The ridge of Karakate-Irukurutzeta is located in the north-east of Gipuzkoa, majestically overlooking the towns of Elgoibar, Soraluze and Bergara. For those who visit it for the first time, it is a pleasant surprise thanks to the 360º panoramic views afforded by the crest, making it one of the best viewpoints in the Basque Country.
The ridge is made up of a string of peaks: Karakate (also called Kortazar), Akelarre, Atxolin and Irukurutzeta, the highest of which (Irukurutzeta) barely reaches nine hundred metres (898 m.). The evenness of the walk makes it the ideal place for a gentle stroll, easy even for young children.
Hawthorn in the vicinity of Karakate, Soraluze (Gipuzkoa)
The proliferation of dolmens and burial mounds, funereal monuments linked to the pastoral way of life in those remote times, was the reason for which the famous anthropologist D. Jose Miguel de Barandiaran chose to name the area as the "Route of the dolmens".
From a geological point of view, the ridge offers an interesting example of rocks of volcanic origin with a pillow-like structure, technically known as "Pillow-Lavas". These are formed by the lava from underwater eruptions that, on contact with water, rapidly cool to form an outer crust with the shape of a pillow while inside, the lava continues to be molten.