DOLMEN OF LARRAZPIL
Round trip linear route. Long Jump 6,6 km. Elevation 405 metres. Estimated tour time: 3 hours.
We must park in the town, near the center of the council there are information panels on the trails and signage indicating the different branches. The route is perfectly signposted.
We walk towards the Aralar mountain range along a gravel road. About 200 meters away is the first signpost, we head towards Etxeberri following the white and red marks.
We begin the longest and most demanding ascending section of the route, in some sections there is concrete pavement. We find a second information post and head towards San Miguel following the white and red marks. The path is beautiful almost always under the shade of the beech trees. Depending on the season and weather there could be fog.
At times the slope becomes steeper and we walk through the forest. This route can continue to Iruiondi along a path that deviates to the right, a few meters further on we take the path to the left that leads to the dolmen.
The path crosses the beech forest, always ascending, at one point we begin to descend and we will know that we are going in the right direction. In the middle of a clearing between grass and bushes is the Larrazpil dolmen, a megalithic complex that stands out for its beauty and robustness in the middle of a unique landscape. The whole journey was worth it, it's time to regain strength, take lots of photos, have a sandwich and continue walking back along the path we came from to Goldaratz.
TIPS
-It is advisable to carry enough water for the route, some sections are used to transport livestock, so the available sources and ponds are not reliable for human consumption.
-We turned off the highway in Latasa to climb a small mountain pass to Goldaratz. The road is in good condition, but it is narrow and with many curves. Climb with caution.
-The path is well marked with vertical signs and white and red markings. You will have to be careful when taking the path that takes us to Larrazpil.
-On the way down you can go up to the top of Iruiondi, and then go down from there directly to Goldartz. In this case, the first section is almost through mountains until you find a path and then you have to jump over some fences. The most comfortable option is to return from where you came up.
