The mills of Agorregi route

Agorregi mills route from Iturraran, iron and water route, SL-GI 4001

The route of the mills of Agorregi, officially known as the route of iron and water of Pagoeta Natural Park (SL-GI 4001), offers a beautiful circular route between forges, mills and watercourses. A perfect plan to get to know the pre-industrial heritage of Gipuzkoa and Euskadi with the family. Remember that we offer all kinds of tourist services (activities, guided tours, excursions …), do not hesitate to contact us to help you plan your next adventure in Euskadi. Do you dare to make the route of the mills of Agorregi with us?

Route of the mills of Agorregi from Iturraran.

The circular route of the mills of Agorregi (SL-GI 4001) starts from the parking lot of Pagoeta Natural Park (Parketxe de Iturraran). From this point we must head towards the Parketxe, after 70 meters we find the first fork, we take the path to the left. We will pass by the right side of the building of the Parketxe and we will enter the interior of the Botanical Garden by means of a path properly signposted. From this moment on, we will follow the white and green marks corresponding to the Local Paths (in this case SL-Gi 4001). This local trail shares part of the route with a large route (red and white markings), so in some places we will find white, red and green markings. In any case, the green must always be present, otherwise we may not be on the right path.

Once on this path, we find a metal gate for livestock, remember to close it behind you. We begin to descend gradually until we reach the bottom of the valley. From this moment the sound of water accompanies us for much of the route. We will follow the path until we reach the road to Agorregi, we turn right. From here, the route runs along the local road. It is not very busy, but it is still a road, so be careful with the little ones in the house.

After 180 meters we find the first attraction of the route, Manterola, nowadays reconverted into a kennel. Next to Manterola we find the Altxerri riverbed, a tributary of the Oria river. We follow our path along the riverbed (the river will be on our right) until we reach the small mill of Elordi. We recommend that you stop to enjoy the waterfall, the canal that supplies the mill and the mill itself.

A few meters ahead we find the mill of Arguin Berri, a similar structure in which the small reservoir in which the water that moves its stones is stored stands out.

We continue on our way. Almost immediately, a few meters away, we find Beheko Errota, the mill below in Basque. A small mill that is located at the gates of the Agorregi complex. We recommend you to go down the stairs to enjoy a different perspective of the bridge and the mill.

We arrive at the Agorregi complex. A mega structure formed by a mill and a forge that represents one of the greatest attractions of the route. Inside this gigantic stone structure of more than 4 centuries old, the force of water is transformed into movement to operate the huge hammer with which the iron is beaten.

We recommend that you take a look at the whole complex. And in the surroundings we find really impressive spaces. A clear example of this can be found in the dam that supplies this complex. And is that the dam creates an incredible waterfall that provides another attraction to this route. To access it we must go up the bed of the stream on its right bank (red and white marks).

Above the forge, on a high point, there is a viewpoint from which we have a global perspective of Agorregi. Another space to take into account. In it we find engravings of all the spaces that we can appreciate from this point.

After enjoying all these places we should head back to Parketxe de Iturraran. To do this we must descend from the viewpoint and begin the ascent to the starting point. The route is perfectly signposted, you only have to follow the green and white marks until you reach the gate of the fence to access the botanical garden and parking.

Video.

As usual in all our publications, we have created a short video about the iron and water route of Pagoeta. A short audiovisual with which we intend to show you in the most real way possible the beauty of the mills of Agorregi. We hope it will be of help to you. In case you like this kind of videos, we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are waiting for you!

Excursions and activities.

We offer guided tours, activities, excursions and trips for groups throughout the Basque Country. In this case, we offer you the possibility of an excursion in which we will enjoy a pleasant walk in the Pagoeta Natural Park, a guided tour in Zarautz and a guided visit to a txakoli winery. Remember that all these services can be customized according to the tastes and preferences of each group. Do not hesitate to contact us to organize your getaway.

Where to park.

We recommend you to park your vehicles next to the Interpretation Center of Pagoeta Natural Park, in the Parketxe Iturraran. We leave the location on Google Maps here. Next to this parking there are toilets, tables and other services that encourage us to spend the day with the family. This parking hangs the full sign easily, we recommend you to get up early.

How to get there.

In most cases, the best option to reach Pagoeta Natural Park is to use the AP-8 freeway and take the Zarautz exit. After passing the toll, take the second exit at the first traffic circle (straight on) and the first exit at the second traffic circle (turn right towards Orio). We continue along this same road (N-634) for about 2 kilometers until we find the detour to the small town of Aia, turn right, take the GI-2631 road. Going up this road, on the left hand side, we find a detour that indicates Pagoeta Natural Park. We only have to follow this same road to reach the parking lot.

Major forge.

The area of Agorregi brings together most of the attractions of this route, but one of them stands out above the rest: the main forge. The Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa rehabilitated this mega hydraulic structure of the fifteenth century to put it back into operation. Undoubtedly a great option to know the pre-industrial heritage of Gipuzkoa and Euskadi. According to studies, this forge was owned by the Lord of Laurgain and it was used to make iron billets that were later taken to smaller forges to be forged.

Ironworks and mills.

The water of the rivers of Euskal Herria has been used historically to generate wealth. Forges and mills were the most common structures. In the forges, water was used to move the enormous hammer that molded the iron ore. In the mills, water was used to move the stone used to grind cereals (corn and wheat in most cases).

What to see nearby.

If you want to take advantage of your getaway to know some of the most interesting places in the area, we recommend you to take a look at the list of places near Pagoeta Natural Park that we have created. We hope it will be of help.

Pagoeta Natural Park.

Pagoeta Natural Park is located less than 5 kilometers from the sea. A natural area of more than 2,800 hectares spread between the towns of Aia, Zarauz and Zestoa. The mountain Pagoeta of 678 meters of altitude gives name to this space that was declared natural park in the year 1998.

Iturraran Botanical Garden.

The Iturraran botanical garden has 25 hectares in which gardens and forest merge. Among them we must highlight the collection of oak trees, one of the most important in the world. This botanical garden created in 1986 is divided into 8 areas surrounding the interpretation center of the Pagoeta Natural Park.

Tips and recommendations.

After the route of the mills of Agorregi in the Natural Park of Pagoeta, we wanted to collect some tips and recommendations. We hope they will be of help. Remember, you can send us all your doubts through the comments system that you will find at the end of this article.

As you have been able to see, the route of the mills of Agorregi represents a fantastic family tour to do in the vicinity of Zarautz and Aia. In case you have any doubts, we recommend you to use the comments system that you will find below these lines to send them to us. We will try to answer as soon as possible. Ondo pass!