Sunday in the Selva de Irati: ten kilometres of beech forest and a stone village.

The Selva de Irati is one of the largest beech-and-fir forests in Europe, between the Navarrese valleys of Salazar and Aezkoa and the French border. From Pamplona it is a long Sunday, the kind that starts at eight: two hours of road, a ten-kilometre route through the forest to the Cubo Waterfall and an afternoon in Ochagavía, the stone village that is the gateway to the forest on the Salazar side. It is worth it above all in autumn, when the beeches turn red and yellow.

The day, hour by hour

8:00 · Set off. From Pamplona, take the A-21 towards Jaca and the Lumbier turning, and then the Salazar valley to Ochagavía: a little over an hour. From Ochagavía, the NA-2012 climbs to Casas de Irati in 24 km of mountain road, about 40 minutes. In high season a maintenance fee per car is charged when parking. Before setting off, check whether the road is open: in November 2026 it closes from the 16th to the 20th and from the 23rd to the 27th for roadworks.

10:00 · Cubo Waterfall. From the Casas de Irati car park, the Errekaidorra circuit enters the beech forest along tracks and paths, with six points that explain Irati's forestry history: oars, masts, the sluice, the cables, the rails. It is 10 km with 226 m of ascent and low difficulty. The waterfall falls into a round pool and the way back follows the river. Allow three hours, three and a half with stops.

13:45 · Simple lunch by the forest. The Casas de Irati cafeteria is the only place to eat inside the forest: raciones, combination plates and sandwiches. In November it opens every day from 10:00 to 17:30; in winter it closes. If you prefer a tablecloth, the Auñamendi in Ochagavía has a weekend menu from Friday to Sunday, for €30; its website does not publish hours, so call.

15:00 · Casas de Irati. If you have energy left, short flat trails start beside the houses, such as the senses walk.

16:15 · Ochagavía and Muskilda. You go down to Ochagavía. Cobbled streets, houses with coats of arms and the bridge with its cross over the Zatoya. From the upper part, a cobbled path climbs to the 12th-century sanctuary of Muskilda, with an oak-shingle roof; in November, at weekends it opens from 16:30 to 18:00.

18:00 · Head home. In Pamplona around a quarter past seven.

If you prefer another route

On the Aezkoa side, from the Arrazola car park, the circuit round the Irabia reservoir is a 10.9 km circular trail with barely 80 m of ascent, among beech woods and with the water always beside you; there you pay €7 per car in high season. If you do not want to walk, Aunak tours the forest, the Orbaitzeta Arms Factory and the border in a 4x4 minibus with a driver-guide, from €240 for four people. With fog on the forest floor, go up to the Pikatua viewpoint, beside the Larrau road.

With children

The Cubo Waterfall is an easy route, but a long one: it works with children from about eight who walk often. With the youngest, stay on the short trails at Casas de Irati, which take one or two hours.