Jaizkibel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jaizkibel
View of Jaizkibel from the east (near Anglet)
Highest point
Elevation	547 m (1,795 ft)
Naming
English translation	Back of the rock
Language of name	Basque
Pronunciation	Basque pronunciation: [xais̻ˈkibel]
Geography
Location	Gipuzkoa, Spain
Parent range	Pyrenees
Climbing
Easiest route	From Lezo

Jaizkibel is a cool mountain range in the Basque Country in Spain. It's located east of Pasaia, north of Lezo, and west of Hondarribia. The highest point of the mountain is called Alleru, and it's about 547 meters (1,795 feet) tall.

This mountain range stretches from the southwest to the northeast. At its northeastern end, it drops right into the sea at Cape Higuer. On its northwestern side, Jaizkibel has amazing cliffs that overlook the sea. To the east, you can see the Txingudi marshes, the Bidasoa river, and its mouth, which forms part of the border between France and Spain. You can also spot the towns of Irun, Hendaia, and Hondarribia along the river banks. Some people even think Jaizkibel is the westernmost mountain of the famous Pyrenees mountain range!

Jaizkibel has always been important because of its location near the border with France. It's the easternmost Spanish mountain by the sea, offering incredible views far out over the ocean and inland. Because of this, the military has been interested in the area since the 1500s. They built defense structures like towers and the Fortress of Guadalupe, which was built in 1890 but is not used anymore.

How to Explore Jaizkibel

View to the east from Jaizkibel

You can reach Jaizkibel in a few ways: by car, on foot, or by mountain bike. A local road (Gi-3440) goes up from Lezo. It runs along the top of the mountain range before going down towards Hondarribia. There's also a dirt track on the southeastern side of the mountain.

Hiking and Walking Paths

Many hikers love to visit Jaizkibel. There are lots of marked paths for walking. The main path is called GR-121. It's part of the walking Tour of Gipuzkoa. This path starts in Pasaia and goes up to the mountain's ridge, passing some old 19th-century towers.

After reaching the top near a booster station, the path goes northeast through green meadows. You'll find a viewpoint and a small tower there. The path then goes down to a special hermitage site and picnic area called Guadalupe, and finally into Hondarribia. This whole walk is about 17.9 kilometers (11 miles) long and takes around 5 hours.

Another challenging route starts from Santo Cristo of Lezo. This path climbs steadily across the southern side of the mountain. It eventually reaches the ridge and joins the GR-121 path near one of the towers.

The long-distance walking route GR 11 also starts at Cape Higuer, at the northeastern tip of Jaizkibel. This route travels through the southern side of the Pyrenees all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. The first few kilometers of this path run along the seashore into Hondarribia.

Jaizkibel and Cycling

The Jaizkibel climb is often a very important part of the Clásica San Sebastián bike race. Today, cyclists climb this hill twice during the race. On the last climb, only a small group of riders usually remains at the front. These riders then have a chance to win the Clásica San Sebastián. After Jaizkibel, there's another climb called Alto de Arkale. Its top is only about fourteen kilometers from the finish line in San Sebastián.

Before the 2010 race, cyclists only climbed Jaizkibel once. But the race organizers wanted a tougher finish because more and more riders were finishing in a large group sprint. To make the race more exciting and challenging, they changed the route. Now, both Jaizkibel and Arkale are climbed twice in the final part of the race.

See also

In Spanish: Jaizquíbel para niños

• Linea P (Spain)