SELVA DE IRATI GRAVEL
Multi-stage GRAVEL bike route in the Western Pyrenees.
Crossing the border between France and Spain. From the Irati Forest and the Roncesvalles passes to the Kintoa Valley in the French Basque Country. A journey you won't easily forget.
style - gravel -
SELF-GUIDED ROUTE WITH GPS
- Options of 3 or 4 stages -
SELVA DE IRATI - GRAVEL
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SELVA de IRATI PUNTO BIKE es una ruta de cicloturismo por etapas para bicicleta de gravel. Esta localizada al oeste de la cordillera pirenaica en el conocido como Pirineo Vasco. Su trazado se reparte a partes iguales entre pistas forestales, carreteras solitarias, y puertos de montaña de dificultad en ocasiones bastante exigente.
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The experience offered by PIRINEOS PUNTO BIKE consists, in broad terms, of a Self-Guided Tour pack. This includes Accommodations, the GPS Tracks for the route, a detailed map-sketch with alternatives for each stage, and Luggage Transport from hotel to hotel.
THE ROUTE
La ruta SELVA de IRATI PUNTO BIKE se localiza en la parte central del PIRINEO NAVARRO y esta encajada entre los 2.019 metros del Pico de Ori al este y los bosques del Quinto Real y el Pico del Adi al oeste.
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Su geografía la componen una serie de compactas masas boscosas en las zonas de menor altitud que combinan con otras áreas desforestadas ya desde la antigüedad y que actualmente presentan un claro componente pastoril, con extensos pastos de altura salpicados de cabañas de pastores y de importantes conjuntos megalíticos que nos remontan a la antigua ocupación de esta montañas en épocas prehistóricas.
La zona oriental de la ruta (etapas A y B) corresponde a la SELVA de IRATI propiamente dicha. En ella se percibe una fuerte influencia del aprovechamiento maderero y de los recursos hídricos. Ello se traduce en extensos bosques, y agua "por todas partes" excepto en los otoños que suceden a veranos secos (poco frecuentes). En el extremo más oriental la montaña empieza a parecer "alta montaña".
La zona occidental de la ruta (etapa C) corresponde a los Pirineos que envuelven a RONCESVALLES. Se percibe en ellos una importante influencia del Camino de Santiago que atraviesa en esta zona el Pirineo de norte a sur y que deja su impronta especialmente en el ambiente de los pueblos y pasos de montaña por los que transita.
La Etapa D aporta una visión de la zona sur del Valle de Salazar que nos introduce por uno de los territorios más incognitos y desconocidos de Navarra, los Montes de Areta y la Comarca de Urraul Alto. Por decirlo de una manera casi gráfica; si en el Pirineo navarro habitual nos encontramos con 100 personas, aquí nos encontraremos con una.
- Full technical
route totals - Stage A
Ochagavía-Larraun - Stage B
Circular Irati - Stage C
Larraun-Espinal - Stage D
Espinal-Ochagavía
Stage A: Ochagavía - Larraun
Distance: 70 km Unevenness: 1.585 m
Stage B: Circular Irati
Distance: 97 km Unevenness: 2.470 m
Stage C: Larraun - Burguete
Distance: 67 km Unevenness: 1.865 m
Stage D: Burguete - Ochagavía
Distance: 77 km Unevenness: 1.825 m
La ruta al completo
Distance: 310 km Unevenness: 7.745 m
Abodi, Balcón del Irati
Etapa Reina - Puertos del Irati
Si la "etapa reina" excede vuestras pretensiones deportivas la alternativa es una opción menos exigente, que con alguna ligera variación sobre la versión de MTB que mostramos aquí, suaviza las cifras.
Montañas de Roncesvalles y Kintoa
Irati Sur, Irati desconocido
THE ROUTE IN DATA
What you could feel!
- Stage A
Ochagavía-Larraun - Stage B
Circular Irati - Stage C
Larraun-Espinal - Stage D
Espinal-Ochagavía
Abodi, Balcón del Irati
Picos pirenaicos, imagen constante si miramos hacia el este durante toda la etapa A.
La Sierra de Abodi es la "espina dorsal" de la etapa A. A menudo, cuando sopla viento de norte, la Sierra se convierte en el límite de la "boina" de nubes que llega desde la vertiente norte.
Espectacular panorama desde la cima con el Pico de Ori - primer 2.000 de la cordillera - a la izquierda, y las montañas principales de los Pirineos Atlánticos monopolizando el resto del horizonte.
Laderas del Pico Idorrokia.
Montañas de la vertiente norte de Irati vistas desde la Sierra de Abodi. BALCÓN DEL IRATI
Los últimos kilómetros de la ruta atraviesan típicos pueblos del Pirineo Navarro. En la imagen Orbara.
Etapa Reina - Puertos del Irati
Etapa B CORAZÓN DE IRATI
Tramo compartido con las pistas de esqui nórdico de Pikatua.
Inmediaciones del Col de Sensibil. Pistas bajo la cima del Ori, primer 2000 de la cordillera pirenaica por la vertiente cantábrica.
La ruta alterna zonas boscosas con otras de carácter más pastoril.
Pantano de Irabia, CORAZÓN DE IRATI
Montañas de Roncesvalles y Kintoa
Los primeros kilómetros del día transcurren por las inmediaciones de los bosques que circundan la Fabrica de armas de Orbaitzeta.
Collado de Arnostegi bajo los restos de la torre romana de Urkulu. En el horizonte los 2000 metros del Pico de Ori.
En las inmediaciones de Lepoeder compartiremos ruta durante un tiempo con los peregrinos de Camino de Santiago.
Puerto de Ibañeta entre Orreaga-Roncesvalles y Valcarlos. Su condición de paso natural utilizado desde la prehistoria entre las 2 vertientes del Pirineo lo convierten en el imaginario colectivo en un lugar vinculado a la Batalla de Roncesvalles.
Ascenso a Lindus desde Ibañeta, nos alejamos del Camino de Santiago...
Irati Sur, Irati desconocido
Descendiendo hacia Olaldea, el Río Irati se esfuerza por hacerse ver en la densidad boscosa que el mismo genera.
Muy a menudo el final de la temporada se convierte en el momento estrella para lo nuestro.IRATI SUR
Mirador sobre el Urraul Alto, una de las zonas más "desfavorecidas" de la desconocida Navarra prepirenaica. SELVA de IRATI PUNTO BIKE comparte track en esta sección con su "hermana" en versión GRAVEL.
Poco acostumbrados a ver personas en esta etapa por el desconocido sur prepirenaico, los animales tienen por aquí un "punto" de salvajes.
Boina del Abodi en su máxima expresión durante el regreso a Ochagavía por el Irati Sur.
Otsagi, autentico prototipo de pueblo navarro pirenaico. Muchas callejuelas para "perderse" un rato y fin de SELVA de IRATI PUNTO BIKE
THE ROUTE IN PICTURES
Expect to feel it!
OUR LODGES
The half of the Trip
- Lodging for stages with start in Burguete
- Lodging for stages with start in Espinal
- Lodging for stages with start in Irati / Larraun
- Lodging for stages with start in Irati / Larraun
- Lodging for stages with start in Ochagavía
- Lodging for stages with start in Ochagavía
Hotel Loizu
Hostal Rural Haizea
Hostal Rural Urkixokoa
Hostal Rural Mendilatz
Hostal Rural Orialde
Hotel Auñamendi
- Important -
Hotel availability in this area of the Pyrenees requires a specific route logistics that is important to understand.
The usual arrival point for groups is the LARRAUN neighborhood. The first cycling stage is the Irati Circular (B). You then continue with stages C or D (depending on whether you chose the 3 or 4-stage option). After staying overnight in OCHAGAVÍA, the final stage is completed between Ochagavía and Larraun (stage A).
After finishing this last stage, the group returns in their own vehicle to the same hotel in Ochagavía where the final night of the trip is booked.
If you are not traveling with your own vehicle, please let us know so we can arrange an alternative.
There is an alternative if you do not wish to include a final overnight stay: start in ESPINAL and follow the stage order: D + A + B + C.
- rural world-
4 Stages / 5 Nights
3 etapas en línea y 1 circular: B + C + D + A
629 € Price per person for groups of 6 or more people
672 € Price per person for groups of 5 people
632 € Price per person for groups of 4 people
743 € Price per person for groups of 2 or 3 people
Single room supplement: 264 €
When the group consists of an even number of people, an even number of applications will also be necessary to access this supplement.
3 Stages / 4 Nights
2 etapas en línea y 1 circular: B + D + A
486 € Price per person for groups of 6 or more people
524 € Price per person for groups of 5 people
496 € Price per person for groups of 4 people
578 € Price per person for groups of 2 or 3 people
Single room supplement: 228 €
When the group consists of an even number of people, an even number of applications will also be necessary to access this supplement.
4 Stages / 4 Nights con inicio en ESPINAL
With accommodation in Ochagavía at Hotel Silken Puerta de Irati
3 etapas en línea y 1 circular: D + A + B + C
644 € Price per person for groups of 6 or more people
696 € Price per person for groups of 5 people
660 € Price per person for groups of 4 people
776 € Price per person for groups of 2 or 3 people
Single room supplement: 276 €
When the group consists of an even number of people, an even number of applications will also be necessary to access this supplement.
Add night at the end of the route
Add a night at the finalising point of the route - B&B
+ 58 € in doble room or + 92 € in single room
In these proposals when the groups are odd, the accommodation is offered in double rooms and a single room.
- TRIPLE ROOMS ARE NEVER USED -
If you want the price of the Pack to be cheaper, perhaps we can lower the level of one of the chosen hotels. And also, if the number of participants is odd; request a triple room.
- This management is only done once the Pack has been contracted -
Rates for the whole year, subject to availability.
The prices may vary when the dates coincide with the Easter holidays or with the Patron Festivities of any of the places of accommodation.
- 2 nights of accommodation with breakfast
Corresponds to the 1st and last nights - 2 o 3 nights accommodation in half board
Same number as stages are in the Pack Transport of luggage between hotels
1 bag or package of a maximum of 20 kg per person
If not needed, the cost of this service will be deducted from the proposal- Tracks of the route in GPX format for mobile phones or GPS devices and printed map with each day routes options
- Explanatory printed map-sketch of the different route options for each stage
One per stage Download sample - Link to services that may be necessary along the route
- Presentation of the route and delivery of information in hand the day of the arrival of the group to the hotel or the morning of the next day when groups are of 6 or more people
- Telephone assistance for incidents or consultations during the days of the contracted activity
- Beers or other consumptions outside the proposed menus in the dinners or during the stay in hotels
- Meals in restaurants at the time of the noon, unless it has been agreed previously to replace dinner with meals
- Any kind of sports material, helmets, shoes, etc
- Mechanical Assistance during the activity
If possible, we will try to help you in case of a breakdown, but in many situations this help can be very limited due to lack of specific spare parts or other circumstances. The cost of the service if it can be done is € 18 per hour + € 0.40 per kilometer. - Anything not expressly indicated in the offer
- Airport/station pick up
We put you in contact with the transfer companies that provide these services. We do not include its cost in our proposal. - Bicycle rental
We put you in touch with a rental service in the nearest place to the route start point - Hire Asistance / Accident Insurance
and / or Trip Cancellation Insurance
- Best time to go: The route can be done once the snow disappears in the highest mountains of the route. From there, we dare not say that one era is better than another. It really depends on the specific weather of the days we choose.
Do not underestimate the weather, not even in the middle of summer. The conditions -especially in the Pyrenees- can be identical to those of the Central Pyrenees. To summarize... our advice is: bring even the long culotte and if it doesn´t come out from the suitcase, all the better.
In summer it is necessary to be aware of the possibility of storms -frequent in the afternoons-. - Ideal bike: Gravel bike, or lightweight trail bike. Some descents are a bit rocky, so a front tire of at least 45 mm is recommended.
- Orientation: The route must be followed with a GPS device or with the mobile phone App that you are used to using for the same purpose.
It is not advisable to try to learn how to use an App on the fly.
We do not provide Apps or GPS user manuals. It is up to the users to have this knowledge.
There is no on-site signage. - Ciclability: Depending on the technical skills and strength of each person, the route is 100% practicamente.
- Provisioning: Although we sometimes find refreshment points, depending on the time of year we may find that some establishments are closed. The documentation we provide at the start of the route provides information on the options at each stage.
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