Lekeitio and the valley of the river Lea.

This varied walk includes four very different types of landscape. We start out through a meadow landscape with grazing cows, than pass through a beautiful eucalyptus forest, continue along the river Lea on a nature trail and finally walk through the city of Lekeitio along the impressive coast and through the historical centre.

The route starts at the south edge of the town of Lekeitio, from a fairly large parking lot. From this parking lot we first walk inland and soon we leave the houses behind us and we pass through a pasture with sometimes cattle. We occasionally have to go through a fence from one pasture to the other, but fortunately it is easy to find our way because there are often low walls on both sides that clearly mark our path.

After walking for just more than a kilometre from the start, we arrive at a picnic area in the middle of some houses. We have now reached the highest point of the route. From here, the landscape changes completely. We now pass through a beautiful eucalyptus forest and descend into the valley of the river Lea. Just before we reach the river we pass a petrol station. In principle, it is possible to get some simple food there. For example, there is bread for sale.

We cross the bridge over the river and then follow a footpath that runs along the river. It is perfectly structured and there are bridges or platforms where necessary, so that it is very easy to walk here. We hike along pieces of forest, meadows, and sometimes have beautiful views of the river. Our route is now mostly fairly flat with the occasional small hill.
Just before we get to the sea the river widens and we pass through a Nature 2000 reserve.
After this we start the last part of the route, a walk through the picturesque village Lekeitio.

Lekeitio.
Lekeitio started off as a small fishing enclave on the left bank of the river Lea, in a beautiful environment overlooked by San Nikolas Island. The town is always facing the sea, with beautiful sunsets and the impressive comings and goings of the waves of the Cantabrian Sea.
The culture and tradition are reflected in the historic centre where you can see its maritime and artisan past, consisting of small fishing boats known as traineras, whales, sardines and mackerel; There are narrow, cobbled streets in which we find large houses, church towers and convents. All the streets lead down to the port.
Located in the Bay of Biscay and thanks to its proximity to the sea, in Lekeitio, fresh fish and preserved products are frequently found in the classical recipes, a characteristic typical of this land. Tasty fish dishes are essential, such as cuttlefish in sauce, or recipes using meat and vegetables, which are very popular in this town. The star dish is the marmitako, a recipe, originally prepared by the fishermen in the Basque Country which has longfin tuna as its main ingredient. To add a finishing touch, we suggest the famous Txakoli from Bizkaia, an excellent white wine with a Designation of Origin.
Usually, the restaurants in the town are supplied with local produce, either fresh fish caught by the fishermen who go out every day, or vegetables, fruit and other produce from the farms in the region.
(source: https://cittaslow.es/en/city/lekeito/)

Where we enter the village, we first go along the boulevard and through a large park with many benches (and also drinking water). This is an excellent place for lunch. Then the route leaves the sea and we pass through the village itself past a few historical sights. First we come by the Uriarte Palace.

Uriarte Palace
This beautiful baroque palace was built in 1677 by the architect Lucas Longa and surrounds an old medieval tower.
The main façade of the palace, which is accessed by a wide staircase, houses a beautiful porch supported by a triple arch. Centered on the top floor, the building sports an impressive coat of arms. The Uriarte Palace was the residence of the aristocrat Pedro Bernardo Villarreal de Berriz, an enlightened intellectual and great innovator of hydraulic engineering techniques during the s. XVIII.

Then we continue our walk through a stretch of very narrow streets that takes us to the very tip of the city. Once outside the houses we have a beautiful view over the coast and to the island that lies just in front of it. We follow the coast a bit above the cliffs and we can sometimes hear the pounding of the huge waves against the rocks below us. In stormy weather, parts of the several panoramic decks will be cordoned off. The waves can then even crash over the walls, so you have to be careful.

We cross a residential area and then arrive at another point of interest, Abaroa Palace.

Abaroa Palace
This evocative edifice was built in 1891 to house Jose Maria Abaroa, an important businessman who was born in Lekeitio but lived in Paris. It is the work of the architect A. Feiner, and the building is inspired by the models of the Second French Empire; slate hipped roofs and beautiful decorative moldings.

Then we pass one last piece of the historic center before we easily walk back to our starting point.

Some additional information:
The route is designed in a counter clockwise direction.
Time spent: total = 5 hours and 7 minutes of which moving = 2 hours and 41 minutes
There are parks with a lot of benches after 6,4 and 7,5 kilometers
There is drinking water after 6,4 after 7,5 and after 8,7 kilometers.
The track is in general rather easy from a technical point of view.

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