Ganboa
Encyclopedia
Ganboa is a summit on the Gipuzkoan side of the Aralar Range
(Basque Country
), the mount having long been held as the highest in the range, while nowadays it trails second to Irumugarrieta. The peak, crowned with a mountaineer postbox, is surrounded by grasslands, secondary peaks and limestone
karst
terrain, where deep fissures are not rare to be seen.
Aralar Range
Aralar aran'+'larre', meaning 'valley field') is the Basque name for a mountain range, which broadly speaking separates the province of Gipuzkoa from Navarre in the North of Spain...
(Basque Country
Basque Country (historical territory)
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
), the mount having long been held as the highest in the range, while nowadays it trails second to Irumugarrieta. The peak, crowned with a mountaineer postbox, is surrounded by grasslands, secondary peaks and limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
terrain, where deep fissures are not rare to be seen.
Access points
Ganboa's central position at the heart of Aralar sets the summit far away and at a similar distance from any access point.- One route sets out in LarraitzTxindokiTxindoki or Larrunarri is an iconic mountain located in the region of Goierri, Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Autonomous Community of Spain. Originally Larrunarri or Ñañarri ], the mount took on the popularized name Txindoki by extension after some shepherd huts nearby...
following the classical beaten trail leading to TxindokiTxindokiTxindoki or Larrunarri is an iconic mountain located in the region of Goierri, Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Autonomous Community of Spain. Originally Larrunarri or Ñañarri ], the mount took on the popularized name Txindoki by extension after some shepherd huts nearby...
. After the zigzags ensuing the spring Oria (860 m high), a trail detaches to the right gradually ascending on the slopes of Aralar's highlands till the gentle fields of Alotza (1,182 m) are reached. The pastures provide the grass for the cattle in summertime (largely horses, sheep and cows), so drinking troughs, springs and sheep pens are easily found on the way. On arrival to the pass of Irazusta (1250 m), the main trail heading to the Igaratza plains must be left on the right, and a small valley lacking any noticeable path slopes up north-east to Ganboa. 2h30 hours walk and back. - Another one, the "Quarry Route", starts off at the neighbourhood Altunegi of AmezketaAmezketaAmezketa is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Autonomous Community, in the north of Spain.-External links:* Information available in Spanish and Basque.* Information available in Spanish...
, while a vehicle ride through a paved road leads to the very threshold of the valley of the quarries (Minak, 450 m high). After walking across the forest, the trail penetrates into a deep valley along the stream Arritzaga with fields all along. As the valley turns shallower, at the drinking trough of Pardeluts (1050 m), a valley going south-west must be taken in order to gain height up to the peak, on the right hand. 2h45 and back. - The access from the NavarreNavarreNavarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
se side at the Guardetxe or Ranger Shelter is less demanding as regards the altitude difference, since the Guardetxe stands at 1,035 m high, while the hiking distance remains long. The route heads north-west through a beaten trail, with the shelters of Errenaga (1,220 m) and the Igaratza plains lying halfway to Ganboa. Igaratza houses a megalithic site, with interesting stone circleStone circleA stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
s, dolmenDolmenA dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
s and a menhirMenhirA menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
. Taking the way left cutting across the southern side of the bulk Pardarri, the trail reaches the pass of Irazusta.
External links
- Details for hiking at Mendikat Site in Spanish