Camino del Norte: Stage 6

If you start this stage in Gernika’s city centre, next to the Iglesia de Santa María church you will have to go towards the Calle Allende Salazar street and then turn tight through Santa Clara to get to Casa de Juntas. You will have to cross the square to cross a school and then turn left through Zerreata and Mestikabaso Once you have crossed the last street you will have to turn right through a neighborhood called Zallo: this neighborhood has a hermitage devoted to Santa Lucía. Then you will get to a stream called Mikene, but first you will have to get to the Monte Bilikario mount. You will see all the needed indications in the crossings. After a hard part you will get to Pozueta. Then you will see some farmhouses such as in the other stages, and then you will get to Muxika. After going through an underpass you will see an indication that will show you where the hostel is located. You will continue through a road that will lead you to Eskerika, but before you will see the Ermita de San Esteban de Gerekiz hermitage. It is one of the oldest churches in Biscay. You will have to continue on the same road, once you get to a farmhouse you will have to go to the right and continue through a path, cyclists should continue through the road. After a little walk up you will have to turn right to get again to the road, you will see the indications to get to the hostel located in Eskerika.

Now you will have to walk through the hard shoulder of the BI-2713 towards Goikpelexalde and Larrabetzu. You won’t leave the asphalted road until you get to Astokera, where you will get into a path. Here you will see a stream called Zugasti and then you will get to Goikoelexalde and also to its church devoted to San Emeterio and San Celedonio. It is a gothic temple from the 16 century. Next to the church you will see a stone cross also from the 16 century that indicates that there are two different ways: Aretxabalgane that goes through an ascending path and Goikoelexalde. You will return to the road to continue to Larrabetzu that is just before Lezama, the end of today’s stage.

In this last village you can visit its Iglesia de Santa María church and then turn right through the road to Lezama. This temple is also from the 16 century but in this case is gothic and Baroque.

Bear in mind

Cyclist should continue through the road once they have visited the Ermita de San Esteban de Gerekiz hermitage and the farmhouse. This stage goes through Reserva de la Biosfera de Urdaibai that is full of trees. You will enjoy a wonderful landscape.