Flysch of Bizkaia, guided tours and information.

Flysch de Bizkaia, guided tours in one of the most striking corners of the Basque coast.

The Flysch of Bizkaia, together with Geoparkea (geopark located on the coast of Gipuzkoa), is one of the greatest geological attractions of Euskadi. A natural space, which in addition to keeping some of the greatest secrets of the history of the earth, also has an immeasurable beauty. So much so that the Basque coast has become one of the most popular destinations in the entire Cantabrian coast. In this sense, we would like to encourage you to visit the towns that make up the so-called Flysch of Bizkaia: Getxo, Sopela, Barrika, Gorliz, Lemoiz and Bakio. It is not the first time that we talk about each of these towns, but it is the first time that we talk about them from a geological point of view. We encourage you to walk along the tidal rasa while we observe the different strata, fossils, Flysch and lavas that make up this stretch of the Basque coast. All this, with the help of our expert geologists, Barbara and Imanol. Two lovers of geology, who help us to understand all the geological phenomena that we find in Euskal Herria. A great help that has helped us to offer you an expert point of view in some of our last articles. Are you ready to know the Flysch of Bizkaia with us?

Geotourism offers the possibility of enjoying a sustainable tourism in which nature is the main protagonist. A type of tourism in which the great geological heritage of the destination is put in value. In this case, the province of Bizkaia. We encourage you to enjoy pleasant walks along the coast to know all the secrets hidden in the Flysch of Bizkaia.

What is Flysch.

The flysch is one of the most outstanding and important elements of the coast of Biscay. A word that comes from German and means “to flow”, “to slide”. Now, what is Flysch? Flysch is the term used to name the set of rock layers that, after being created on the seabed for millions of years, fractured and came to light after the collision of tectonic plates. Why is this stretch of the Basque coast called Flysch of Bizkaia? Undoubtedly, the Flysch is the most abundant and striking geological phenomenon of this stretch of the Basque coast. Hence its name. These questions are essential to understand the space that we present to you today. The creation of a space of geological value and its enhancement contribute to the conservation and preservation of the different geological structures found on the coast of Biscay. An initiative that we applaud and support.

What to see in the Flysch of Bizkaia.

The flysh of Bizkaia hides much more than what we see at first sight. We just have to stop and learn how to interpret the rocks with the help of our friends Imanol and Barbara. They will explain to us what the Flysch is, how it was formed, the different types we find and of course, the fossils, minerals, flints and other elements that we will find on our way. In this case, Ekobideak explains that there are 16 Places of Geological Interest (LIG) throughout the Flysch in Bizkaia. Spaces that form an important part of the geological heritage of Bizkaia. A field of work in which Imanol and Barbara (Ekobideak) have been working for more than 4 years. An essential work to enhance the value of these 16 places of geological interest.

Guided visits to the Flysch of Bizkaia.

Our expert geologists have developed several geological routes throughout the Flysch of Bizkaia to highlight each of the existing phenomena and formations. Guided tours of less than 3 kilometers and lasting approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, which aim to show visitors the geological wealth found in this corner of Euskadi. We must emphasize that these guided tours are designed for all ages, both for adults and for the youngest members of the family. Geology for everyone.

Azkorri, a beach with magnetismGetxo, one of the most important urban centers of Bizkaia, has a very interesting space geologically speaking. Under the protection of the imposing cliffs of La Galea, in Azkorri beach, there are several interesting phenomena that we are sure will surprise you. On the one hand, we find a beach with magnetism. Why is that? Surely we will find the answer if we dig into the history of Bilbao and Bizkaia. As if this were not enough, in the surroundings of this sandy area we find one of the golden nails of the Basque coast. An element that identifies and accredits this point of our geography as one of the best places to appreciate sedimentary rocks between 53 and 43 million years old. An excellent bookmark, of international renown, of one of the chapters of the history of the Earth.

Sopela, the footprint of the meteoriteSopela, one of the most popular Basque destinations for surfing, surprises us with its waves and cliffs. But it is not the only one of its attractions. The cliffs surrounding the beaches of Sopela keep some of the most important secrets of the Flysch of Bizkaia. In this case, in Sopela, as in the town of Getxo, we can perfectly appreciate the limit of a geological period that involved the extinction of some very well known beings. Do you dare to know Sopela by the hand of our expert geologists?

Meñakoz, the rest of lavaThe small cove of Meñakoz is located halfway between Sopela and Barrika. A space where we find a wall formed by volcanic rocks that erupted more than 100 million years ago. The form in which this lava is presented is due to the abrupt cooling that it had when it came into contact with water. It is one of the few vestiges of volcanism in the Basque Country. A magical space that gives us a lot of information about the history of the earth.

Barrika, the Cathedral of the FlyschThe town of Barrika hosts some of the most important points of the Flysch of Bizkaia. An enclave in which, besides discovering the secrets of the Flysch, we will also enjoy the impressive shapes of its rocky structures. In this sense, we must indicate that Barrika is famous for its wild cliffs and coves full of charm. A small natural paradise, in which geology plays an essential role.

Gorliz, a castle on coral reefsThe bay of Plentzia is one of the most charming places on the coast of Bizkaia, a place where the towns of Barrika, Plentzia and Gorliz merge to form a unique space. And it is this last municipality, Gorliz, which in addition to fall in love with its beach, its lighthouse and its petrified dunes, offers us the possibility of discovering an ancient castle on the cliffs. A space, in which even today you can still see traces of the past.

Armintza, the Black Flysch of ArmintzaArmintza has one of the most special places in the Flysch of Bizkaia. This coastal district of the town of Lemoiz encourages us to discover one of the most unique phenomena of our coast, the Black Flysch. A type of scarce and special formation that can be appreciated to perfection in this small fishing village of Bizkaia.

Bakio, a volcano in Bakio?Bakio is one of the summer resorts par excellence in Bizkaia. An urban center near San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, which welcomes us with open arms to offer the largest beach in Bizkaia and some of the best txakolis of Euskadi. However, geology also plays an important role in Bakio and is that in the cliffs that we find next to the beach there are some structures of red and green colors that have nothing to do with the sea.

Expert geologists, guides of the Flysch of Bizkaia.

Our friends from Ekobideak, Imanol and Barbara, have been working for years on the cliffs of this stretch of the Basque coast. First studying and analyzing each of the points of interest, and now offering guided tours that enhance the value of each of these spaces. For us it is essential to be able to count on a human team that knows how to interpret each of the existing natural phenomena and communicate it to us in a clear and concise way. Without using very technical language. In this sense, Imanol and Barbara have been helping us for a long time to better understand each of the geological phenomena of the Basque Country. We still remember the incredible help they offered us when we were writing our article about the Harpea cave in the Navarre Pyrenees. Great professionals, better people.

Price.

The price of the guided tours of the Flysch of Bizkaia is one of the most competitive of all Euskadi. The prices are more than good value for money. We must remember that these prices include the services of qualified geologists, VAT, civil liability and accident insurance and the different materials to be delivered (if necessary). What do you think?

Guided tours for groups.

There is the possibility of guided tours for groups, whether they are schools, companies, associations or any other group. In these cases, the visits are adapted to the needs of the group. Also the rates and conditions. That is why we recommend you to contact us through our contact form so that we can help you to plan any of these guided tours in the Flysch of Bizkaia.

Video of the Flysch of Bizkaia.

As usual in all our publications, we wanted to complement the words and photographs in this article with a short video. This is how we intend to show you some of the most important areas of the Flysch of Bizkaia. We hope that this video will help you to get a more realistic idea of what awaits you in this stretch of the Basque coast. In case you like this kind of videos we encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are waiting for you!

Boat trip to the Flysch of Bizkaia.

We have designed a route, which, guided by expert geologists, shows us the charms of the flysch of Bizkaia from the sea. A maritime route, which starts from the port of Plentzia to tour the cliffs of Bizkaia in a comfortable and attractive way. As you can see, this is a very interesting experience with a competitive price. We recommend that you reserve your place as soon as possible, and we must remember that these trips have a maximum capacity of 11 people. If you are interested in this proposal, we encourage you to read our article about the boat route in the Flysch of Bizkaia.

What to do near the Flysch of Bizkaia.

Geotourism is the main activity of the Flysch of Bizkaia, no doubt, but there are plenty of experiences that take place in the municipalities surrounding this stretch of coastline of Euskadi. If you are interested in booking experiences in Bizkaia and Euskadi, we recommend you to take a look at our booking center. Anyway, we leave you a list with what for us are some of the most interesting activities:

What to see near the Flysch of Bizkaia.

Getxo and the region of Uribe are one of the most striking and important destinations in Bizkaia, but they are not the only places we recommend you to visit in Bizkaia. We leave you a short list with some of the most surprising places in the province.

How to get to the Biscay Flysch.

The Flysch of Bizkaia extends along a large part of the coast of Bizkaia, from Getxo to Bakio. A great extension, in which several of the most important public transports of Euskadi are present. A great example of this can be found in the bus, the train or the subway, or what is the same Bizkaibus, Euskotren or the Metro of Bilbao. Thanks to these transports we can reach any of the towns that form the Flysch of Bizkaia in a comfortable and fast way. Here are some of the most used transports:

How was Flysch created?

The layers that we see today on our cliffs, in vertical form, once occupied the seabed of our seas. Over millions of years, the different sediments that fell into the sea settled on the seabed horizontally, creating the different layers that we see today. The hardness of each of these layers is directly related to the climate they suffered during their settlement on the seabed and the materials with which they were formed. Curious, isn’t it?

Where to sleep near the Biscay Flysch.

The rural houses that surround the Flysch of Bizkaia offer us all kinds of possibilities to stay in this corner of the Basque coast. We advise you to take a look at our reservation center, we are sure you will find an accommodation that suits your tastes and needs.

Recommendations.

If you want to know the Flysch of Bizkaia and all the towns that compose it, we recommend you to pay special attention to this section. Here we are going to compile some of the most frequently asked questions about the Flysch of Biscay. We hope they will be of help to you.

• All guided tours take place near the sea, so wearing a bathing suit to enjoy the beach after the tour can be a great idea.
• Comfortable shoes, trekking or similar if possible.
• In summer, when the sun is strong, it is always advisable to bring sunscreen and water for hydration.
• The minimum group size for this activity is 6 people, in case the group is not formed we recommend you to change the schedule or the visit.
• These guided tours to know the Flysch of Bizkaia are designed for all audiences. However, it is always recommended that children are older than 6 years old so that they can enjoy the visit.
• Some of these guided tours are accessible to people with reduced mobility. In any case, we recommend that you check with us.

As you have been able to see, the Flysch of Bizkaia is one of the most striking and beautiful environments of the Basque coast. A place that we always recommend to visit on any trip to the Basque Country. In case you have any questions about the guided tours of the Flysch of Biscay, we recommend you to use the comment system below these lines to let us know. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pasa!