Discover Murua: Hiking and Heritage

For a trip to Murua, you can plan around different interests, including hiking, landscapes and local history. The Senda Murua passes through varied landscapes; other trails and historic sites offer additional points of interest during your stay.

Hiking trails and landscapes around Murua

The Senda Murua begins at the small Parrachi car park beside the road to the Canteras recreation area, just after you pass through Murua. The path first leads through an old oak forest, then through meadows and heathland. The changing landscapes shape the route. Where the Senda Murua joins the Senda Zubialde, you’ll find the fully restored Murua mill.

A second Gorbeia route passes the quarries and goes through Murua to the recreation area. From there, it climbs towards Mount Gorbeia via several possible paths; the route is 8,500 m long. This gives you another option alongside the Senda Murua, with a clearly named destination and a stated distance. As trail conditions can change, check them before setting out.

The Senda Murua is part of the protected network of hiking trails in Gorbeia Natural Park. This network allows hikers to see traces of human history, such as dolmens, menhirs, charcoal-burning sites, mills and shepherds’ huts. Here, nature and history are not just separate interests: the trails also lead to evidence of human use and settlement.

Recreation area and other places to visit

The Canteras de Murua recreation area is in the Gorbeia reservoirs area, 3.7 km from the village of Murua. It has tables, wooden benches and chemical toilets. As facilities may change, check before your visit. This practical reference point is distinct from the information about the hiking routes.

The Zubialde–Lisaranda–Zubialde biological itinerary also begins and ends in the area around Murua, at the Canteras de Murua car park. The municipal excursion Árboles especiales 1 suggests visiting the Murua and Etxaguen areas to discover remarkable trees. The two suggestions have different focuses: a biological itinerary on the one hand, and notable trees in two areas on the other.

On the ascent from Murua to Gorbeia, you can plan a detour to the Mairuelegorreta caves. They form a maze of caverns stretching for more than 12 kilometres, with striking formations. The caves are considered an ancient source of fossil water and are connected with many traditions, legends and historical accounts. This links the natural setting with a rich local storytelling tradition.

Church, history and local traditions

Murua’s current parish church is housed in the former hermitage of San Antonio. The hermitage, now used as a parish church, features Romanesque details and several images. Apparently, after the war, the building also incorporated elements from the ruins of the Church of San Andrés. This cautious interpretation of the connection is part of the town’s history, alongside its older historical traces.

In the 18th century, a major livestock fair was held beside the hermitage of San Antonio, now the parish church. The Ortiz de Zárate family founded a palace in Murua with a coat of arms and a private oratory. It also contained furniture, paintings and other 18th-century items. These details add the history of another building and its furnishings to the account of the town’s religious heritage.

The patron saint festivities in honour of Saint Andrew take place on 30 November. The celebration in honour of Saint Anthony of Padua is held on 13 June and includes a Mass and a communal meal. Traditional skittles are also still played in Murua, with regular provincial competitions keeping the tradition going. If you’d like to plan your trip around a competition, check the dates in advance, as event schedules can change.

For planning, it helps to keep the different details in mind: the second Gorbeia route is listed as 8,500 m long, while the distance to the village and the facilities are separate points of reference for the recreation area. The festival dates, in turn, give specific dates for anyone who wants to include local traditions in their trip to Murua.

For the wider travel overview: Gopegi.