San Severino - Kolitza

El Kolitza is Enkarterri's most emblematic peak. Its 879 m offer an impressive 360º panoramic view over Balmaseda and the surrounding valleys. It is crowned by the Romanesque hermitage of San Sebastián and San Roque, from where General Meetings were called for centuries with bonfires and horns (hence it is considered one of the five "horn" mountains in Bizkaia).

We will start our route in the Plaza de San Severino; after the Town Hall, we will follow a path that will take us to the neighborhood of Pandozales. 6.5 km between beautiful landscapes populated by conifers: crossing hamlets, txakoli vines and the hermitage of San Isidro de Labrador. The ascent is properly marked, so there is no loss.

El Kolitza is the natural border between Balmaseda, Artzentales and the Mena Valley (Burgos). Several ecosystems that are uncommon in the area have flourished on its slopes. Beech and shrubland trees that extend into ravines and valleys are a good example. Threatened species, such as the common Egyptian vulture, live there.