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October is the month of painted leaves. That great walker and philosopher Henry David Thoreau said it. “Its opulent glow flashes around the world,” he described in The colors of autumnAnd, of course, that glow reaches Navarre. Autumn in Navarra is intenseThere, beech and fir trees, lime trees, hazel trees, elms, willows, maples and others play a chromatic symphony of vibrant reds, warm browns and sweet golds. If a tall, long-haired figure surprises you on the road with an agile gait, there is no need to fear him, it is Basajaun, the protector of the Navarrese forests. In exchange, you only have to offer him some bread.
Celestial Spectacle
Places in the world to travel to see the “comet of the century”
The astronomical event of the century will look spectacular in these destinations with clear, pollution-free skies, if it doesn’t disintegrate as it passes through the sun.
Foto: Shutterstock
Urederra River Source, the Caribbean Autumn
Caribbean and autumn are words that do not go together very well, except here, at the source of the Urederra. You only have to look at the colour of the water to understand it: the turquoise blue seems out of place. At the very least, it surprises, just as it did those who looked for a name for it (it means ‘beautiful water’ in Basque). The source of the Urederra was declared a nature reserve in 1987 and is one of the most spectacular enclaves in Navarre. In the north of Estella, it is the natural outlet of an aquifer formed in the karst massif of Urbasa. To get there you have to follow a path that starts in Baquedano, but be careful, the nature reserve has a limited capacity of 450 people and you have to book in advance.
Exact Location
The Pyrenean jewel of Navarre where architecture, nature and devotion come together
This enclave near the border with France envelops those who decide to immerse themselves in the nooks and crannies of its history in a halo of spirituality.
Photo: iStock
Cube waterfall, the perfect autumn
One of the most beautiful places in the Irati forest. The best thing about it is that it is reached via a comfortable path from Casas de Irati, one of the most popular places to go for a walk in this forest, which is the second largest and best preserved beech-fir forest in Europe, after the Black Forest in Germany. On the map, it is an immense green area in the eastern Pyrenees of Navarre, at the head of the Aezkoa and Salazar valleys. On the ground, it is a forest that becomes even more magical in autumn and has many natural enclaves to visit. Perhaps this waterfall is a concentrated Navarrese autumn: listening to the water jump, noticing the smell, a mixture of humidity, wood and humus and seeing the chromatic concert of the vegetation — beech, fir, elm, willow, oak, fern — all in one.
between vineyards
The 14 best wineries to visit (and taste) in Navarra
A unique setting and amazing architecture complement the wine tourism experience at El Reyno.
Photo: iStock
Foz de Arbayún, autumn among vultures
It may not be the Grand Canyon of Colorado, but this one does have an autumn. So it almost benefits from the comparison. In the foothills of the Navarrese Pyrenees, the Foz de Arbayún is a canyon formed by the Salazar River, which becomes a major spectacle in the autumn months, when the mixed forest that it preserves inside explodes in various colours. Numerous griffon vultures nest in its rocks, which can be observed from the balcony of the Mirador de Iso. The viewpoint is the best place to enjoy this epic autumn, but those who prefer to make the most of their boots can go into the most inaccessible part of the natural space, following the marked path from the town of Usún.
Photo: iStock
Orgi Forest in Ulzama, the centenary autumn
It once happened that Sherwood Forest was in Navarre and that Robin had the face of Sean Connery and Marian, that of Audrey Hepburn. It was in the summer of 1975, when the famous film was shot Robin and Marianin the Orgi forest in Lizaso. The location team must have thought that the wet oak groves – a unique type of oak that can live in the waterlogged soils of the valley floor – looked very similar to the English ones, and they also had all the wine they wanted here (or at least they thought so). Today it is declared a Regional Park and Natural Recreational Area and has walks adapted for people with reduced mobility and the blind.
history and legends
The mysterious cave that “raises the eyebrow” between Navarra and the south of France
Visible folds tell millions of years of history near a megalithic site.
Photo: iStock
Xorroxin, the sweetest autumn
To reach the most spectacular landscapes you don’t always have to venture to the edge of the impossible. Sometimes, they are much closer, more accessible, as is the case of this waterfall, nestled in the heart of the Baztán valley. Perhaps, this is the most legendary valley in Navarre. In it, there are as many legends, witches and old smugglers, as there are dream places that in autumn become gigantic to the eye. In the heart of the Atlantic Pyrenees, between the Belate and Otsondo passes, the Baztan valley is the largest municipality in the autonomous community. It is a paradise for hikers of all kinds who find everything from long walks to walks like the one that reaches the Xorroxin waterfall, which runs mostly along a cattle trail. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring some Malkorra chocolate with Elizondo hazelnuts as a refreshment.
between forests and castles
Navarra from a castle (and it’s not the one in Olite)
The northeast of the Kingdom is a land where nature blends with a heritage full of stories and legends.
