Mollarri loading dock, the Zarautz ore loading dock.

Mollarri loading dock, industrial heritage of Euskadi.

The Mollarri loading dock, also known as the Malla Harria ore loading dock, is located on the cliffs of Zarautz, on the slopes of Talaimendi. From this loading dock the iron obtained in the mines of Asteasu was shipped to be transported to other parts of Europe. Undoubtedly, the Mollarri loading dock was a strategic enclave in the mining industry of the Basque Country. A corner of our geography that we recommend you to visit during any getaway to Zarautz.To know the situation and history of this loading dock we encourage you to make a nice and simple family route that runs along the coast of Zarautz to reach the loading dock of Mollarri. A pleasant and beautiful route that invites us to know the history of Zarautz while we enjoy the beauty of the Basque coast. If you want to know everything that surrounds the Mollarri Loading Dock in Zarautz, we recommend you to read carefully each of the sections of this article. Ready?

Today, the Mollarri loading dock and its surroundings have been restored to highlight the importance that this enclave had in the past. After this reform, the loading dock can be visited from the outside thanks to different information panels. A visit, that at sunset gains one more attraction, and is that from Mollarri you can contemplate some of the most beautiful sunsets of all Euskadi.

Route to the Cargadero de Mollarri.

The route that we propose today offers us a nice walk through the industrial past of Zarautz. Thanks to the recovery of the Mollarri Loading Dock and its surroundings, the town of Zarautz invites us to enjoy the sea and the stretch of coastline between Getaria and Orio through a nice family walk. Although there are several routes to reach the Cargadero de Mollarri, the route that we recommend is one of the most beautiful and demanded. We recommend you to start at one of the ends of the beach of Zarautz, next to the Narros Palace. From here, we will continue along the promenade until we reach the Iñurritza Biotope, to the other end of the beach. As you have been able to see, this section of the route allows us to enjoy the beauty of the sea all the time. A luxury. From this moment, we must leave behind the comfort of the promenade to start climbing the more than 400 stairs that separate the town of Zarautz and the Mollarri loading dock. This is the most difficult stretch of this route, but it is worth it. Especially when we finish climbing and contemplate all of Zarautz at our feet. Undoubtedly one of the best natural viewpoints of the town. Although the figure of more than 400 stairs may sound a bit exaggerated, it is not. So if the stairs of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe seemed a little torture, we recommend that you prepare to overcome this architectural barrier. Once on the slopes of Talaimendi, we must follow the road until we find a detour on the left that takes us to the cliffs, to Mollarri. After descending a slope we arrive at our destination. Although we recommend you to return by the same way, you should know that there is the possibility to continue to the Gran Camping de Zarautz and go down the road to the traffic circle that we find at the beginning of the village. Arrived at the campsite, we also have the opportunity to extend this route to reach Orio. To do so, we only have to take the road that starts between the campsite and the Talai berri txakoli winery.

History of the Mollarri Loading Dock.

Although Zarautz is today a town overturned in surfing, tourism or txakoli, it was not always so. An example of this is the industrial past that puts in value the Cargadero de Mollarri. This industrial structure built in 1906 had more than 11 kilometers of aerial tramway, which, by means of wagons, made it possible to transport iron from the mines of Andazarrate (Asteasu) to other points in Europe.Thanks to this aerial tramway system designed by Wilhelm Vahl Müller, the ore from Asteasu was transported to the warehouse located on the slope of Talaimendi. From here, another funicular of similar characteristics transported the ore to the maritime loading dock on the islet of Mollarri to load the ships that transported the iron to Europe, which was active from 1906 to 1923, the year in which it was definitively closed. In the 1940s the aerial tramway system was transferred to the Zestoa Cement Factory to be reused.

Recommendations for the route to the Cargadero de Mollarri.

After visiting the Cargadero de Mollarri we believe it is convenient to make several recommendations or tips. We hope that they will be of help to you at the time of realizing the route to this corner of the Basque coast.

Where to park in Zarautz.

Zarautz has OTA (Traffic and Parking Ordinance) in almost all the town. So we recommend that you pay attention to where you leave your vehicle. The blue lines represent the paid zones and the white lines the resident zones. In the winter season the best option is to park in one of the free parking lots in Zarautz (Salberdin or Mitxelena). In any case, if these spaces are occupied, there are other (paid) parking lots throughout the town center.

What to see in Zarautz.

Zarautz, one of the most important towns on the Basque coast, has a large number of attractions to visit. Among all of them we have selected those that for us are some of the most important. We hope you like them.

What to see near Zarautz.

In the vicinity of Zarautz we find places of great tourist importance that can be very interesting to complement your getaway to Zarautz. We encourage you to take a look at the list of places mentioned below. You may find places that catch your attention.

Experiences in Zarautz and surroundings.

Zarautz, a town where surfing and txakoli stand out, offers us the possibility to enjoy unforgettable experiences in the heart of the Basque coast. We encourage you to enjoy a surfing class or a guided visit to a winery. We are sure you will enjoy these experiences to the fullest. We recommend you to take a look at our reservation center to book the experiences safely, quickly and at the best price.

Video of the Mollarri Loading Dock.

As usual, we wanted to complement the words and photographs in this article with a small audiovisual. A video that allows us to show you in a more visual way what you will find in this idyllic corner of the Basque coast. If you like this kind of videos, if you want to follow our adventures in Euskal Herria, we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are sure you will find experiences and destinations that will inspire you to make more trips to Euskal Herria.

As you have been able to see, the views and the history that hides the Cargadero de Mollarri are a perfect excuse to get to know the wonderful town of Zarautz. In case you have any doubt, we recommend you to use the comment system that you will find under these lines to let us know. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pasa!