Armañón Natural Park

Located to the west end of Bizkaia, in the border with Cantabria, the Armañon Natural Park or Ranero constitutes a relevant mountain massive in the landscape of Las Encartaciones. It extends between the cliffs of the rivers Carranza and Agüera, in a series of hills and mountain terrains covering a surface of 2,996 hectares. The highest point of this placed on the summit of Armanón (854 m.), although there are other outstanding tops, such as Pico del Carlista (Ranero,737 m.), Surbias (638 m.) and Jorrios (837 m).

Category:

Natural parks

Municipalities:

Bizkaia: Karrantza Harana/Valle De Carranza, Trucios-Turtzioz.

Information:

Turismo Encartaciones
Phone: 946 800 226
Fax. 946 801 356
E-mail: infor@enkartur.net

Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza Tourist Office
Phone: 946 806 857
Fax: 946 806 520

Servicios:

Informa de la existencia de una ruta-circuito para hacer gimnasia o deporte

Datos de interés:

The home of the Egyptian Vulture. Armañón natural park. Here is home to one of the most beautiful caves in the Basque Country.

In few places does nature manifest itself with such splendour as in the Armañón Natural Park. Between its peaks and forests lies an infinite tangle of paths and more than two hundred caves.

Armañón is one of the natural jewels of Enkarterri. The park stretches between the municipalities of Karrantza and Turtzioz and is characterised by its ecologically rich karst landscapes. Thanks to these stone massifs, Armañón enjoys a unique microclimate that has allowed Mediterranean oaks and beeches to grow a few kilometres from the Cantabrian coast.

In this highly rural territory there are still several breeds of native livestock easily recognizable during a visit to the Park's surroundings: the Carranzana blond-faced and black-faced sheep, the Encartaciones sheepdog and the Monchina cow are just some of them.

The park is an exaltation of nature, with its lush forests and an infinite labyrinth of chasms, dolines, caverns and caves. Its subsoil hides more than 200 caves, many open only to potholers due to their immense size, such as the Carlista Cavern. The best known, however, is the cave of Pozalagua, which was chosen as the Repsol Guide's Best Spot in 2013.

Pozalagua offers a unique spectacle: the largest concentration of eccentric stalactites in the world. These millimetre-thick formations seem to defy the laws of gravity and intertwine at will to form a spectacular mosaic.

The visit passes between formations of columns and lava flows until arriving at the Versailles room, the one with the highest concentration of eccentric stalactites. The route continues to a viewpoint where the grandeur of this corner of the subsoil can be contemplated in all its splendour.

At the Armañón Nature Park Interpretation Centre, in the surroundings of the Pozalagua Cave, more information can be obtained about the Nature Park and the neighbouring mountainous area of Ordunte, which, like Armañón, belongs to the Natura 2000 Network.

Address: Ranero, Karrantza (Bizkaia)
Phone: +34 946 560 079
Email: armanon.parke.naturala@bizkaia.eus

Enjoy the natural park

Plans and activities to become familiar with the area

Here are some ideas for you to discover us.

Hiking trails Discovering the park on foot.

Immerse yourself in the lush vegetation of its forests and breathe the pure mountain air and let yourself be captivated by the diversity of its fauna and flora. From the highest peaks to the most hidden corners or a panoramic viewpoint or even the opportunity to spot birds of prey in full flight.

In addition to its spectacular natural beauty, the cultural and historical wealth of the Armañón Natural Park will also surprise you. Discover ancient farmhouses, centuries-old hermitages and vestiges of Basque rural life while exploring its trails.

Whether you are looking for a peaceful retreat in the heart of nature or an exciting outdoor adventure, the Armañón Nature Reserve awaits you with open arms to offer you an unforgettable hiking experience in the heart of the Basque Country. Within the network of routes in the Park, we suggest these three options:

PR-Bi 121. Holm oak grove of Sopeña: The route begins and ends in the picturesque rural village of El Suceso, where we find the monument to Our Lady of the Buen Suceso, the church and a bullring, as well as an extensive recreational area.
If we head towards Armañón. At the Dolmen de La Lama, below the summit, we turn off to the left to start descending, crossing the intricate holm oak grove that opens up to become a meadow. The way back is a gentle flat walk in the shade of conifers and American oak plantations.
Track: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/armanon-pr-bi-121-sopenako-artadia-encinar-de-sopena-121236927
Route through the outside of the Parketxea: This circular tour allows us to observe the karst formations, the imposing mountains of Ordunte and the magnificent views of the Carranza Valley. Much of the tour takes place around the old facilities of the North Dolomites factory. The current Parketxea was the place where once the dolomite was extracted in the old quarry of Pozalagua, was crushed and transported by an aerial tramway system to the factory located in the neighbourhood of Ambasaguas. This mineral was used to make a refractory material that was later transported to Altos Hornos de Bizkaia.
Track: https://www.wikiloc.com/walking-trails/armanon-parketxearen-kanpoaldeko-ibilbidea-ruta-por-el-exterior-del-parketxea-121236647
PR-Bi 120. 'Los Jorrios' trail: This circular mountain route, which starts from the centre of Trucíos and brings us closer to two of the most emblematic peaks of the Natural Park of Armañón: Los Jorrios and Armañón. Along this route, of just over 13 km, we will walk along old shepherds' and smugglers' paths, cross magical places such as the Holm oak grove and the karst of the Jorrios and contemplate palaces, tower houses, old mills...
Track: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/armanon-pr-bi-120-senda-de-los-jorrios-ibilbidea-121236343

Caving for families An experience that will awaken all your senses.

In the heart of Armañón Natural Park, the Pozalagua cave is a wonder of nature. It has the highest concentration of eccentric stalactites in the world, formations that grow in defiance of gravity to form a dazzling mosaic. It was chosen Best Corner of the Repsol Guide in 2013.

The proliferation of stalactites and formations of all kinds makes Pozalagua a hypnotic place, an entire underground cathedral. More than sixty years have passed since its discovery and the cave continues to fascinate those who return to it.

The underground complex is spectacular. The visit takes place among columns, lava flows and a dried-up lake over which tens of thousands of eccentric stalactites sprout randomly, seeming to form an endless coral reef, a forest in the bowels of the earth. The tour culminates in a viewpoint from which you can contemplate the grandeur and beauty of this corner of the subsoil in all its splendour. The indoor temperature remains around 13º throughout the year, so it is advisable to wear suitable clothes.

Opposite the grotto, carved out of the ancient dolomite quarry, stands the amphitheatre de Pozalagua, with a capacity for 2,000 people. It is a regular venue for concerts, operas and theatrical performances thanks to its perfect scale and acoustics.

Choose your visit

Sightseeing: You will travel to the most spectacular bowels of the earth, discovering a whole underground world of stalactites, stalagmites and lava flows. An unforgettable trip!
Pozalagua Flashback: Feel the thrill of discovering a new world! We suggest you visit the Pozalagua cave like never before. You will enter into the darkness, armed with a head torch, just as its discoverers did. Available on Sundays at 11:30.

Industrial heritage: the Dolomites museum A Journey into the past.

Visitors will find a vestige of what was once the economic and social lung of the Carranza Valley: the Old Factory Museum of the Dolomites, just 10 kilometres from the natural park.

A piece of industrial heritage that, rather than being forgotten to make way for the imposing Armañón Natural Park, has been restored in order to understand the history of a traditional mining area.

During the years of Basque industrial splendour in the 20th century, the district of Carranza in Ambasaguas was the nerve centre of the region, thanks to the factory that mined the Peña Ranero dolomite mineral deposit.

The museum is located in the old ore unloading station of the Dolomites factory. 1956 saw the beginning of the quarry, and the ore was extracted and transported from the quarry to the factory by means of an aerial cableway. This was the last aerial cableway in Bizkaia and operated until 1976, when the quarry was closed. During one of the quarrying operations, the impressive Caves of Pozalagua were found.

The Dolomite Museum gives us the opportunity to go back in time to when the factory played a very important role in Bizkaia's industry, while finding out differently about industrial heritage.