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Basque Navarre Railway Greenway Nature Trail
Description
The Vasco-Navarro Railway Greenway Nature Trail runs between Estella/Lizarra and the Santo Toribio shrine, on the outskirts of Maetzu/Maestu, part of the old narrow gauge railway line that connected the town of Vergara in Gipuzkoa with Estella/Lizarra in Navarra, passing through Vitoria/Gasteiz (Álava/Araba).
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The railway line is 143 km long and was known under many other names, such as el Trenico in the mountains of Álava/Araba and Navarra, el Anglo and el Vasco (the latter two derived from the Anglo-Vasco-Navarra Railway Company Limited, set up to construct the railway) and also as the tren cangrejero (crab train) or the tren de los montañeros (mountaineers’ train). The construction of this railway suffered a number of setbacks and took more than 40 years to complete, from the start of the works in 1887, to the inauguration of the final section between Vitoria/Gasteiz and Estella/Lizarra, which didn’t take place until 1927. The train remained in service until 1967 when it was closed due to poor profitability.
The sections of this old railway converted under the Nature Trails Programme allow visitors to travel from the station in Estella/Lizarra to the Santo Toribio shrine in Maeztu/Maestu.
From the Santo Toribio shrine, travellers can use the renovated and signposted roads and paths to continue as far as the provincial border with Gipuzkoa./p>
The sections that constitute the Vasco-Navarro Railway Nature Trail pose no great difficulties for those who wish to make the journey by bicycle.
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