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Telephone: 944046076 629429870 Mikel 609457016 Belén |
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Adress: Ametzola nº 1—1 48499 Zeberio |
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The valley of Zeberio |
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The valley of Zeberio crosses two other valleys, the Nervion valley and the Arratia valley.
It is a relatively narrow valley with the river Zeberio and its dozen small tributaries which make it a green paradise.
You don’t have to walk far before coming across one of the many sources which bring these tributaries to life.
The hills which surround the valley are not very high (between 500 and 700 metres) and taking into account that the majority of the hamlets or built on the hillside, woodland permitting, there are many wide and beautiful views from many parts of the valley.
Although it is near the centre of Bilbao (about 20 kms), Zeberio has not suffered from the impact of industrialisation of the 20th century ( there are no more than half a dozen workshops or industries, mainly pinewood sawmills) so the valley is like an immense park.
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However, this is not a natural park but the final result of human intervention.
For nature lovers it is a type of green paradise, full of water, with natural areas of extraordinary beauty, which will also appeal to people with a more ecological vision who miss less tampered areas.
The Town Hall, as well as some private landowners, have been planting deciduous trees instead of replanting pine so the atlantic forest is now recuperating part of its previous territory and we can now see areas of leafy trees within the immense pine forest which constitutes the valley.
Agriculture as an economic activity is practically non-existent, except some small greenhouses for vegetables or flowers and so we can generally see small allotments for private use.
Beside these allotments, we can also find some fields for the few sheep and cattle which exist in the valley and apart from one or two farms, the animals are to keep the fields clear and/or to be eaten as quality meat by their owners.
The urban structure of the valley is disperse, with the administrative centre in Zubialde where we can find the Town Hall, cultural facilities, the school, the health centre, the chemist’s, the bank, the tobacconist’s, a shop, one of the churches, the pelota court and two of the four bar/restaurants.
In the bar/restaurant Olatxu, in the hamlet of the same name, we can buy some basic food although there is a small supermarket in the village centre.
There is a small, new housing estate in the hamlet of Zautuola near Zubialde, but the rest of the hamlets and farmhouses are spread along the length of the valley.
An important number of these hamlets and farmhouses are extremely beautiful although a good many of the houses need to be restored, but are well worth a look.
Apart from the farmhouses there is a wide representation of religious architecture with thirteen hermitages in a good state of repair which are also worth looking at, as well as their location and surroundings.
The parish church of Saint Thomas de Olabarrieta in the hamlet of Ermitabarri is very interesting, with its cobbled paving which form different designs around the portico and where you can visit its religious vestry-museum.
Part of the valley is within the Gorbea National Park, which we recommend you visit and walk up to the cross on the peak (1,482 m – the highest in the province of Vizcaya). The 17- metre-high cross has been there since spring 1907, being the third which they have put there. The first, which was 33m high only lasted a month and the second, which was 23m high, lasted for two and a half years.
For those who want to enjoy the beautiful views but are not willing or able to walk for a couple of hours with a steep slope at the end, can walk up Mandoia (634 m) which is less than an hour’s walk from our house and from which we can see the sea – on a clear day.
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Panoramic view of Gorbea from the house |
