Nacimiento Río Urederra

Useful Information

Location:	(42.8046460, -2.1364276)
Open:	500 visitors per day. Time slots: 9-11, 11-14, 14-. Reservation required. [2023]
Fee:	free. Parking Fee: Car EUR 5, Bike EUR 2, Camper EUR 10, Bus EUR 50, Minibus EUR 25. [2023]
Classification:	Karst Spring
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Nacimiento Río Urederra.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

2008	parking of vehicles along the road prohibited.
APR-2019	access to the final section of the route prohibited due to environmental degradation and risk to the visitor.

Description

The Nacimiento Río Urederra, in Basque Urederra ibaiaren iturburua, is the spring of the river Urederra. The site is quite spectacular, the spring has cut a deep valley into the limstone mountain, creating a semicircular cliff, with the spring at the far end. The valley is quite steep and has numerous rapids and waterfalls, for example the Cascada del Urederra or Urederrako ur-jauzia. It is also forested with elm and beech trees and thus a popular bathing spot. Today it is preserved by the (Urederra River Source Nature Reserve) and thus bathing is restricted. It seems the Spaniard are quite inclined to bathe and so it was obviously not possible to forbid bathing, but the number of bathing tickets is restricted to 500 per day. In other words: access to this site is limited to 500 visitors each day, no matter if they actually bathe or not.

There are numerous trails through the valley and along the slopes. There is also one trail from NA-718 to the spring. Unfortunately again there were so many visitors that parking cars blocked the road. As a result parking at the road is now completely forbidden and strictly enforced.

The only accessible trail to the spring starts at Baquedano, a small village in the Améscoa Valley. This out and back walk is 6.2 km with 90 m of elevation gain. It is a 2 to 3 h comfortable walk which is of low difficulty. Nevertheless, it requires some preparations. Bring sun protection, rain protection, walking shoes, some food and drink. Pets are not allowed.

If you have not booked and were not lucky to get a ticket, there is one more chance. You may not walk to the spring, but you can visit the outlook Mirador de Ubaba. There is a parking lot at the road NA-718, on the right hand side after the ascent. After a short horizontal hike you will reach the outlook.