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Ascent to the Tologorri along the Black Path

Not far from the Biscayan city of Orduña, at the foot of the dizzying Salvada Mountains, is Lendoño de Arriba, the starting point for the route that ascends to the Tologorri along the Black Path. This is one of the most visited hiking routes in this natural area, together with the famous Jump of the Nervion

Tologorri along the Black Path

The route, initially 7.8 km long, starts from the parking lot shortly before reaching Lendoño, and begins its ascent to the top of Iturrigorri by entering the leafy beech forest that populates the mountainside. The route gains height quickly, taking us past the well-known El Cojo stone, which has this name because it seems that a shepherd from this area used to rest on supported his lame leg on a ledge of the rock. The beech forest gives way to the most spectacular stretch of the entire route, the dizzying Black Path. A path, not suitable for people with vertigo, which cuts the almost vertical wall of the mountain allowing us to enjoy spectacular views of the Ayala Valley.

Salvada Mountains and Ayala Valley

After passing the La Barrerilla wicket, we climb to the high plateau that will take us to the top of Iturrigorri, or Tologorri as it is popularly known. From there many people return by the same route, but you can also make a circular route of 10.8 km in total that will take us by the vertex of the cut that we have ascended in search of the wicket of Menerdiga, another of the passages that allows us to descend from Sierra Salvada. From there a long descent awaits us following a path that runs under the rocky outcrop, which we had previously travelled, to the very apex of the Tologorri. Once there, a path will take us to Lendoño and, following the road that leads to the village from Orduña, return to the parking lot from where we started our journey.

Iturrigorri along the Black Path from Lendoño de Arriba

The Legend

The local people tell us that on the days when the clouds get stuck in the jagged mountains of Salvada Mountains, you can hear, as you walk through the highlands, the lamentations of the people who on foggy days fell into the deep chasms that populate these mountains. These chasms are said to communicate with each other, creating a veritable labyrinth of caves stretching for miles under the feet of all those who travel these lands and crown their mountains.

How to get to Lendoño de Arriba

To get to Lendoño de Arriba we have to go first to Orduña and from there take the road that leads to the Maroño reservoir. This same road also has access from the stretch of road that joins Amurrio and Arceniega. Once on the road we will find the detour that leads to the town of Lendoño de Arriba. Just before reaching it, on the left hand side, we will see the path that gives access to the parking lot from where the route starts and where we can park our vehicle.

Look at the picture of 360º

Pet area, hiking with my dog

This is a physically and psychologically demanding route for dogs that do not handle heights well. Therefore it is not a bad idea to take him tied up for his safety.

There are several water points where you can drink without any problem, but as always it is not a bad idea to bring you some water and of course food so that you can recover the energies spent in the ascent.

This is a livestock area par excellence, which is why parasites, such as ticks, are very common. In addition we will pass zones quite covered by the grass. At the end of the route we will find farms and their corresponding guard dogs generally tied up although it is not convenient to trust them.

Description of the route to Tologorri along the Black Path

From the parking lot to the Tologorri 3,9 Km

The parking lot (0h 00min) just before arriving to Lendoño is the starting point for this interesting trekking route in Salvada Mountains.

We started the route to Tologorri along the Black Path

We follow the path, now dirt, by which we arrive at the parking lot with our vehicle. Almost at the moment we begin to gain height without leaving the main path that we are following.

We follow the path at all times

Soon we will have to go through the first of the doors that we will find in the itinerary. We continue to climb, ignoring the many paths that come our way.

Touches choose the route to follow

After a while, we found ourselves before a tempting shortcut that, if followed, would avoid us going around the curve that draws the road. This in exchange for facing the considerable unevenness that this path surpasses.

Shortcut and path come together again

Our path also doesn't lag behind in terms of slope, leading us to meet those who ventured on the detour.

We continue to ascend

Already together we continue drawing the typical curves of the mountain roads, which help us to overcome the unevenness with a little more ease.

We leave the path

Not much later we will have to say goodbye to the path, to begin the steep path that will guide us from now on.

Watch out for stone landmarks

Now we must be attentive to the stone landmarks that will mark the course of the route. Soon we will find the well-known El Cojo stone, which we will leave behind.

It's easy to get confused

All this stretch forces us to be careful not to lose the right path, of the many that we will find.

We leave the beech forest

After a while the beech forest comes to an end, allowing us to intuit the spectacular landscape that awaits us.

The landscape is spectacular

Little by little the slope is decreasing, almost at the same time that the path is becoming more and more aerial. A new gate for the cattle marks the real beginning of the famous Black Path.

Although there is a margin, we will have to take extreme precautions

From now on, a somewhat exposed itinerary awaits us, providing a magnificent panorama. The path requires us to walk with all five senses focused on what we are doing.

We leave the Black Path.

After a while the path leads us to cross the usually dry riverbed of the stream that rushes down the slope. Here we begin to ascend in search of Portillo La Barrerilla, which we are about to reach.

We arrive at Portillo de La Barrerilla

This natural step marks the end of our journey along the Black Path, and the beginning of the final ascent to Iturrigorri.

We take the fence as a reference

As soon as we cross it, the fence that delimits it serves us as a reference to follow our route. Little by little we separate from the fence to go to the Iturrigorri fountain.

There is no defined path

With our eyes set on the top of the mountain we are about to crown, we head towards it. This part of the route does not have such a clearly defined path, which is an added problem if the fog is the protagonist.

We reached the summit of Iturrigorri

After a final ascent more demanding than it initially seemed, we are facing the pass that allows us to overcome the fence again, to culminate the ascent to the Tologorri (2h 00min).​

From the Tologorri to the parking lot 6.9 Km

After enjoying the summit of Iturrigorri, we return on our way to cross the wire fence that precedes the summit. Here, those who return along the same route will only have to follow in their footsteps.

We follow the rocky cut in search of the gate

In our case we decided to lengthen this beautiful route a little more, and taking as a reference the imposing cut that precipitates to our right, following its course, we continue the route maintaining a prudential distance with it.

We follow the line of the rocky cut

We travel through this plateau in search of the gate through which we will begin to descend from Salvada Mountains.

We arrived in Menerdiga

After a while the cattle buildings of Menerdiga appear, reference that serves us to discover the gate that we are looking for.

We go back to the cliff to look for the gate.

Leaving the bordas, shepherds' huts, on our left, we gradually approach the cut on our right. If we follow the line that marks the fence that borders it, we will soon see a metal gate.

We change our orientation radically

However, the step we are looking for is a little further ahead, marked by a milestone that can serve as a reference to find it.

We pass the Portillo Menerdiga

The Portillo Menerdiga, allows us to say goodbye to this place through which we walk and begin the long descent that we have ahead.

We start the descent

A descent that begins by making us lose altitude quickly while we can see the path we will follow later.

We lose height

The path zigzags down the steep slope of the mountain leaving us under the rocky outcrop we had previously walked. Almost without noticing it, we will find ourselves cutting the green slope of the mountain, while we descend already without so much unevenness.

The path is barely visible

This path that we are following struggles with the vegetation on the mountainside that almost hides its layout from us in some areas.

We still do not enter the forest

We will leave on our left a path that descends directly into the forest to follow the path that runs between the rocky outcrop and the edge of the forest.

Although it may not seem so, there is a path

This path could well be called the path of the mud, since even though many days have passed without rain, there are tremendously muddy areas that force us to seek the best way to overcome them.

We begin the final stretch of the descent

A good while later, when we arrive at the foot of the imposing Tologorri, we will cross an emergence of water. As soon as we do so, we will begin the final stretch of the descent, more evident, following at first the course of the stream that has formed this water emergence.

The trail becomes a path

Little by little the path gains width until it becomes a kind of cattle track along which we continue to descend.

The descent on the path becomes a bit heavy

Our road begins to draw the typical curves that mitigate in part the evident unevenness we are facing. In any case, we should not abandon this road, at least for now.

We passed a new door

After a while descending we arrive at a crossroads where on our right we will have a metal door that we will have to go through.

We do not leave the main path

Now we walk hand in hand with the GR 284 that will accompany us in this final part of the route. We continue to descend leaving behind the roads we encounter.

We start the road section

Shortly after passing through a new gate for the cattle we arrive at a lonely farm that marks the beginning of the asphalted section we will have to travel.

We arrived at Lendoño de Arriba

Lendoño appears before us making us cross it following the route of the road that goes to him.

We arrive at the detour to the parking lot

A road that we have to follow until we reach the junction with the path that gives access to the parking (3h 50min) from which we started at the beginning of this beautiful hiking route.

Technical data sheet of the route

ico-distancia-totalDistance. 10.8Km

Returning by the same route without doing the circular route will save us just over 2Km.

ico-tiempo-totalTime. 3:50h

There are many people who return by the same route they went up, in this case the time of the route decreases in part as they travel only 7,8 km total. The state of the terrain can also extend the time needed to make the route.

ico-calendarioTime of year

In bad weather, fog, rain, snow or ice it is not very advisable to do this route. The beech forest in autumn and spring is spectacular, providing added value to the one that already has this route. Obviously the clear days are the best ones when allowing us to enjoy the views that the route offers.

ico-materialRequired equipment

Even if we decide to return along the same route we went up, we may find the area of the trail very muddy, especially in the beech forest. This makes it advisable to wear hiking boots that give us some more protection and grip. The GPS with the track can not miss in case the fog makes presence on the plateau. Although there are fountains, the cattle is the owner and lord of the area and also of the fountains. Consult our list of material and equipment for hiking. Read more.

ico-dificultadDifficulty. Moderate

Physical

We will have to overcome, besides the distance, sections with certain slope that force us to be in good physical shape. In addition, the most aerial areas of the route can be stressful and this increases the fatigue even if it does not seem so.

Severity of the environment

We are going to walk along quite exposed trails, which, although in good condition, that is, dry and without mud, ice or snow, are not very complicated, but they do force us to be very careful and not to get lost. People with vertigo can have a hard time and we must not forget the possible landslides to which we are exposed, since we are walking under a rocky outcrop. The mud that we can find in many areas of the route even if it hasn't rained the previous days can put us in complications. Be very careful with the chasms that are in the plateau, many of them are not seen even on clear days.

Orientation

The fog is the one that can cause more complications if it appears, especially in the highlands. The area of the path in the beech forest will also force us to be attentive since there will be many trails that will make us doubt or get us into more complications than necessary. There are no marks on the entire route except for a few stone landmarks. Finding the gates to go down can also be difficult if you don't follow a clear reference.

Important places to pass through
NAME PLACE OF PASS TIME TO HIM ALTITUDE DISTANCE COORDINATES UTM
1-Parking 0:00h 466m 0Km 30T 495418 4762175
2-Stone El Cojo 0:55h 780m 1.7Km 30T 494404 4761607
3-Gate La Barrerilla 1:35h 918m 2.9Km 30T 493428 4762102
4-Iturrigorri 2:00h 1073m 3.9Km 30T 494030 4762800
5-Gate Menerdiga 2:30h 1060m 5.9Km 30T 516943 4769594
6-Lendoño 3:40h 450m 10.3Km 30T 495415 4762334
7-Parking 3:50h 466m 10.8Km 30T 495418 4762175

Coordinates UTM Datum WGS84

Profile of the route

Profile of the ascent to the Tologorri by the Black Path

ico-desnivel-acumuladoSlope: 1372m

ico-desnivel-positivoSlope +: 686m

ico-desnivel-negativoSlope -: 686m

ico-altitud-maximaMaximum altitude: 1103m

ico-altitud-minimaMinimum altitude: 450m

Cartography, maps and tracks

Map of the ascent to the Tologorri by the Black Path

This sketch of the route is not made to scale nor does it contain all the information relating to the area, it is merely indicative.

Topographic map of the ascent to the Tologorri along the Black Path

IGN

This schematic with the path is approximate and has been created from the derived cartographic base © Instituto Geográfico Nacional "Cuadrante 086-3, 25.000"

Senditur has manipulated the tracks to correct the aberrant points that may exist, caused by problems with the reception of the GPS signal. In any case the tracks are always approximate. SENDITUR encourages you to use the new technologies within your reach, using them as support and consultation in your activity, not basing the realization and orientation of the same only and exclusively on them, since they may see their functioning altered by very diverse causes, not functioning correctly and their indications may not be precise.

FILE AND TRACKS
Black Path
Lendoño Beech Forest
Salvada Mountains and Ayala Valley
Stone of El Cojo
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Listado de experiencias
Natalia Cruz
Created the 13-09-2020
(5)

Una ruta muy bonita, la Senda Negra impresiona pero se pasa bien. Las vistas desde el Tologorri son impresionantes.

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CURIOSITIES

¿Did you know that...

The Salvada Mountains, also known as Gorobel, extends approximately 20 km along Bizkaia, Araba and Burgos. A natural area of incalculable value that was, between the 16th and 18th centuries, one of the main commercial routes linking Castilla and the Cantábrico.

Don't miss out...

The monument of the Virgen de la Antigua, patron saint of Orduña, is located on the summit of Txarlazo. The set has a height of fifteen meters and it was erected in 1904, it represents the trunk of a mulberry tree on whose branches is the image of the Virgin.

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This route has been carried out in the field by SENDITUR on 03-09-2020. The route may vary greatly depending on the time of year, weather conditions and terrain, as well as the actions of third parties and the evolution suffered in the natural environment where it is located. All opinions, advice and/or assessments made by SENDITUR in their descriptions are for guidance only and are subject to and/or refer to the specific conditions of the specific day of the route, referring to that specific day, taken from trained people, with the appropriate experience and with a high level of physical and technical preparation as a reference, as well as correctly equipped.

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