Irabia reservoir

The unique Irabia Reservoir is a gravity dam located at the headwaters of the Irati River in the municipalities of Orbaiceta and Ochagavía. It is 44 metres high and 158 m long. It has sluice gates with a water discharge capacity of 387 m3/sec. It occupies a surface area of 128 Ha and can retain a volume of 13.5 Hm3.

Its construction was completed in 1947, its main purpose being the production of electricity. The first owner was Fuerzas Eléctricas de Navarra, but it currently belongs to Iberduero, an organisation that absorbed Fuerzas Eléctricas.

Routes and trails around the Irabia Reservoir

Irati Forest

This forest surrounds the Irabia Reservoir with beech-fir vegetation, beech trees, stretches of forest tracks and old loggers' paths. The route starts and ends at the Selva car park and is approximately 13 kilometres long and lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes.

The best time of year to do this circular route is from spring to autumn. It is very likely that you will be able to take guided tours organised by the local tourist office.

The route starts by leaving the car park along the track that runs alongside the reservoir until you reach a small rest area. Leaving the track, you can climb the wooded slope of Mozolotxiki in peace and quiet.

In the middle of a dense forest in a small clearing you can see a spectacular view of the Irabia reservoir that collects the waters of the river Irati. Then you reach the Ermuñoa pass at an altitude of 940 metres to start the descent to the route that leads to the car park.

Thematic trail: rivers, mycological (mushrooms), Naturalistic, Bird watching

This route is very suitable if you want to cycle. It has a length of 4.60 m and is a low-difficulty route.

You can enjoy a path surrounded by large and endless beech forests, vegetation that joins with a large expanse of water that will compose a sensational landscape. This forest has 17,195 hectares of beech-fir forest, the largest in Europe.

The first part of the route follows paths and then takes a forest track. You will soon be able to see the beautiful Irabia reservoir for hydroelectric purposes.

Then come a few kilometres of trails in the middle of the dense forest and you will soon see the river Irati, which you will cross later on by a connecting bridge.

A few metres further on there is a shelter where you can take shelter in case of bad weather. You can then take the track to the left to continue along the edge of the reservoir.

You will soon come to a stretch of water that you must go along. It is the river Urrio that takes you close to the border with France. Here you will undoubtedly be able to enjoy the exceptional scenery in the middle of the forest that opens up so that you can see more of the natural wonders.

Before the end of the route you will come across the park called "Senda de los Paraísos" to see more of the forest. Water, forest, trails and beauty characterise this sensational route.