The green of nature
A mountainous relief surrounds the Historic Town and has a narrow valley furrowed by the Cadagua River.
Mountains, forests and rivers fill their natural environment with life and color. Unique places to walk or ride a bike while enjoying the fresh air and stimulating the senses.
Oakwoods, holm oak forests, chestnut groves, ashbushes and alder woods are the main woods to get lost in and enjoy nature. The Zoko Maitea flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus) forest stands out, the only one in the Basque Country, which includes the thickest oak tree in Bizkaia with a perimeter of 6.20 meters.
Mount Kolitza (879m) stands as the highest peak in the area and is one of the five montes bocineros in Bizkaia. Every day it is visited by numerous mountaineers and hikers who enjoy the beautiful natural landscape and the Hermitage of San Roque and San Sebastian, a true jewel of the Romanesque period.
Balmaseda has a rich fauna among which the European mink (Mustela lutreola), an endangered species, the otter (Lutra lutra), the long frog (Rana ibérica), the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), the white stork (Ciconia ciconia) or the green-black lizard (Lacerta schreiberi) stand out. And in the high stretch of the Cadagua River inhabits the common trout (Salmo trutta).
Recreational areas
Get to know our areas conditioned for the recreational use of natural spaces. They are easy to access and perfect for a break on the road or to enjoy a fantastic day outdoors.
MTB Routes
Balmaseda’s mountain bike routes have three degrees of difficulty, depending on the user’s experience. All of them are circular routes, with most of them being done on tracks and paths.
Trekking
Any time of the year is suitable for exploring many of the natural treasures that are present in the municipality of Balmaseda.
Many routes cross the natural environment of the Historic Town through which you can discover its interesting heritage.
Nordic Walking
The Balmaseda Nordic Walking Center has four circular routes of different difficulty for the practice of Nordic Walking and designed for both newcomers and experts.
Road to Santiago
The famous pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela passes through Balmaseda as part of the %22Mountain Route%22. A beautiful stretch of singular beauty, full of sensations and experiences.
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