Beech and fir
Dense forest.
Olatz Ovejero — CC BY-SA 4.0 · José Luis García-Isla — CC BY-SA 3.0 es · TribuBrao — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Olatz Ovejero — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mikipons — CC BY-SA 3.0 es
The Irati Forest lies in the western Pyrenees, covering some 17,300 hectares of Navarre on both sides of the Spanish-French border, about 52 km northeast of Pamplona in a straight line. It is framed by the peaks of Okabe and Orhy. Irati is the second largest and best preserved mixed beech-fir forest in Europe. The area has stayed thinly populated, keeping a wild, mysterious feel fed by old Basque legends, and the access road was only built in 1964. Its name comes from the Irati river, formed where two streams meet. Foxes, wild boar, roe deer and woodpeckers live here. Dense beech and fir forest spreads over the hills, light filtering between the trunks onto a floor of leaves. The still Irabia reservoir mirrors the green mountains, and small waterfalls tumble between rocks. In autumn the forest turns red, orange and gold. Many walking trails wind among the trees and around the lake. Autumn is the best time for the colours and spring for the fresh green. The roads in are mountainous and the climate damp, so bring a jacket and proper shoes.
Dense forest.
Mountain reflections.
Vivid colours.
Western Pyrenees, Navarre, Spain
Autumn for the colours.
Yes, many through the forest.