Sargoate is located on the slopes of Mount Irukurutzeta. If you want to go up Elgoibar, you have to go there. Therefore, in 1959 a great source of stone was built, in tribute to the cyclist Prudencio Etxaniz, so that the mountaineers could enjoy a pleasant place of rest. More than 50 years later, the fountain had lost the charm of yesteryear. Having been in the pine grove for the past 30 years, he was in a lamentable, deteriorating and forgotten situation.

The Morkai group at Elgoibar decided last year to recover the area. Members of this association that since 1943 has enjoyed mountaineering were those who, along with the baserritars of the area, raised the fountain. In addition to arranging the expeditions, they carry out numerous activities related to the mountain.

Once the trees that covered the Sargoate fountain were cut down, they decided to fix it. With the help of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, they bought the land and made an appeal to the auzolan in the town. As they have explained, the presence of citizenship in the area was important for them. In fact, it's the work that the people do for the people, and it helps to strengthen the community itself.

Adaptation work began in autumn 2013. First, the tube was placed that would channel the water so that the source would become useful again. Then the area was ordered and cleaned and then planted trees. However, it was not a question of filling the area with trees. They want the area adjacent to the fountain to be bright and from there you can enjoy the place of Elgoibar. Citizens of all ages have been involved in the work. For example, taking advantage of Tree Day in March, boys and girls were able to plant their grain with the help of their parents. Recovery tasks are about to end. Fieldwork has been reconvened by the beginning of June, and it is expected to end that day.

The conditioning of the source does not satisfy the passion of the elgoibartars. Other areas have been identified for recovery in the environment. Thus, the source of Atxolín, the remnants of the Bronze Age of Morú and the summit of Mount Morkaiko that gives name to the group of mountaineers.

Sargoate opens in Elgoibar

Sargoate is much more than a place of passage for mountaineers who want to climb Irukurutzeta. Every year, Santiago Day is celebrated in a meadow there. However, in Elgoibar, many do not know the area of the source, and they have tried to change that area to which many people have gone. For example, each year it has been used as a point of rest and recovery on a hillside involving many neighbours and neighbours.

While the main objective of the initiative is not to promote mountaineering, it is certainly a side effect. In addition to recovering the heritage, some of the neighbors who have come to the concentration have found paths that were previously foreign to them. In addition to enriching the community, they have the opportunity to better understand the people and their environment.