Urkulu reservoir route, family tour in Aretxabaleta.

Urkulu reservoir route, a nice walk through the interior of Gipuzkoa.

The route along the Urkulu reservoir that we propose today, is one of the most demanded by families visiting the region of Debagoiena. It is not surprising. The Urkulu reservoir is one of those idyllic, magical places. A space that invites to leisure. A few kilometers from the town of Aretxabaleta, surrounded by mountains and forests, we find one of the most striking natural sites in the area, the Urkulu reservoir. A sheet of water, which allows us to make a very simple walk around its perimeter. After our experience, we have not hesitated for a second to write about it, we want you all to know this little corner of Euskal Herria. It is worth it. In addition, more and more people are asking us for routes to do with children in the Basque Country. Well, here you have one more. A very attractive proposal, which is of special interest to those who want to relax, enjoy nature or practice outdoor sports. Highly recommended. The route that we show you today runs at all times along the shore of the reservoir, between water and green meadows, an aspect that adds some attraction to the route. The road, in good condition, asphalted, has a “bidegorri” (bike lane) on one of its sides. Undoubtedly another of the strong points of this route. And thanks to the good condition of the road surface, there are many people who cross the Urkulu reservoir running, cycling or even on skates. There are different colors to suit all tastes. What is clear is that the good conservation and maintenance of this road is a little wink for all those people who are looking for places where to venture out to do sports with the family. Do you want to know in detail the Urkulu reservoir? Keep reading, you will love it!

If a few weeks ago we visited the Alava side of the Aizkorri-Aratz Natural Park through the route to the source of Zirauntza, today we show you part of the Gipuzkoa side. The Urkulu reservoir is located within the limits of this emblematic Natural Park of the Basque Country. Hidden among mountains and meadows, guarded by some twenty farmhouses, the Urkulu reservoir supplies water to the always surprising region of Debagoiena. An area of Gipuzkoa that we recommend you to visit on any trip to Euskadi. In addition, for those who like art and architecture, in the environment we find up to 3 churches, Santiago, San Juan and San Cristobal, almost nothing.

Urkulu reservoir route.

To follow this route we must head for the Gipuzkoa region of Debagoiena, more specifically to the municipality of Aretxabaleta. Once in the town center, we will take the GI-3131 road to reach the parking lot of the reservoir itself. Urkulu is located on a hill, so the road is mountainous, with the occasional sharp bend and reasonable slope. A very common type of road in the villages of the interior of Euskadi. Along the way we will come across such striking spaces as the palace of Otalora, a stately home built in 1746 next to which we find a large parking lot. Our recommendation is to ignore this parking and move on to the neighborhood of Goroeta, where in addition to finding a parking lot we will have a magnificent view formed by the church of Santiago, the baserris (Basque for farmhouses) and the intense green of the environment. To get here, just follow the path to the shore of the reservoir, the area in question is easily recognizable by the toilets and cars parked “in battery”, you can’t miss it. Once at this point, it is time to start walking. We leave the car and start walking counterclockwise. If we walk along the reservoir in this way, the water will always accompany us on our left side. It is simply a recommendation, and it is that, in our opinion, to cross the Urkulu reservoir in this direction makes the route somewhat easier. In any case, people walk the reservoir in both directions. Whichever option you choose, you will have no problem. At the beginning of the route you will see that the road along the perimeter of the Urkulu reservoir is also the local road that connects the baserris (farmhouses) in the area. As you can see, the route is not free of vehicles, but only authorized vehicles can circulate. We only came across 1 car during the whole route. No problem. The neighbors are very aware that this is a route that many children make by bike or on foot. They drive carefully and at low speed. In any case, be careful. In the first section, next to the parking lot, we will find several attractions for the little ones. And if just after parking we saw the table area, a little further on we find the sighting turret and swings, two spaces that call to interact. We continue walking, we continue bordering the Urkulu reservoir, we approach the dam. Before reaching the dam, another platform built for bird watching will catch our attention. A wooden ledge, with which we began to contemplate the beauty of the Urkulu reservoir. And it is that if so far the route did not allow us to see the great landscape before us, from this point the views will make you fall in love. We assure you that it will catch your attention so much that you will stop repeatedly to take pictures of the landscape. Once at the dam, we have the opportunity to stop and enjoy what for us are the most beautiful views of the entire Urkulu reservoir. It is at this point where the trees disappear from the front line of the reservoir to give way to an amazing perspective. On sunny summer days, the mountains surrounding this enclave are reflected in the waters of the reservoir giving us a landscape that will remain engraved in your minds for a lifetime. We continue on our way, we cross the dam completely until we reach a crossroads, we continue along the Urkulu reservoir, we turn left. The stretch that we walk along gets closer and closer to the water, in fact, there are several trails that lead directly to the shore of the reservoir. Remember that bathing is forbidden. Before arriving back to the starting point, we find again several bird watching points. The path leads us directly to the road by which we have arrived with the car to reach the starting point. The route ends. Along the 6.5-kilometer route, there are information panels, bird watching points, benches, tables, swings and many other elements that make Urkulu one of the most visited areas by the Basques themselves.

History of Urkulu reservoir.

The construction of this reservoir was awarded in August 1975 for a total of 1.4 million euros. The works were completed 3 years later, in 1978, the year in which the filling of the reservoir began. Thus, in 1980, after the filling was completed, the Urkulu reservoir was inaugurated. A sheet of water that, located on the course of the Aretxabaleta river, in the upper Deba basin, covers an area of more than 54 hectares. In 1983, a drinking water treatment plant was started up to treat the water from the reservoir and thus offer it to the inhabitants of the Debagoiena region for human consumption. Of all the reservoir, our attention is drawn to the dam, a solid wall of more than 49 meters high and 160 meters long, which we travel along its highest part during the route that we present to you today. Currently, the Urkulu reservoir is capable of holding a maximum of 10 hm³, a feature that makes it the second most important supply system in all of Gipuzkoa. It currently supplies drinking water to the municipalities of Eskoriatza, Aretxabaleta, Arrasate, Oñati, Bergara, Elgeta, Soraluze and Antzuola. According to reports from recent years, the Urkulu reservoir has more capacity than is necessary to supply drinking water to the aforementioned municipalities, and therefore, on more than one occasion, the possibility of transferring water to the Aixola reservoir in the lower Deba has been considered. Although its main function is the abastimiento of water for consumption, we must also highlight the importance of this reservoir in maintaining sufficient flow of the Deba and Arantzazu rivers during the summer. In the past, when this reservoir did not exist, it was very difficult to maintain the minimum levels of these rivers for the existence of aquatic life. Nowadays it is common to see anglers on the banks of the Urkulu reservoir, and, according to the regulations, from April 1 to September 30 it is possible to fish for Rainbow trout, carp, bleak, sun perch, black bass and pike-perch. The Urkulu reservoir is one of the most important in Gipuzkoa. After the Ibai – Eder reservoir, it is the reservoir that supplies the most people (65,495). You should know that although it has remained between 57% and 72% over the last few years, this artificial reservoir has a capacity of more than 10,000,000 m3.

Bathing in the Urkulu reservoir.

Bathing in the Urkulu reservoir is prohibited. Unfortunately, it is common to find people who dive into this reservoir, putting their own safety at risk. Although after the route to the Urkulu reservoir its waters are inviting for bathing, we must be cautious, it is not allowed to bathe in Urkulu. In addition, we must be aware that over the years Urkulu has become a space rich in fauna and flora, there are many species that inhabit this small corner of Gipuzkoa.

Photograph.

The Urkulu reservoir, together with the Kurtzebarri mountain (1,146 m), is a luxury model. A perfect place for photography lovers. And if you are looking for a place where you can photograph a landscape that represents the interior of Euskadi, you are in luck. In addition, the abundance of birds such as the Grey Heron makes it an ideal place for photographers specializing in nature. As we have already indicated, a perfect place for photography lovers.

Where to eat near Urkulu.

The town of Aretxabaleta itself provides us with a wide range of possibilities to eat after enjoying the route to the Urkulu reservoir. Of course, we chose to enjoy a good hamaiketako (lunch at 11 o’clock in Basque) in the vicinity of the reservoir, in the shade. A real pleasure. We recommend it.

Urkulu reservoir video.

Once again, we wanted to show you the charms of our land through a video. A small but attractive audiovisual, through which we will try to show you the many charms with which the route of the Urkulu reservoir seduces us. In case you find this video interesting, we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are sure that one of our videos will catch your attention. Who knows, you may find your next destination.

Frequently asked questions about the Urkulu reservoir.

If you have already decided to do the Urkulu reservoir route, we recommend you to read this section. Here you will find answers to the questions that are frequently asked about this area. In case you have any question that is not included in this section, do not hesitate to send it to us through the comments section of this article. We will try to respond as soon as possible.

What to see near Urkulu.

The interior of the historical territory of Gipuzkoa offers many attractions to visit. In this case, the Urkulu reservoir, considered by many as the alpine lake of Debagoiena, is just the tip of the iceberg. An example of this can be found in the monumental complex of Aretxabaleta, the Tower House of Otalora, the Sanctuary of Arantzazu, the beautiful village of Leintz Gatzaga, the Salt Museum or the small town of Otxandio. Although the latter belongs to the province of Bizkaia, its proximity to this area of Gipuzkoa makes it very easy to visit. By the way, if you do not know Arantzazu, Oñati or Leintz Gatzaga, it can be a great opportunity to get to know these spaces of great charm. All of them complement each other perfectly with the route that we propose today. Together, they can be one of the most attractive plans in the area. Can you imagine doing the route along the Urkulu reservoir, visiting the salt museum of Leintz Gatzaga, having lunch and visiting the Sanctuary of Arantzazu? A round plan. It couldn’t be better.

Routes with children in Euskadi.

It is not the first route that we propose around a reservoir, swamp or lake, and, as we recommended in our article about routes with children in Euskadi, the reservoirs of Araba, are another great option to enjoy nature with the family. In case you are looking for routes in Euskadi of this profile (pleasant, charming, family and without difficulty) we advise you to follow our social networks(Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube) we promise to surprise you with new routes every month.

As you know, your opinion is very important to us. That is why we encourage you to leave us your opinions and suggestions about this route to the Urkulu reservoir through the comment system that you will find below these lines, we will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pasa!