Walk : Irun route map

Description	GR11 is the Spanish equivalent of the French GR10, running the length of the Pyrenees. This is a short hike at the western end, entirely in Spain, through typical rolling Basque hills, skirting the distinctive multiple-topped Penas de Haya (Aiako Harriak in Basque, Les Trois Couronnes in French). Maximum altitude reached is 459m.
Duration	about 24km; about 6-8 hours Could be linked to the Hendaye walk to make a long circuit
Suggested Itinerary	Start at Bera (Vera de Bidasoa) and follow GR11 heading generally west to the San Anton reservoir, then generally north to Irun.
Airport	Biarritz then train to Hendaye or Irun
Accommodation at start	Plenty of hotels in Hendaye and Irun. These towns are close together, either side of the border. They are linked by rail, a road bridge and the narrow gauge railway EuskoTren, which runs from outside Hendaye station (Hendaia) to Irun and continues to San Sebastian (Donastia).
Transport to start	The Irun to Pamplona bus leaves Irun railway station at 0800 (0900 on Sundays) and calls at Bera half-an-hour later. Buy your ticket at the Alsa kiosk in the station (fare in Feb 2006 was 1 euro).
Route	Leave Bera by a narrow lane on the right as you head south on the village main street. This takes you over an old bridge over the Bidasoa; turn right onto the road at the far side then very soon fork left up the hill on a side road. This crosses the hill under which the main N-121A road tunnels. Soon look out for GR11 fingerpost and take a right fork to join a track that climbs steadily through the woods. Follow the track westwards and watch out for occasional red-and-white waymarks. After 3-4 hours you will reach the road which crosses the dam of the San Anton reservoir. At the far end of the dam, turn right and follow the road north, leaving it to continue on a track in the same direction where the road bends right. Follow this track as it contours and then zig-zags up to reach a road near Ursain. GR11 leaves the road to the right near Pagogana and follows tracks to descend into Irun.
Waymarking and terrain	Generally sparsely waymarked before the reservoir; very well signed from there to the end. Follow green-and-white local waymarks to leave Bera and pick up yellow-and-white local waymarks before San Anton. The whole route is easy walking on forest paths and tracks.
Transport from end	You finish at Irun town centre (although you could carry on further; GR11 continues 6km north to reach the sea at the Cabo Higuer lighthouse).
Accommodation at end	as start
Maps	Editorial Alpina 1:40,000 ‘Bidasoa Belate’ (part of Baztan Bidasoa 2-map pack) shows most of the route, but stops about 5km short of Irun. However, the route shown on the map is not as currently waymarked in the area of San Antongo Eskola and in the area of the zig-zags up to Ursain, so do watch out for the signs in these places. The map also wrongly shows the route as following the road north of Pagogana. Watch for the well-marked route off to the right of the road and off the top edge of the map.
Views	Bera main street looking north [photo: John Winterbottom] Near San Antongo Eskola GR11 after leaving the road north of Pagogana

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