Our self-guided walking holidays in the Pyrenees take place in a part of the Pyrenees that almost no-body knows! We are located in the traditional Basque farmlands of the western Pyrenees which offer a totally different walking experience from the glaciated valleys of the high Pyrenees or the Alps.
These landscapes are softer, dissected by hundreds of mountain streams and river valleys and dotted with tiny medieval villages and isolated homesteads. Each turn of the path reveals another landscape and breath-taking views.
These self-guided walking weeks in Spain lead you through varied landscapes zigzagging in and out of wooded glades of chestnut, oak and beech trees which change with the seasons and offer a photographer's paradise! (As you see from our pictures!)
Guests joining our self-guided walking weeks in the Pyrenees are provided with 14 detailed maps and extensive walking notes which are up-dated weekly.
Each walking kit also comes with a booklet on the history and culture of the Basque mountain farmers of the Pyrenees, giving an important dimension to each of the walks.
Moreover, on the first days we offer our guests a couple of guided orientation walks too, making sure that they are happy using the maps and have a feel for the lie of the land.
These self-guided walks also offer an introduction to the history of Basque mountain and village life.
Decide over breakfast on our terrace which landscape or village to visit each day. No rush. No timetables. Walks for most levels (see below).
These fully-supported, hand-held walking holidays are perfect for walkers embarking on a self-guided walking holiday for their first time.
HOWEVER there is another important dimension to our self-guided walking holidays in the Pyrenees, and each evening our guests join us for a series of informal dinner parties around the farmhouse table which lies within our glass conservatory and offers our guests amazing views of the Pyrenees.
These evening dinner parties are facilitated by our private chef who cooks freshly-prepared 3-course meals each evening, accompanied by unlimited local wines and beers.
Throughout the week we also organise a programme of cultural events: wine tastings, cooking demonstrations , history talks and Basque music recitals so that guests on both our guided and self-guided walking weeks in the Pyrenees experience the landscapes not only in distance but in depth.
Inevitably, our after-dinner conversations turn to the history of the area and we tell you the tales of the Basque shepherds, smugglers and witches, and the World War II COMET escape lines that crossed through these mysterious borderlands of the Basque Pyrenees.
Further information on our self-guided walking weeks in the Pyrenees
To see examples of a couple of our self-guided walks in the Pyrenees such as the gentle Ameztia Farm and Meadow Walk 4.2 km (Ituren) or the high-level mountain walk Ituren -Mt. Mendaur - Elgorriaga Walk 17.8km click here.
Guests are invited to help themselves to coffee, tea, beer, wine and biscuits etc. The house is always full of bread, cheeses, fruits, salad and wine and so no one ever need go hungry! We provide:
There are many great, family-run restaurants in the villages, and walkers joining one of our self-guided walking weeks in the Pyrenees often opt to have lunch in one of the villages that lie on their walks. These moments in village inns also offer a fascinating window on local village life.
One of our favourite Basque restaurants in Donamaria even turned down a Michelin star! With wonderful gardens leading down to the river, this is one of our most beloved places on a sunny afternoon!
Guests on both our guided and self-guided walking weeks are lodged in a separate wing of our home in one of our 5 en-suite double rooms, each with a view over the Pyrenees and morning mists in the valleys below. These rooms are also suitable for single and solo travellers and there is no single supplement.
Here you can breakfast on our sunny south-facing terraces or enjoy evening aperitifs in our landscaped gardens. Our guests have full use of our open-plan kitchen, library, living and dining spaces and a free self-service bar of tea, coffee, wine and beers. There is WIFI, central heating and a log fire.
Read more about our Farmhouse Accommodation.
Ituren is a small village in the western Pyrenees in northern Navarra. We are situated just 30 minutes south of the French border, an hour south-west of Biarritz, an hour south-east of the glorious seaside town of San Sebastian and an hour north of the medieval town of Pamplona.
You can arrive to our farmhouse by car, by public transportation from San Sebastian or Pamplona to our local village of Santesteban/Doneztebe (where we can meet you) and we also offer a free shuttle service from Biarritz airport at specific times. PLEASE ASK FOR TRAVEL DETAILS.
DATES 2021
Monday 31st May - 7th June (SG1)
Friday 11th - 18th June (SG 2)
Monday 21st - 28th June (SG3)
Monday 9th - 16th August (SG4)
Monday 13th - 20th September (SG5)
Wednesday 29th September - 6th October (SG6)
Friday 8th - 15th October (SG7)
Price Includes:
Spanish Lessons: Guests on our self-guided walking weeks in the Pyrenees can choose a 10 hour package of formal Spanish lessons and informal conversation at beginners/elementary level with a professional Spanish teacher. These 10 hrs of Spanish lessons cost an additional 250 Euros per booking. PLEASE ASK.
Further information
Articles on the culture, languages, traditions and values of the Basque Pyrenees as well as stories taken from over two decades of our own, personal Pyrenean Experience.