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Enter the caves of Baltzola, a magical place that surprises with its legends, history and rural environment.
The Baltzola Caves are located in the town of Dima, in the Arratia Valley, province of Bizkaia, inside the Urkiola Natural Park, a land where the culture, history and traditions of the Basque people are very present. These natural formations known as Baltzola Caves have been created by the erosion of stone over thousands of years, a creation that has given rise to one of the most visited corners of Dima. This small geological complex is visited annually by thousands of historians, climbers, ecologists and mountaineers in search of the same objective: to enjoy the landscape formed by the Baltzola Caves.
Dima is one of those inland villages that hides a long list of corners to discover, an environment rich in fauna and flora, a municipality that we recommend to enjoy from the heights, from the top of any of the mountains surrounding the town center.
Information about the Baltzola Caves.
- Type of road: Comfortable, wide, easily accessible trail.
- Course distance: 4 kilometers.
- Attractions: Scenic beauty, historical interest, space suitable for the practice of climbing.
- Average time: 2 hours walking and enjoying the environment.
- Difficulty: Low. Suitable for a family route.
- Location: Baltzola Auzoa, Dima, Arratia Valley. About 30 minutes from the capital of Bizkaia, Bilbao.
Among pine forests and baserris (Basque for farmhouses) runs the forest trail that leads us to the outside of the Baltzola caves, a perfect route to enjoy with the family the nature that surrounds the town of Dima: animals, rivers, fields, caves and a postcard landscape. What more could we ask for?
Caves of Baltzola and the Jentilzubi bridge.
You may be familiar with the town of Dima from other articles in which we have mentioned this town in the interior of Bizkaia. For example, the azoka (fair) of Dima, the Azurmendi Restaurant (one of the best restaurants to eat beans in Bizkaia) or the experience of bread for a day of Bizkornako ogia, 3 readings that seem to be a must in case you dare to discover this small corner of the Biscayan geography.
How to get there: There are 2 paths that lead to the Caves of Baltzola, the one that begins in the neighborhood of Baltzola next to the hermitage of San Lorenzo and the one that originates in the neighborhood of Indusi, next to the hermitage of San Francisco. Although both paths share the same charms, we opt for the first, a simple, comfortable and easily accessible path that runs alongside the stream that we find next to the caves. The two neighborhoods that we mention belong to the municipality of Dima, but the way to get there is far from each other.
To get to the Baltzola neighborhood we must go into the interior of the town of Dima, leaving the new fronton of the town on our right. Once past the fronton and the public school and passing a small traffic circle we find the sign that indicates Baltzola, you can’t miss it. To get to the neighborhood of Indusi we must leave behind the town of Dima and head towards Otxandio, it is on this road, about 5 minutes by car, where you can see on the left hand side the sign indicating Baltzola Cave.
Where to park: In Indusi, as in Baltzola, there is a small parking lot to leave the vehicles, they are not very big, but they fulfill their tasks. Both leave us very close to our destination.
What to see: The Baltzola caves and the Jentilzubi bridge are the two great protagonists of today’s environment, two works of art sculpted over thousands of years by the elements of nature that offer us the perfect excuse to go into the slopes of the mountains that form the Arratia valley.
- The Baltzola Caves: These magnificent caves hold all kinds of surprises, from stalactites and stalagmites to a small herd of goats. If you go inside the main gallery, you will be able to contemplate how on the sides small caves open up, forming a small labyrinth. If you like adventure, we recommend that you bring a headlamp to explore them.
Inside the vaults you can enjoy the absolute silence offered by this cave, a paradise for all those seeking calm and tranquility. We recommend the use of good footwear, flashlight and warm clothing, remember that the temperature drops significantly inside. In the upper part of the cave, we find two information panels where they tell us the history of these magnificent caves bizkainas, a recommended reading.
- Jentiltzubi: This word owes its origin to the fusion of two Basque words, jentilak and zubia, the first alludes to one of the characters of Basque mythology, a pagan character that has always been characterized with features of savage and giant, of supernatural strength. The second, zubia, means bridge in Basque, merged together they give as a result “the bridge of the gentiles”, Jentilzubi in Basque and officially.
Jentilzubi, is the rest of an ancient gallery of the Baltzola caves, the only survivor and witness. This natural bridge is, along with the Baltzola caves, another of the great attractions of the area, a place that in recent years has become an obligatory photographic stop, and is that access from the top of it allows us to choose to pose under it or on it, choose.
Axlor: Located in the shelter of Jentilzubi, Axlor is a prehistoric site excavated from 1967 to 1974, one of the few evidences that the Neanderthals already populated these lands since 50000 BC. Today it is protected from looters and thieves by a metal fence, and it is not surprising, since this archaeological site (1932 Jose Miguel Barandiaran), one of the oldest in the province of Bizkaia, has suffered all kinds of damage.
Environment: Dima and Otxandio, 2 small rural municipalities invite us to feel the values and traditions of yesteryear. The small towns of Dima and Otxandio stand out for their rural environment, a space where it is still possible to find families who live from the products of the land and livestock, one of the most widespread ways of life in the past in the Basque Country. The baserris (farmhouses) that we find on our way, scattered along the slopes of the mountains, are the refuge of the herds of latxas sheep and Pyrenean cows that graze in their surroundings, a beautiful sight that makes us happy. Recommended reading, Otxandio.
Climbing and caving: It is common to find small groups climbing or caving inside the caves of Baltzola, caves that have hosted more than once climbing events, one of the most important being the qualifying events for the International Climbing Master. A glance is enough to realize that the inner walls of Baltzola are full of climbing routes.
Legend: Basque mythology has its small temple in the Baltzola caves. The legends say that the gentiles used Jentilzubi to move from one mountain (Kobagane) to another (Urrusti), hiding in the caves to avoid contact with the Christians. According to hearsay, the end of the gentiles came when they saw a light coming from the sky, when they saw it, they realized that the light was the arrival of Kixmi (Christ) and that it possibly meant the end of their race. This is why the gentiles hid underground, all but one, the gentile who became a Christian, the gentile called Olentzero, and other Basque mythological characters such as Mari (Anbotoko dama), Sugoi or Mikelatz.
Baltzola with the family: The easy access and the magic of the caves and their legends make this emblematic place perfect to spend a wonderful day with the family in the bush. However, we recommend to be careful where we step inside the caves, wet, uneven and slippery is not the best place to play.
Where to eat: Dima and Otxandio, the municipalities surrounding the Baltzola caves, offer interesting gastronomic proposals to choose from. We recommend reading our articles about the Azurmendi restaurant in Dima and the Korostondo restaurant in Otxandio.
Where to sleep: In the Biscayan town of Otxandio, we find Koikili Aterpetxea, a small rural hotel located in the center of the town, on the main street.
Experiences and activities: The environment surrounding the Baltzola caves is ideal for getting to know the rural life of the interior of Bizkaia. Places where the traditions of yesteryear are still very much alive. We recommend reading our articles about the experiences we have lived in Dima, Otxandio and surroundings.
The Baltzola caves and the “Jentilzubi” formation represent one of the most interesting and rewarding routes of our geography, a beautiful experience that we recommend you to discover with your family.
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