Navarra Guide 2019

the irati forest: PUre NatUre Ernest Hemingway wrote that “the closest thing to heaven or be- yond could be those days we spent together in the irati”. the irati forest is one of the largest forests in europe and is unforgettable for its beauty. in the autumn, it takes on yellow and ochre to- nes to form a spectacular image which sometimes brings us the surprising company of wild animals, because the irati is home to red deer, roe deer, foxes, wild boar and a multitude of birds. Europe’s second largest beech-fir forest occupies 17,000 hecta- res in the north of the aezkoa and salazar valleys. among the best walks it has to offer, try the one to the irabia reservoir or the Erreka-Idorra trail, an easy walk on which you can find out how the resources the forest supplied were used to produce masts, oars, furniture and charcoal. mythical summits in the irati area include the roman tower of Urkulu , close to which are the megalithic site of azpegi and Pico de Ori . hiking is very popular in this part of navarre and when the snow begins to fall, it is time for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

irati forest

irati forest

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