The road that climbs through the hayedo before crossing the Asuntze Hill and reaching the Zabalaldi Hill is the most common way to climb the Anboto. There are also many mountaineers who climb the hill of Zabalandi, after having arrived by Olaeta, Ibarra, Arrazola or Besaide. Starting from Arrazola or Axpe, the northern depression of Anboto Sakona is becoming increasingly known due to the harsh race of the Anboto Vertical Kilometer, which links Arrazola and Anboto, to be held on Saturday, 6 October.

The best of the race take less than 40 minutes to overcome the wall of over 1,000 meters between Arrazola and Anboto. This report is not intended, however, to encourage the reader to establish brands, but to describe the two most well-known routes that combine the conventional excursion in Anboto with the easy climbing: the northern shore or that of Frailia, probably the most difficult, and the beautiful northeast edge that allows to know the cave of Mari in Anboto. No less!

Northern Arista: Fraili

In Arrazola, the gaze will inevitably be directed towards the wall of the Anboto, and the summit of Frailia, which marks the beginning of the northern shore, will be the one that attracts the most attention. The northern edge offers us the possibility to climb the top of Frailia, making an easy climbing, opening the doors to total enjoyment. But if we want to reach the collado of Frailia, we will have to overcome strong slopes from Arrazola, in the depression of Anboto Sakona. There are several forest roads to enter the Anboto Sakona, but taking as a reference the top of Frailia and leaving to the right the path that goes to the hill of Larrano, we will go up considerably until we see the canal descending from the hill of Frailia. The channel is very steep, but with a little attention we will go up without major difficulties. There is also a slightly hidden path that starts from above and has almost been erased by the grass and by the passage of time. In any case, we should come without major problems at the foot of the Frailia. The time has come for the escalation.

There are two climbing options to the frailia: we can climb directly a wall about fifteen meters high, with a somewhat clumsy step of difficulty level III+ at the most difficult point. An easier option is to descend a few meters down the eastern slope and climb the grass channel that pastors have used to lower the goats, which will lead us to the summit without great difficulty (beware if the grass is wet! ). If we have brought in the backpack the 30-meter rope and the urge to climb, as it could not be otherwise, we will choose the first option. From the bottom you can protect the climbing, and once at the top, we'll come back down with a couple of rapels to the neck, with the adrenaline topping.

We will not have time to calm down. The edge of Frailia, until it meets the road from the Anboto Honda, offers little room for rest and more than one occasion to tighten the teeth. Going up the shore, we will avoid the first needle on the left – its descent is very difficult – but from there, we will continue to gain meters to the mountain on the same shore.

The edge will put us two or three smooth meters one after the other, and it will not always be easy to find supports suitable for both hands and feet. Sometimes we can put only the tips of the fingers, and with the tip of the boot we will stick to the wall by friction, chaining beautiful climbing steps that will cause us a cold sweat. We are in the hardest part of the shore and we will not be able to breathe peacefully until we find the path that comes from Anboto Sakona. It will not be so easy to help you with strings, because unlike the Pyrenees or other mountain groups, the edge is smooth in Anboto, and we will have to bring some friend or ribbon to the mountain. Here's the charm of the shore!

Arista Nordeste: Cave of Mari de Anboto

In the imaginary world of the Basques, to speak of Mount Anboto is to revive the witch Mari. Legend has it that the witch goes through places as well known as Aizkorri, Gorbeia, Murumendi and other Basque mountains. However, it has its residence in Anboto, a hidden nook from the northeastern edge. The connection between Arrazola and Anboto, after climbing the northeast shore making an easy climbing and visiting the Mari cave, is also one of the most spectacular median difficult routes that can be carried out in these areas.

The difficulty is not, moreover, extreme, as on the sharp shore of Frailia. But it's best to leave with safe time. Most of the tour will take place outside of it, however, using mostly the hands. We will start the tour of Arrazola and this time we will borrow on the left the top of Frailia that will face us. Then we will capture the ridge of the Northeast that underpins the Anboto summit and head directly to its base, leaving aside the road to Zabalandi.

We will earn the meters at high speed, off the road, rising up the steep slope that connects the rock with the grass. Little by little he will sharpen the edge and even reach the magical natural corridor of Gerriko Kobie it will take us to deal with the greatest difficulties that will put the edge on the road. Once Gerriko Kobi has arrived, we can say that we have arrived at the door of Mari's house.

The Gerriko Kobie tunnel is the passing of a vertiginous path that leads us to the cave of Mari. The step takes us to the gigantic natural fronton of Artaun, Sakona, and on the edge of the ravine, we continue until we reach the cave of Mari, after 128 meters of travel, measured data. In the middle, there's a hard step, at a point where a smooth stone comes down, and so that it doesn't scare us the height, it's no longer worth using a small rope. Of course – although it is not easy to describe the emotion we will feel when we arrive at the refuge of Mari – we will reach one of the most special corners of Euskal Herria.

After calmly enjoying the unparalleled vertical perspective, it is time to continue the road back; from the same hung path that we arrived, we returned very carefully to the Gerriko Kobie catwalk, which we crossed in the opposite direction and return to the northeastern edge. The final meters separating the Gerriko Kobie and the top of the Anboto are not technically complicated, so it will be easy to climb. In the end, the northeast and north edges (Frailia) converge, as well as the traditional roads that come from Anboto Sakona. We will see the goal nearby and we will only have to enjoy the last meters to reach one of the most vertical peaks of Euskal Herria, once a distance of more than 1,000 meters is exceeded.

From Frailia and the northeast shore that houses the cave of Mari, we have made a nice climb to the summit of the Anboto, an ascent that smelled mountaineer on all sides. To return to Arrazola and complete a magnificent circular tour, we have many options: the easiest would be to go down to the collado of Zabalandi and return to Arrazola or get off the Anboto Sakona. If the attempt to chain one edge with the other leads us inland, however, we can go down to the collado of Larrano once the first part of the ridge of Anboto has been completed, passing through the summits of Kurutzeta and Elgoibar. We'll get off seamlessly from Larrano to Arrazola. However, it is better to leave the banks of the Frailia and the Lady of the Anboto that we have used for the climb: for the ascension. It is not advisable to descend on these edges, as the descent presents greater difficulty than the ascent. There are several possibilities: There is no excuse to enjoy!

Note: On the Euskal Herria Ihesi website you will find more tours and plans, the first participatory and Euskaldun tourism website of Euskal Herria.