The coastline that connects Pasai Donibane with Hondarribia, apparently with a smooth and walkable slope, is only fifteen kilometers, but it is completely abrupt, full of low elevations; a dizzying relief. The path goes into the area that is not affected by human influence, only this trail and then a few blurry greens will accompany you. These tracks, the constant roaring of the waves and the crackling of the seagulls. Even if there are some vague paths, you will have to find your own way, overcome obstacles and find yourself enjoying the beauty that it offers you. In all this, the maps that exist in this area will help you little; they are deficient and obsolete.

The initial intention was to make the crossing in a single day. Immediately after we left, however, we realized that in the short winter days we would hardly complete the tour by walking only in broad daylight, and that the most reasonable thing was to do it in at least two parts. In fact, it takes more than eleven hours to go all the way in a row, because you have to overcome eleven slopes. If so, we advise you to do it in two days.

From Doniban to Buenos Aires

From the parking lot at the entrance of
Pasai Donibane you have to follow the small street of San Juan that crosses the street of the house towards the mouth of this great port. To want to see its interesting places, it is not difficult, because the structure of the town itself will show you the way, first the Arizabalo Palace, then the parish of San Juan Bautista and the house where the famous writer Victor Hugo stayed. The street is located between the fishermen's houses on the left and right. Moila, the Villaviciosa Palace of the Renaissance and the place of the cross are located before Santiago Square. The popular architecture of the houses is worth mentioning in this square. Continue on to the sea and you will pass by the Basilica of Santo Cristo de Bonanza and then enter the promenade that closes the mouth of the River Baroque from the east. You will pass through the Castle of Santa Isabel and arrive at the Sister Alaburtza.

The steep cement road at the intersection will take you to the lighthouse (80 m). This is where you will begin your true journey to the sea. Above the tip of Arando Grande, at the mouth of the mouth, rises the sharp and steep edge called Bantxa del Este, plunging spectacular cliffs of up to 250 meters into the sea. You have to go up that sandstone ridge, leaving behind rock structures of all shapes, all created by holes, needles, corridors, cracks... water and wind. As hard as it may seem to climb, it's no big deal. In the first part you have to leave the gentle cliffs on the left side of the ridge and follow the path that goes from the right side along the ledges to the top. Once the initial part is overcome, the path expands and becomes more comfortable.

As you gain height, the cliffs on the shore will look even more spectacular. You will master the entrance to Bokal and with a bit of luck you will be able to see some of the immense freighters of the port of Pasaia going out to the open sea guided by the port’s practical guide. On the other side of the mouth is the Hole of the Seine, the Lighthouse of Plata and behind Mount Ulia. To the north, broadly, the Atlantic. At the top, the sharp edge becomes a wide and smooth meadow, although on the left the cliff remains as energetic as before. Surrounding the Mitxola hill on the left you will reach the remains of the Bonazaitz farmhouse (Buenos Aires) (245 m). Like many others who looked out at the sea nearby – another was called London – this place was expropriated and destroyed by soldiers when it was militarized.

Wild Ravines to Cala Azabaratza

Then you will have to face the most brutal part of the route. In fact, you’ll have to overcome the four large, deep and overhanging ravines that cut the mountainside down to Cala Azabaratza, making difficult climbs and descents. These four ravines are crossed by streams that succumb to the sea in the form of waterfalls. The names were taken from the farms of Iñalurreta, Saratxaga, Zunbillondo and Arangua, which were located on the softer backs that separate these ravines. Iñalurreta is one of the few farms that still stand in the area.

You will have to overcome the path to the coves, the cattle roads and the coastline of rough terrain using the old water line of Lezora, always leaving on the left the spectacular slopes that fall on the waves. In this section we find a large number of strange and beautiful forms created by erosion in the sand, which have been baptized according to the appearance of the surrounding villages, such as the Gran Canto –in the descent to the ravine of 1–, Trikuharri –before the second ravine– and the Phallic Needle –in the descent to the fourth. Even more impressive is what you have to overcome to reach the Azabaratza cove,

a reclined, smooth and gigantic shelf that leads directly to the sea. Although it may seem insurmountable, it has at least one transit – which we must take advantage of. In the central part of the curved plate, in the narrowest part, the person’s hand or wear, who knows, has worked some superficial stirrups that facilitate the passage to the other. Be careful, be cautious, pass only when the wall is dry and if possible at low tide and when the sea is calm.

Akegi and the Lightning Bolt

Azabaratza is a place for the collection of algae. Here you’ll find several ruined buildings, as well as the remains of the reel used to climb the algae on this fearsome plaque. They then extended the mediocre track that replaced the reel and from there you have to continue the journey along the coast. You have to leave the track at the first corner and continue along the coastal path. The coastline softens considerably in this part and you will find that you are making a lot of progress. You will pass through three small ravines that hide the crumbling fishermen’s huts, each with its own stream. After the last one, however, the green remains lead us to the fissure of Akregi that cuts us off. Since it is really difficult to overcome this obstacle, it is best to go back and go up the valley passing by the side of a fisherman’s hut; Go through the crack from the top, from the foundation (130 m) and back down to the shore.

Through the rocky beach you have to overcome the strange section called The Broken Lightning and move on until you reach the End of Youth. To overcome the vertical and spectacular cliff that falls into the sea, go up the shore looking for the groove that is the cornerstone of the wall. The difficult and steep descent will leave you at the bottom of a striking valley, surrounded by walls with singular and picturesque shapes. In addition to the special formations, the rich range of colors that these rocks present is spectacular: reddish, orange, pink...

From the Barranco de Castilla to the port of Eresín

You must follow the path of exit from the labyrinth of Castile or Putrekabi, rising through a narrow and inconceivable gap between the walls. Surprise, you will be fascinated by the following part: The path turns in search of the most suitable steps, leaving behind the spectacular natural formations of gratitude and right. How much more beautiful they are on the rocks is the white color that prevails. On the left, the vertical cliffs fall to the sea and, on the bottom, the anchovies on the rocks are scraping. You will leave the land of Pasaia and enter the Hondarribals.

At the height of the tip of Turruia the road turns to the right to penetrate a wide valley. Right there, on your right you’ll see a cave and close to it a huge shell-shaped shed. Along the clear path you will reach the last obstacle of the shore, the giant wall of the Erentzin valley. From there, you will find a much more gentle path, without obvious obstacles. But we advise you to leave this for another time; a little while to do it on the same day. Instead of going down to the Erentzin River, you will keep the path that goes up before you get there and, gaining height, you will reach a wide track in the area of Lerueta (215 m). Continue upwards and turn left on the next track (320). From Pasai Doniban you will exit to the road that leads to Hondarribia a kilometer and a half from the port of Jaizkibel. There you have the Parador de Santa Barbara, built by the Provincial Council, set up as a day viewpoint (405 m). To return to the point of departure one must have his way prepared here.