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Ultzama Valley
Activities
| Ulzama Golf Club | + info | Hiking in Belate | + info |
| Gorraiz Golf Club | + info | Hotel Palacio Gorraiz | + info |
| Lizaso Golf Pitch & Putt | + info | Caves of Urdax | + info |
| Ultzama valley | + info | Caves of Zugarramurdi | + info |
| Baztan Valley | + info | Roncesvalles-Way of Santiago | + info |
| Seigneury of Bertiz | + info | Irati Forest | + info |
| Orgui Oak | + info | Pamplona-San Fermines | + info |
| Honey Museum | + info | San Sebastián | + info |
| Aralar Mountain | + info | Horse riding | + info |
| Plazaola Greenway | + info | Baztan Aventura Park | + info |
Environment
Orgui Oak
Horse riding
Millenary oak
Golf
Curd's day
Way of Santiago
Ultzama Valley, whose capital is Larraintzar, is situated in northeastern Navarre, about 25 kilometres from Pamplona. It is an idyllic valley with green fields, surrounded by woods of oak and beech trees and sprinkled with aesthetically manicured villages. It is worth visiting these villages to observe the enormous stone houses with pitched roofs, arched doors, large eaves and large balconies along the facades. Whoever visits Ultzama, should not miss the chance to walk around Orgi Wood, situated in the north of the valley next to the road from Lizaso towards Eltso-Gernediain. It is a thousand-year old wood of 80 hectares and the only proof of the primitive oak woods which occupied the wet northern valleys of Navarre.
The walk through Orgi Woods is completed by another three paths which connect the oak woods with the rest of the valley: Orgi (8.4 km walking path); Amati (10.5 km walking path) and Gurbil (18km walking and bike path). Besides hiking, you can go horse riding in Arizkun (30 min.), visit the equestrian center for classical dressage in Zenoz and play golf in any of the clubs within the valley.
The northern part of the valley is marked by the Belate mountain pass, bordering with Baztan. Since ancient times, Belate has been an important nucleus of communication. It served as the old medieval route which connected Pamplona with Bayonne and was one of the Ways of St. James. Proof of this is the old carriageway used by the pilgrims, the ruins of the St. James hermitage from the 12th century or the restored monastery-hospital of Santa Maria la Real of Belate, of which there is a documentary reference in 1165. From Belate you can explore the most attractive Navarrese mountain routes towards the summits of Garzaga, Saioa and Adi.
On the first Sunday in June, a pilgrimage is held to the Santa Lucia hermitage located at the summit of Mount Arañotz in Iraitzoz. In the fields surrounding the hermitage, the pilgrims prepare a meal and spend a pleasant afternoon. To end your visit to the valley, there is nothing better than to savor its renown meats, the much appreciated wild black mushrooms, artisan honey and the most typical dish of the area: curd made with sheep’s milk in which a red hot burning stone is added to give it a peculiar toasted flavor. This delicious dessert may be served in the “kaiku”, a wooden bowl also used to milk the sheep and to cook the milk in.