The valley of Aramaio is located very close to the confluence of Álava, Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia (Besaide), in a mountainous area, also surrounded by the Udalaitz, Anboto, Ipizte and Orixol (Arangio peñas) and Murugain and Jarindo mountains, along with which the diversion takes place. Ibarra is the main nucleus of the valley, but there are other anteiglesias in the municipality: Gantzaga, Etxaguen, Arexola, Barajuen, Azkoaga, Uribarri, Untzilla and Oleta. The last case is unique, as it is the only neighbourhood outside the valley and borders with the village of Otxandio (Bizkaia), in the area of Sapalda. The boundary between Bizkaia and Álava is sinuous in this area, remaining within Otxandio Bizkaia and as part of Oleta Aramaio. It is curious that the people of Sapalda are Biscayan and Alavese. Every now and then, in our country, there is a case that contravenes the general rule.

From Urkiola the route proposed by Luis Pedro Peña Santiago is directed to Kurtzeta and we started and ended the tour in Oleta. We will approach the Oleta district from Otxandio or from the port of Kurtzeta. If the time goes by, just get there and start walking, we will have the first panoramic view of the Duranguesado Mountains. From the right to the left, in addition to the Orixol and Ipizte below, we will be able to enjoy a magnificent perspective of the continuation of the crest of Anboto, Elgoibar, Kurutzeta and Anboto.

We will start the journey at the height of the church of Oleta and continue along the road that comes from Otxandio, a couple of kilometers later, until it reaches its end. There is the possibility of leaving the car in the car park at the end of the road, but as our circular route will end near the church of Oleta, we are forced to make that journey on the road sooner or later. We enter the forest, passing through a nice wooden bridge, with red and reddish painting motifs, following the extensive gravel road.

We will leave this road in a short time and continue straight at the bifurcation where the second wooden bridge is located, on the uphill. The trail goes up tirelessly, in a beautiful forest, bringing the wall of Anboto closer and closer. It is a road without loss, with reddish paintings and small cairns or piles of stones that will guide us. We will complete the final meters of the first ascent in a beautiful meadow, until we meet the gravel road that goes from Urkiola to the collado of Zabalandi.

Ipizte Cave and Santa Cruz

After a well-deserved rest, with the gaze lost on the wall of Anboto, the most beautiful section of the tour approaches. He heads towards Tellamendi and Besaide on the left road and crossing Ipizte on his hillside towards the collado of Leziaga on the right. We will attack the small and hard rock of Ipaicé, which is in front of us, and we will climb up a short and hard hill. As soon as we leave the campa of Zabalandi and enter the forest, we find some of the springs that will help us and that denounce the easiest path between forests and rocks. In this steep slope, which is often covered with dry leaves, we will have to walk very carefully so that there are no slips or accidents. Among the trees, we will soon find the Iputz Mailbox (1.057 m). It is not the summit of Ipizte with a prosperous perspective, as the bushes limit the view in several directions, but the valley of Aramaio (Ibarra, Gantzaga, Etxaguen, Untzilla..) and we have a perfect viewpoint to observe Mount Orixol that we will go up below.

We continue in the south direction, leaving to the right the climb path and taking as reference the valley of Aramaio at all times. This is a somewhat confusing piece of land that follows us and we must be careful with the stones covered with leaves. Losing the height a little, following the ridge we will reach the base of the Iruatxeta Erdikoa needle. The giant needle is crossed from top to bottom by a small crack that allows the depth of the Santa Cruz Healing Cave to pass. Without fear, we will turn the body and enter the fissure, studying well where we stand, until we reach a kind of balcony that offers a dreamed view of the Aramaio Valley. We're in the cave of the Santa Kruz Priest, in the cave of Nardin.

Next to that, we find a clear SUMP. Inside there are a couple of photographs of the Santa Cruz Healing Season, a book written by Nicolás Ormaetxea Orixe about his life and a rosary. A special place.

Leziaga Magic Neck

The next goal is the Leziaga collado, which separates Ipizte from Orixol, and which aspires to win. To reach this beautiful neck, there are two possibilities: Follow the rugged Iputz crest, overcoming the peñas of Gantzaga and Leziaga, or descend from the ridge to the right, descending through the hayedo without clear road, avoiding Ipizte by the collado of Zabalandi until reaching the path leading to the collado of Leziaga (the red white paint symbols will guide us again). The first option, although beautiful, is not recommended if the time is wet, while the second, perhaps more beautiful, presents no risks, but it does ask us for caution in the forest covered with leaves, if we do not want to suffer some sprain.

The neck of Leziaga is one of those places that are not easily forgotten, a magical place where mere maturation gives meaning to the walk. In the centre of the Ipaiz peñas and the closed hayedo of Orixol we will find a small meadow in Leziaga. On one side a little embroidered and on the other a magnificent view of the valley of Aramaio. Dream corner. We enter the Hayedo and face the first ramps of Orixol, without losing sight of the red-white symbols that limit the Return to Bizkaia and the Watershed. Although on these first slopes we will have a bit of sweat, the plain will take over and we will enjoy every step on the dry leaves. As we approach the top of the Orixol, we will remember the sweet words of Luis Pedro Peña Santiago. It looks like we're separated from the world, bewitched by a lovely forest.

Last Summit: Orixol

At one point, in a bifurcation, we will discover the path that will take us to the top of Orixol, which is a prominent emblem on the trunk of a beech. We completed the last few meters between stones and reached the highest point of the rocks of Arangio, the top of Orixol (1,130 m). The top is outside the closed forest, allowing us to enjoy a unique view: Anboto, Ipizte, Tellamendi, Murugain, Orkatzategi, Kurutzeberri, Aloña, Aizkorri.. We will also have the feeling of dominating the Otxandio and Oleta valley.

After resting at the top, we will start the last leg of the tour. We go back to the junction where the climb to Orixol begins and we continue with the red-white symbols that climb to the Port of Krutzeta to reach the Santa Cruz hermitage in a few minutes. Near the Oleta neighborhood, we will observe as we turn our eyes towards the Otxandio Sotano. The only thing we need is to find the right way to go down, because given that the pictorial symbols are headed towards Krutzeta, the end of the journey will be carried out without the help of these symbols. We left the main ridge and headed to the right, descending through the hayedo, until we met a chabola. Near the hut there is a gravel runway, but we will go by the river bank, leaving it, guided by the cairs signals. We will quickly lose the height, following the water, and soon we will reach a wider road that tells us that we are close to Oleta. With the transformation of the slope into plains we will see the first houses of Oleta face to face, and so we will reach the starting point, after a journey through a magical world.