Behind the lady of Anboto

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Anboto

The red fox, the wild cat, the goshawk, the sparrow hawk, the griffon vulture and the peregrine falcons are some of the species that exist within the area that from Bizkaia goes into the territory of Alava.

The Urkiola Natural Park combines the greenness of its forests and meadows with the whiteness of its limestone mountains. The outline of the Anboto mountain (1,328 metres), where the legend locates Mari’s residence, the lady of Anboto, is the main focus of the landscape. As we get closer to Urkiola, we will start our route in Durango in order to take the BI-623 road, which goes up the Urkiola passing and will take us to the other side, as far as Otxandio.

Durango, which provides the name for the whole Duranguesado region, preserves a rich historical-artistic patrimony. A walk through its streets before taking the car towards Urkiola would enable us to get to know its Kurutziaga cross, the Santa Maria de Uribarri church, and its amazing Town Hall. The Town Hall of Durango is pure contrast. The soberness in terms of lines of its renascent style architecture is broken by the showy mural paintings, of a Neapolitan influence, that decorate its façade.

Already on the BI-623 road, we will go through Izurtza, with its Etxaburu and Mañaria tower, whilst the slope goes up towards the Urkiola passing. Its vertical silhouette, its rubblework walls and its thin arrow loop windows constitute one of the best examples of medieval towers built up in the Basque Country during the guerras banderizas (wars between different families), the Etxaburu Tower.

On the top of Urkiola, we will make a stop in one of the parking areas available, in order to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The intense greenness of the mountain, with the outline of Anboto in the background, invites visitors to breath deeply.

Crowded romeria days

On the right hand side, the Toki Alai country house has been turned into an interpretation centre of the park. Many footpaths start at the center itself. On the left, we will see the Urkiola Sanctuary, dedicated to San Antonio Abad and Saint Anthony of Padua. In a grandeur natural surrounding, the sanctuary that is dedicated to the Santos Antonios preserves the tower of the belfry of the primitive temple, which was destroyed and replaced by a new building in the end of the nineteenth century.

The field surrounding the building is always crowded on romeria days (gathering at a local shrine). People that have a large mountaineering tradition may start walking from here until reaching Anboto’s peak.

The rest will go back to the car in order to go down the passing and visit, close to the border with Alava, Otxandio. It is an agricultural and cattle dealing village with a long ironwork tradition as it reflects an odd fountain in its Plaza Mayor that is meant to be dedicated to Volcano. In the broad square, one can appreciate the Santa Marina church, which dates back to the seventeenth century, and the arcaded Town Hall, of baroque style.