Gallarta – Castro Urdiales – Las Muñecas

This circular route crosses the Zona Minera (mining area) and the Cantabrian coast. We will start with Abanto-Zierbena, common to the lunar landscapes forged by the exploitation of the subsoil. The route passes through the Museo de la Minería del País Vasco, in the Gallarta district, which houses one of the largest collections of mining tools in the world.

From Abanto-Zierbena we will cycle to Muskiz, another municipality closely linked to mining activity that once housed the largest ore loading area in the Basque Country, today converted into a promenade that winds along the wild cliffs of the Bay of Biscay. The route then enters Castro Urdiales (Cantabria) and returns to Enkarterri via the Las Munecas peak (Sopuerta).

The return will take us back to Muskiz, on the road parallel to the Barbadun River basin, which forms a monumental site full of remains of ancient mills, forges and bridges. Here is the Ferrería del Pobal, a forge dating back to 1504 which is still used as a museum.