The image of a vast, untouched forest can be misleading. These valleys have for centuries been tied to cattle ranching, logging, and the communal use of the mountains.
The most compelling evidence appears near Orbaizeta. There, amid the vegetation, survive the ruins of the Royal Armaments Factory, an eighteenth-century industrial complex that harnessed the water, the iron ore, and the timber of the region. Stone arches, old furnaces, channels and buildings half swallowed by the forest form one of the most unexpected ensembles in the Navarrese Pyrenees. It was designated a Cultural Property of Interest and it could end up stealing the spotlight from the main plan.
Orbaizeta is also one of the gateways to explore Irati from the valley of Aezkoa. The other major option lies in Ochagavía/Otsagabia, in Salazar. It is the town you have probably seen before even if you do not remember its name: stone houses and white façades, very steep roofs, narrow streets, and the Anduña River crossing the urban core. From here, the NA-2012 road runs about 23 kilometers to Casas de Irati, from where several routes depart.
One of the most interesting is Errekaidorra, a circular route of about ten kilometers. The journey traverses the forest, also following the traces of charcoal burners and lumberjacks and passes by the Cubo Waterfall, one of the best-known spots in the area. If you’re craving something quieter, the Zabaleta Forest offers an easy approach.
