For my work I travel to Bilbao regularly and lately I have been exploring the mountains near the city both for training and the joy of being in nature. With some help of the people that live there and OpenStreetMap this week I went up to the Eretza and the next day to Ganekogorta after passing over the Pagasarri. Since I am training for a race in the Alps later this summer, having steep climbs and downhills are important, so both routes are not exactly easy walks :D.
The first day I had to do interval training on a path steep enough to force me walking and since I had to go for quite some time I needed a really long uphill. I hoped I found one in the most direct path up to the summit of the Eretza (887m) from a small village called Sodupe. The good thing about this climb is that the village is almost at sea level, so the climb is really more than 800m straight up.
The path is not marked and from the very beginning it is a narrow trail winding through the forest. Since it rained the last few days it is very moist and somewhat slippery.
At a certain point I miss the right path and end up going cross-country by feel and soon find the path up again to shorly after loose it again and once again go by feel.
Luckily the forest is not very dense and I don't end up with torn skin. Once back on the trail again I pass a more steep and rocky part. Then we enter a very dense and dark part of pine forest which is really nice. Coming out again I can already see the summit.
A few turns later I am above the trees in a grass field and push for the last meters up. At the summit just when I arrive a vulture is resting on the top of a rock, but before I can get my phone ready to make a picture he skips away and takes to the air. When I check out where he was resting I understand that the steep cliff there is perfect for him, great views and an easy take off.
Pagasarri (671m) Ganekogorta (984m)
