Nacedero del Urederra

The Urederra, whose Basque name means beautiful water, rises where rainfall that has soaked through the limestone of the Urbasa plateau emerges at the foot of a cirque, and it drops through a short steep valley in a series of pools and small falls. The water is a strong turquoise from dissolved carbonate and exceptionally clear, and the surrounding beech woods keep the valley shaded and green. A path of about five and a half kilometres return runs up the valley from Baquedano with viewpoints over the pools. Its popularity became unmanageable in the 2010s, and access is now capped with compulsory advance booking, a daily limit and a charge, which has reduced the crowding considerably.

What you actually see

• The turquoise pools - clear carbonate-rich water in a chain of basins.
• The source cirque - the point where the river emerges from the plateau.
• The beech valley - shaded green woods along the path.
• The waterfalls - small drops linking the pools down the valley.

When to go

April to June for water levels and green, September to November for autumn colour; the flow drops in late summer. Booking is compulsory and opens in advance, with the quota filling for weekends and holidays.

Honest expectations

Advance booking is mandatory and there is no walk-up entry; the daily cap is enforced. Swimming and entering the water are prohibited to protect the site. The path is a there-and-back route with some rough sections.

Nearby

The Urbasa plateau rises above; Estella and the Camino Frances lie south.