrive at the platforms of Estíbaliz station. In this climb we will pass under a concrete bridge carrying a trail which, we have to admit, has much more history and tradition and history than ours: the Way of St James. A little later we come across a dirt track, the old hiking route from Estíbaliz to Argandoña. This trail may be a good alternative for persons of restricted mobility and baby buggies to avoid a section of steps at the end of the Estíbaliz spur.

   

 

The end of the Estíbaliz spur was designed as a simple dead end station, where there is some eye-catching, elegant archwork that used to serve a dual purpose; to support the embankment and to provide shelter to passengers waiting for the train. A short flight of steps connects the station platforms with the large car park of the sanctuary, where another flight of steps, rather longer in this case, takes us up to the entrance to the church. A major complex has been built up around this little Romanesque gem to attend the needs of pilgrims and all kinds of visitors. Once we have enjoyed the delights of the Estíbaliz Sanctuary we can make our way back down to the main route to follow the trail of the old main line of the Vasco Navarro Railway. Km 6 Once back on the main line, the Greenway once again makes its arrow-straight way through farmland, passing by a stand of poplars lining the river Morinalde. The straight section finishes at a junction with the road which, if we take the right turning, takes us to the village of Trokoniz. Instead we cross the road and carry straight on along an alternative route (away from the original rail bed) which passes to the north of the Trokoniz Apeadero (Km 7), which is presided over by the lofty church tower. The station building, originally intended to house railway engineers, has been refurbished in an exemplary manner, and is now home to an innovative school. After the station the trail splits into two. The right hand option rejoins the original rail bed and heads towards a 157 m long tunnel, the first on our route, which passes under the wooded area of the Santa Lucía chapel. On the far side of the Trokoniz tunnel the Vasco Navarro Railway Greenway turns left. Running parallel now to the foothills of a range of hills to the south, the trail once again embarks on a long straight section with farmland on either side. Eventually we reach a crossroads at the village of Erentxun, where, on the other side of the tarmac, to our front, there is a dirt track which skirts around the north of the village past the ruined station of Erentxun (Km 10). Beyond Erentxun, the Alavesa mountains are no longer on the distant horizon but now appear as a formidable barrier that we can almost touch with our right hand. The Greenway begins to climb slightly and makes its first inroads into the foothills of the mountains. In order to keep the railway on a straight course in such a rugged terrain the engineers had to build a succession of high embankments and deep cuttings. For the railway’s management those deep cuttings were a real headache in winter time. Heavy snowfalls caused such huge snow banks to form that it took several days to clear them, leaving the line without service for periods of over a week. The most famous cutting in this respect, known as the Mendioz cutting, is just before we arrive at Erentxun.

   

 

Km 12 Of the Gauna Apeadero only the forecourt survives, bordered by plane trees, the same trees that cast their shade on the tarmacked road which leads to the nearby village of Gauna. The station (Km 12), were it to remain standing, would be a great milestone along the route. Having taken its fill of La Llanada, our Greenway finally swings right and starts to climb the Montes de Vitoria hills. At this point the Greenway changes radically in practically every aspect: slope, surrounding landscape, and straightness of the route. The previous plains give way to a gentle climb, either through cuttings or on embankments cut into the hillside like a magnificent balcony; the crop fields are replaced by a magic landscape of beech accompanied by oak, holly and cranberry, sometimes airy, sometimes very shady, which in autumn is dressed in myriad hues; and the rugged terrain forces the line to follow the curves of the steep hillsides. Now clad in forest green, as befits our Greenway, the old railway line arrives at the recreational area at Ullibarri-Jauregi station (Km 14.6), which is some way away from the twin villages it served. The station building was demolished, but the old Rotalde transformer substation is still standing. Next the Greenway passes under the striking Camino de Txintxetru bridge. A little further along our Greenway follows the course of the Barranco de Santa Lucía, where there is a fork (signposted) in the trail next to a small reservoir: to the left we take the detour around the Laminoria tunnel; straight ahead the Greenway continues for a further 600 m until we reach a fence preventing access to the impassable Laminoria tunnel (Km 17). Before the tunnel we can see the ruins of the tunnel house, a sturdy building which was used during the works on the tunnel as a site office and to provide accommodation for the workers. Later it would house four homes for the families of the rail crew of the section between Atauri and Ullibarri. The impassable and dangerous Laminoria tunnel ends this section of the Vasco Navarro Railway Greenway. Detour around the Laminoria tunnel (lenght: 8 km) The 2,250 m long Laminoria tunnel is, without question, the most emblematic engineering work of the Vasco Navarro Railway. It passes under the Ullibarri Pass, which separates the Montes de Vitoria and Montes de Iturrieta ranges of hills, connecting the Llanada Alavesa with the Laminoria Valley and the head of the Ega river, the latter two forming part of the Montaña Alavesa region.

   

 

There were many stories told of the building of the tunnel. The crews and engineers that bored into the hill from either end took two years to meet in the middle. The wagers made on when they would break through and what the error of alignment would be reflected their eagerness to complete the tunnel. Finally the calculations proved to be almost perfect: the alignment was out by a mere seven centimetres. It would be an incredible experience if the Greenway users could pass through the tunnel. Sadly, cave-ins and flooding have rendered its recovery impossible. Without the tunnel the connection between the northern and southern mouths of the Laminoria tunnel was not easy from a technical point of view, nor will it be easy for cyclists or walkers who are not at least marginally fit. The alternative is a mountain path that crosses the Arroyo de la Rosa stream by the dam forming the reservoir some 600 m before the Laminoria tunnel, before passing under a road and climbing up the beech shaded hillside towards the Guereñu Pass. After negotiating inclines of up to 17%, the path reaches the highest point of its climb before dropping down to the road to Musitu, on which we continue to descend until we reach the chapel of Santo Toribio, where an incline allows us to regain the original rail bed of the railway. The detour totals 8 well signposted kilometres, which can in no way be compared with the ease of a Greenway route, but undoubtedly adds a touch of adventure and allows us to continue on our way along the Vasco Navarro Railway Greenway towards Estella. SECTION III: Santo Toribio Chapel- Murieta From Montaña Alavesa to Tierra Estella following the tracks of the "trenico" or "little train".

Km 25 This third section of the Vasco Navarro Railway developed as a Greenway by the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine affairs sets off from the simple Santo Toribio Chapel at kilometre 28.6 of the Maeztu to Musitu road. The easiest way to get there by car is from Maeztu, where we take the road to Iturrieta, Agurain and Salvatierra (A3114). After passing through the pretty gorge after Leorza, (Los Pocilones) and before reaching Cicujano/Zekuiano, we make a left turn towards Musitu (A-4144).

   

 

A concreted track sets off from the chapel and crosses the stream and the road to the Laminoria quarries, before turning into a short incline which gets us back onto the Vasco Navarro Railway Greenway proper, 1.4 km beyond the southernmost portal of the Laminoria tunnel. It is a pity that we cannot get close enough to see the impressive tunnel, but we are prevented from doing so by the state of the access road: it becomes a private and treacherous dirt track and the tunnel mouth is hard to find. The constant heavy vehicle traffic to and from the aggregate quarries which abound in the Laminoria Valley renders the track unusable as a Greenway. Real Valle de Laminoria is a small area drained by the river Musitu and bounded to the north by the southern slopes of the Vitoria and Iturrieta mountains. Previously an independent municipality, today it forms part of the municipality of Arraia-Maeztu which has a population of barely one hundred inhabitants. The landscape of Laminoria is wild and forested upland where the quarries have not eaten into the hillside. Our first steps along the third section of the Vasco Navarro Railway Greenway leave behind a solitary overpass and head south (towards our left) alongside an enormous metal pipe. The Greenway runs straight above the wild waters of the Musitu river, on an embankment cut into the gall oak covered hillside. When we reach the bridge at Cicujano the previously straight railway line bends. To our left we see the little village of Cicujano and its round church surrounded by crop fields and woodland. Almost at the end of the bend we arrive at the well preserved apeadero and the mouth of the Leorza tunnel (Km 26.2). Given that it is on a bend, the tunnel would plunge us into 200 m of eerie darkness were it not for the artificial lighting provided. Two hundred metres beyond the tunnel a bridge takes us over the Leorza-Aletxa (A 4145) road. From the bridge we get our closest view of the village of Leorza and, beyond, the rocky gully through which the river Musitu flows. A footbridge over the road to Cicujano and a bridge over the river Berrón precede our entry into Maeztu (Km 27.6), the ‘capital’ of the municipality which boasts a number of services. The former railway line skirts around the left hand side of the village. A short way into the village the compacted earth track is replaced by a red tarmac bidegorri or cycle path which takes us to the refurbished Maeztu station. This large and attractive station building, now used by the local government, marks the end of Maeztu. The tarmac cycle path reverts to a track of compacted earth which, once again

   

 

accompanied by the giant metal pipe, runs parallel to the road and crosses two bridges; the Peñasalada bridge over the Berrón-Ega river and the other over Las Ferrerías canal. On the far side of the canal the old railway line now bends to the right where it runs along the foot of the Peña las Cinco crag, part of the impressive Monte Arboro crest. The forest once again engulfs our Greenway. A deep cutting takes us through these foothills, which opens out at the far end to a pleasant surprise among mountains, gall oaks, maples and hazels, the Zumalde recreational area (Km 29.1), with its pleasant picnic area, natural and conventional swimming pools (something for everyone), meadows and playing areas.

Km 29,3 After the Zumalde recreational area, the original railway route has been encroached upon by the upgraded Vitoria/Gasteiz – Estella road. Our trail is forced to abandon the railway and seek an alternative route, over a brand new footbridge (Km 29.3) which spans both road and river. On the far side there is a dirt track which, on the left, we will have to share with other vehicles heading for the pretty little Soledad Chapel (Km 29.9), which still boasts a Romanic apse. Above our heads, to the left, towers the impressive limestone crest topped by the Peña las Cinco crag. Once past the chapel the trail is literally engulfed by trees. There follows a delightful section next to the right bank of the river until we reach the embankment, viaduct and tunnel at Atauri (Km 30.2). The curved Atauri Viaduct, 105.3 m long and 8.5 m high, supported by seven arches, is an impressive structure, upon which has been prepared a rest area, from where Greenway users have a splendid aerial view of the dam which used to retain the river’s crystalline current in order to feed the Atauri irrigation canal. The Atauri tunnel (currently being restored and due to be reopened in the summer of 2011) bores through the Monte El Fraile hill and abandons the confines of the BerrónEga valleys. For the moment, since the tunnel is unusable, the route broadly follows the natural course of the river and makes use of the canal path of Atauri irrigation canal. This delightful path leads us to the village of Atauri (Km 30.6) where it splits into two: the right hand fork takes us to the church while the lower, left hand fork takes us to the centre of the village.

   

 

Once beyond Atauri a dirt track takes us to the southern mouth of the tunnel (Km 30.8) where we rejoin the original route of the railway. Once again on the original rail bed we head towards Atauri Station (Km 31.5). The station building is in ruins but the ArraiaMaeztu town council intends to restore it. The main road encroaches on the rail bed once again after the station, so the route takes another detour: before reaching the station to our left an underpass under the road and a bridge over the river that once served the old road leaves us at the start of a dirt track which runs parallel to the foothills of the Monte Arboro heights on our right. This alternative track follows the zigzagging course of the riparian forest flanking the river. To our right we can see the magnificent ridge that rises up out of the maple forest covered hillside and stretches from the twin heights of Monte Gustaldapa and Monte Soila, which marks the easternmost limit of the Izki Natural Park. Km 33,3 At kilometre 33.3 another metal footbridge, beside which there is a rest area, takes us back to the right bank of the river and the original route of the railway. Once again on the rail bed, our Greenway continues in a more or less straight line, now cooled by the waters of the river and adorned by its riparian forest, until we reach the San Saturnino bridge (Km 34) over the Berrón-Ega river, next to which there is a rest area. Between the bridge and the Fuenfría tunnel, a short artificial tunnel built into the unstable hillside to protect the line from rock falls, the trees and plant life threaten to engulf the Greenway. On the far side of the tunnel we embark on a long, 2 km straight interrupted only by a couple of bridges, including the San Saturnino bridge at (Km 35.5), near which there is a rest area where we can take a break. This long straight ends at the village of Antoñana (Km 36), whose medieval walls now defend a thriving honey making industry. The village is well worth a visit. Here a brand new footbridge takes us over the A-132 road where we find some old railway carriages, now home to an information centre for the Vasco Navarro Railway Greenway and the Montaña Alavesa region. Km 36 Beyond Antoñana the original route of the railway has been encroached upon, although an alternative route is to be developed next to the river so as to avoid using the road. The proposed alternative starts by following the local road to Bujanda (A 3136) and to the peculiar cave chapel of San Román, carved out of the rock of the Monte Muela ridge. We pass by the pretty Antoñana station, now in private hands,

   

 

leaving the village with its bell tower flanked by huge rock walls behind us. Some 600 m of tarmacked road later, a signpost invites us to turn off to our left onto a dirt road which crosses over the abandoned rail bed by a short bridge before turning right to run parallel to the railway cutting. At the end of the cutting our Greenway rejoins the rail bed proper (Km 36.7), now converted into a long, broad and straight dirt track running through the heart of the river Berrón water meadow (Km 37.9). This track runs parallel to the dense riparian understory which covers the river, between crop fields and stands of gall oak, hemmed in by the foothills of the striking Monte Muela ridge. The Muela marks the south-eastern limit of the Izki Natural Park. It is a huge limestone rock formation crowned by stands of beech and box trees, with precipitous southern scarps where an interesting colony of griffon vultures nest. The Greenway now runs through a deep railway cutting. After passing under the arch of a bridge and leaving the cutting we need to be alert. The Greenway turns off the main track in order to cross the crystalline waters of the river Berrón over the attractive Santa Cristina viaduct(Km 38), built of ashlars and concrete. Other points of interest include the village of Alboredo and the bridges over the river Izki. Km 39,7 The Greenway crosses the busy A 132 road via a stylish wooden footbridge. This provides an excellent vantage point from where we can see the Fresnedo Park, where the river has been dammed to form a large swimming pool, around which recreational area has been developed with playing areas, benches and large expanse of grass where travellers can flop down and take a breather. Once over the footbridge we are greeted by a change of travelling companion and landscape. The river Berrón is replaced by the river Ega, our companion until we reach Estella; and the route sheds its mountainous cloak and enjoys an easier route through the flat farming land of the Campezo Valley. Welcome to wide open spaces with distant horizons, a landscape which our Greenway crosses by means of three long straight sections. The first runs from the footbridge over the A-132 to the tenth and last span over the river Berrón (Km 40.8), offering panoramic views of the Codés mountain range and the rock walls of the Lóquiz mountains which enclose the Campezo Valley. The second straight stretches from the last bridge over the Berrón, called the Tarifa Bridge and the junction with the road to the Arana Valley (Km 41.8). This road (to our right) takes us to the last village in the province of Álava, before we enter Navarre. Santa Cruz de Campezo, the capital town of the rural district, is an interesting place to visit and a good place to take some refreshment. The third straight heads down the Campezo valley after skirting around the old engine shed (to our left) of the erstwhile

   

 

Santa Cruz station (Km 42) and the row of terraced houses which have replaced it. On the long straight between Santa Cruz and Zúñiga we cross the boundary between Álava and Navarra. Km 46. From Santa Cruz de Campezo to Estella Outside Zúñiga (Km 46), the first village in Navarre, we find the ruins of the station that used to serve it and a delightful rest area in the shade of enormous plain trees. This milestone on our route marks the transition point from the Campezo Valley in Álava to the Tierra Estella in Navarra and presages a dramatic change in the landscape. The route through monotonous crop fields has come to an end. Our Greenway now enters the Arquijas defile, perhaps the wildest and most untamed part of this section of the Vasco Navarro Railway. The highlight of this section is the Arquijas viaduct over the river Ega (Km 48.2) with its nine arches and height of almost 30 m. Immediately after the viaduct, the railway engineers decided to avoid the problems posed by the difficult terrain by boring a tunnel through the mountain, the long Acedo or Arquijas tunnel (Km 48.4). The result for us is a long underground walk or ride which, with its length of over 1,400 m, is one of the great attractions of this route due to the cool and cavernous sensations it conveys. The tunnel is equipped with end-to-end lighting. From the village of Acedo the Greenway continues along the Ega river basin, passing through the villages of Ancín, Mendilibarri and Murieta (Km 59.8). A little beyond the last mentioned village is where the section of the Vasco Navarro Railway Greenway ends. Between Murieta and Zubielqui old railway line has not been recovered and alternative tracks or the busy road itself must be used. The fourth section to be developed as the Vasco Navarro Railway Greenway starts at Zubielqui. It is a three kilometre long cycle path which reaches the final destination of the old railway line and an important town on the Way of St James, Estella.

MAPS

   

PROFILE Section I

Section II

 

   

 

Section III

RAILWAY HISTORY The route of the Vasco-Navarro Railway used to stretch from the station at Estella in Navarre to the station at Mekolalde in Guipúzcoa, passing through Vitoria/Gasteiz. At Mekolalde the line linked up with the Maltzaga-Zumárraga railway, belonging to Ferrocarriles Vascongados. Its construction was a laborious task: the first works contract was granted in 1882, but the opening of the completed line would not be for another 45 years, in 1927. The early works were undertaken by a company whose name left no doubt as to the origin of at least some of its capital: The Anglo Vasco Navarro Railway Company Limited. The first section to be open, in 1889, covered the north of the Llanada Alavesa region, from Vitoria/Gasteiz to the head of the Deba Valley, at the town of Leintz-Gatzaga (in Spanish, Salinas de Léniz) in Guipúzcoa. In 1903 the State took possession of the works on the opened section of the line and started work on the rest of it. Between 1915 and 1919 the sections of the railway in the province of Guipúzcoa were opened, but the section which we are interested in took a further eight years to build, before finally being commissioned in 1927. In the meantime, in 1923 the Oñate branch line was opened and, finally, in 1948, the Estíbaliz spur entered into operation, making a total length of 139 km In 1929 the Vitoria/Gasteiz - Estella section was electrified but the line started to make an operating loss in the fifties. New Year’s Eve 1967 saw not only the end of the year but also the end of this modest railway which, shortly after being shut down, was dismantled and any usable rolling stock was distributed around the country.

   

 

INTERESTING DATA

1. Festivals and holidays 2. Accommodation 3. Eco-tourism 4. Managing authority 5. Town Councils 6. Emergencies 7. Coaches & buses 8. Railway

Festivals and holidays Section I Vitoria-Gasteiz 27-28 de abril: San Prudencio. 23-29 junio: fiestas de San Juan, con el Akatximorro, dantzaris y vaquillas. 25 de julio: puente de Santiago, feria del Ajo y día del Blusa. 4 al 9 de agosto: fiestas de la Virgen Blanca, que tienen como singular prólogo El descenso de Celedón. Durana 26 de diciembre: San Esteban (patrón del municipio). Luko 4 de julio: San Martín de Tous. Urbina 2 de septiembre: San Antolín. Landa 24 de agosto: San Bartolomé. Leintz Gatzaga 8 de septiembre: festividad de festividad de Ntra. Sra. De Dorleta, patrona de los ciclistas. Section II: Aberásturi Último fin de semana de mayo.

   

 

Estíbaliz 1 de mayo: Día de los Desagravios. 12 de septiembre: Coronación de la Virgen y fiesta de Acción de Gracias. Gauna Principios de junio: San Vítor. Alegría/Dulantzi Fin de semana posterior a la Virgen Septiembre: Ntra. Sra. de Aiala. San Millán/Donemiliaga 12 de noviembre: san Millán Section III: Aletxa. 26 de diciembre: San Esteban Cicujano 29 de agosto: San Juan Degollado Leorza 16 de septiembre: Santa Eufemia Maestu 16 de junio: San Adrián. 25 de Julio: Santiago Apostol Atauri 16 de abril: Santo Toribio Antoñana Finales de septiembre: Virgen del Campo. Mayo: feria de la Miel. Santa Cruz de Campezo Primer domingo de septiembre: Nuestra Señora de Ibernalo. Segundo domingo de noviembre: Feria de San Martín. Accommodation Section I: Vitoria-Gasteiz Oficina de Turismo. Tel. 945 161 598. www.vitoriagasteiz.org/turismo. Legutiano Hotel Haritz Ondo*. Tel. 945 455 270; www.hotelharitzondo.com (Elosu). Agroturismo Atxarmin. Tel. 945 455 087; www.lagonesalaves.com (Elosu).

   

 

Casa rural Bentazar. Tel. 945 455 888; www.nekatur.net (Elosu). Casa Rural Urkiola Enea. Tel. 945 145 336; www.nekatur.net (Legutiano) Leintz Gatzaga Casa rural Aterbe. Tel.: 943 715 037 [email protected] Bungalows de montaña Gaztainuzketa (Alto de Arlabán) Tel.: 943 715 164 Hotel Oranetxea**. Tel.: 943 715 398 [email protected] Hostal Gure Ametsa** (Alto de Arlabán) Tel.: 943 714 952 Section II: Otazu Albergue. Tel. 945 161 687. Estíbaliz Hospedería del Monasterio. Tel. 945 293 088. Elburgo/Burgelu Parador de Argomaniz****. Tel. 945 293 200; www.parador.es (Argomaniz) Alegría/Dulantzi Hostal Casa Antolín**. Tel. 945 420 328 (Alegría). San Millán/Donemiliaga Casa rural El rincón de Adana. Tel. 647 809 908. www.elrincondeadana.com (Adana). Casa rural Apezetxea Landatxea. Tfno. 945 312 484. www.apezetxea.com.es (Narbaiza). Albergue de Barria (Instituto Foral de la Juventud). Tel. 945 317132 (Barria–Narbaiza). El Ventorro. Tel. 945 304 372 (San Román). Andamur. Tel. 945 304 044 (San Román). Section III: Arraia-Maeztu Hotel Los Roturos**. Tel. 945 410 250. www.losroturos.com (Maeztu). Casa rural Izki. Tel. 945 410 388; www.restauranteizki.com (Maeztu). Casa rural Elezpara. Tel. 945 410 235 (Apellaniz). Casa Rural El Manzanal Tefl.: 667.460.449. www.elmanzanal.com (Sabando) Campezo/Kampezu Casa Rural Ibernalo. Tel. 945 102 271; www.ibernalorural.com (Santa Cruz de Campezo). Casa Rural Aldapa Xhuara. Tel. 625 690 894; www.aldapaxhuara.com (Santa Cruz de Campezo). Agroturismo Marivi. Tel. 945 415 030; www.nekatur.net/marivi (Orbiso) Eco-tourism Vitoria/Gasteiz tourist office. Tel. 945 161 598; www.vitoria-gasteiz.org/turismo Office rural houses the Basque Country. Tel. 902 13 00 31. www.nekatur.net (vitoria/Gasteiz)

   

 

Local tourist office "cuadrilla de Zuia". Tel. 945 430 440 (Murgia. Municipio de Zuia). Leintz Gatzaga tourist office. Tel.: 665 739 549

[email protected]

Information and Interpretation Centre of Debagoiena. Tel.: 943 718 911; 943 796 463 [email protected]. www.turismodebagoiena.com Local tourist office "cuadrilla de Salvatierra/Agurain" Tel. 945 302 931; www.cuadrillasalvatierra.org (Salvatierra/Agurain). Local tourist office "cuadrilla de Campezo-Montaña Alavesa". Tel. 945 405 424. www.montañaalavesa.com (Santa Cruz de Campezo). BTT Center Izki Montaña Alavesa Tel.: 945 378 262 / 945 405 424. www.btteuskadi.net (Urturi). Interpretation center "La Traviesa GR-38" Wine Trail and Fish. Tel 945 063 333 (Lagrán) Yacht club Vitoria. Tel. 945 299 908 (Ullibarri-Ganboa). Yacht club Aldaieta. Tel. 945 299 960 (Nanclares de Ganboa). Sobrón adventure. Tel. 945 359 016; www.aventurasobron.com (Sobrón). Tura Kirol adventure. Tel. 945 312 535; www.tura.org (Agurain). Dobra adventure. Tel. 655 702 889; www.dobraaventura.com (Artziniega). Inguru adventure. Tel. 945 28 81 14; www.inguruabentura.com (Albéniz). Actur tourist activities. Tel. (Peñacerrada/Urizaharra.).

945

367

016.

E-mail:

[email protected]

Vertiente Norte. Tel.: 600.51.18.21 (Lagrán) www.vertientenorte.com Managing authority Department of Planning and the Environment. Diputación Foral de Álava. Plaza de la Provincia, s/n. 01001 (Vitoria/Gasteiz). Tel. 945 181 872; www.alava.net [email protected]

   

 

Town Councils Section I: Poblaciones de Gamarra Menor / Gamarra Gutxia, Erretana / Retana y Miñano Mayor / Miñano Goien. Municipio de Vitoria-Gasteiz. Tel. 945 161 100. www.vitoria-gasteiz.org (Vitoria/Gasteiz). Poblaciones de Durana, Luko y Landa. Municipio de Arrazua-Ubarrundia. Tel. 945 299 516; www.arrazua-Ubarrundia.com (Durana). Población de Urbina. Municipio de Legutiano. Tel. 945 455 010. www.legutiano.net (Legutiano)

Section II: Poblaciones de Otazu, Aberásturi, Andollu, Estibaliz. Municipio de Vitoria/Gasteiz. Tel. 945 16 11 00. www.vitoria-gasteiz.org (Vitoria/Gasteiz). Poblaciones de Trocóniz/Trokoniz, Erenchun/Erentxun, Gauna y Jauregi. Municipio de Iruraiz-Gauna. Tel. 945 300 991; www.iruraiz-gauna.com (Acilu) Población de Leintz Gatzaga. Tel.: 943 71 47 46 www.leintzgatzaga.com Población de Hijona. Municipio de Elburgo/Burgelu. Tel. 945 420 713; www.ayuntamiento.elburgo-burgelu.com (Elburgo/Burgelu) Población de Igueleta/Eguileta. Municipio de Alegría/Dulantzi. Tel. 945 420 027; www.alegriadulantzi.com (Alegría/Dulantzi). Poblaciones de Adana y Ullibarri. Municipio de San Millán/Donemiliaga. Tel. 945 300 472; www.sanmillan.org (Ordoñana). Section III: Poblaciones de Cicujano/Zikuiano, Aletxa, Leorza/Elortza, Maestu/Maeztu y Atauri. Municipio de Arraia-Maeztu. Tel. 945 410 033. www.arraia-maeztu.org (Antoñana)

   

 

Poblaciones de Antoñana y Santa Cruz de Campezo. Municipio de Campezo / Kanpezu. Tel. 945 405 443. www.campezo.org (Santa Cruz de Campezo)

Emergencies URGENCIES: Tel. 112 Ertzaintza: Tel. 945 280 100 Coaches & buses Vitoria/Gasteiz Bus Station. Tel. 945 258 400 Tuvisa (autobuses urbanos). Tel. 945 161 054 Pesa. Tel. 902 101 210 Continental Auto. Tel. 945 258 907 La Unión. Tel. 945 264 626 Estellesa Tel. 948 550 127 Hermanos Arriaga Tel. 945 285 000 Hnos. Alegría. Tel. 945 251 900 Railway Renfe. Tel. 902 240 202. www.renfe.es

LINKS www.turismoa.euskadi.net Official Website of Tourism Government.

of

the

Basque

www.btteuskadi.net Official Website of Euskadi MTB Centres. www.senderismoeuskadi.net Official site for hiking in Euskadi. www.alavaturismo.com P Official tourism website of the Provincial Council of Alava. www.nekatur.net Accommodation rural tourism