Easy coasteering route connecting some of the nicest beaches and coves of Biscay. Add a bit of hiking to enjoy all the scenery of Urdaibai estuary

See full screen & the Garmin track of the full loop jogging the hiking parts.

My family comes from an small village called Kanala. Part of the Urdaibai estuary and a Biosphere Reserve of Biscay. There are tons of different places to visit around, here a coasteering (+ hiking loop) route.

First you need to arrive at Laida. In summer time you have a decent number of buses stopping around. If you are going to try the full loop you could try to park either in Kanala, next to the restaurant there is a parking area, or in Arketas to Laida way. Here the views of the latter.

This beach might have one of the wildest tide differences in all the region. In high tide (above all in September “spring tides”) there is almost no sand on it. In lower tide you can walk kilometers.

Head to the North East part of the beach and you will start the coasteering. In low tide you could be walking on sand for quite some time. Otherwise start getting on the rocks.

Be careful with the smoothest rocks. Wet they are extra slippery. You will need to find tiny barnacle covered ones for better grip.

In no time you will arrive at the cove/beach under Antzoras neighborhood, called Bolinaspe. All these non life guard watched beaches tend to be nudist. In case you come from Asia, where nudism is not as common.

Continue en route and you will arrive at Txikita. Just here behind the rocks on the right.

There are paths to get to these beaches from the road, in case you need an early exit. In the rock areas between them you will hardly see anyone but a few fishermen and sell-fish catchers.

You will find several nice rock formations, views of Izaro island all the time, rolling green hills around till you arrive at Laga. Another major beach.

The rock cliff getting into the sea in front of you is Ogoño. You could continue coasteering up to Elantxobe, going all around it. But the coastline becomes a lot more difficult to navigate after this point.

Perpendicular cliffs, very deep caves only accessible in low tide, tons of swimming sections, to be written about in another post.

You could take a bus back just from the road next by. If you want to do the full route then you will return through the hills. Head South on the road and turn up here.

You will be hiking on concrete for a while then dirt and rock paths up to San Pedro. Litle hermitage of the top of the hill, Atxarre.

The views from there are really nice, able to see a big section of the Biosphere Reserve. Moving forward, you can hike down either to Kanala or to Arketas and Laida. Video with quite some of the route (typo with the chapel name…)

Everything you should know before coasteering.

More routes in the Basque Country.