Ochagavía to Irati Forest Day Hike

The Ochagavía to Irati Forest Day Hike is a 16-kilometre return route linking the stone-built medieval village of Ochagavía (Otsagabia) in the Salazar Valley with the southern edge of the Selva de Irati, one of the largest primeval beech-fir forests in Europe. The trailhead in Ochagavía village centre sits at 760 metres elevation, approximately 108 kilometres from Pamplona via the A-21 and local mountain roads. No regular public transport serves Ochagavía; a private car is essential. The route climbs 340 metres from the village to approximately 1,100 metres at the forest threshold, following the valley of the Anduña stream northward through pastoral meadows and progressively thickening beech woodland. Trail maps are available from the Ochagavía tourist office in the village square, open in summer and on weekends in shoulder seasons. The surface is packed earth and gravel with some rocky sections in the upper forest zone. Ochagavía is considered one of the most picturesque villages in Navarre, with its medieval stone bridge, narrow cobbled lanes, and Gothic parish church (Iglesia de San Juan Evangelista) providing a visually compelling start to the walk. As the route ascends, vegetation transitions from pastoral meadow to mixed oak to dense beech, reaching the canopy of the Selva de Irati's old-growth forest in the upper section — characterised by centuries-old beech and silver fir trunks with moss-covered understorey. Red deer are frequently seen in clearings, particularly at dawn and dusk. Golden eagles, buzzards, black woodpeckers, and red squirrels inhabit the forest. The walk is an out-and-back linear route, returning by the same path; no convenient loop alternative exists. A recommended turnaround point at the first major forest clearing near kilometre 8 provides views back across the Salazar Valley. The route can be extended toward the Irabia Reservoir, adding a further 4–6 km each way into the deeper Irati forest. A natural spring exists at approximately the 5-kilometre mark; water should otherwise be carried from Ochagavía. A bar and restaurant in the village provide an excellent post-hike meal. No shelters or refuges exist on the route.