Monte Larrún Viewpoint (Collado de Ibardin approach)
At 900 metres, the ridge walk from the Lesaka side toward the Collado de Ibardin delivers one of the most dramatic panoramas in the western Pyrenees — the Bay of Biscay glittering to the north, the green Navarrese valleys rolling south, and on clear days the silhouette of the Basque coast stretching toward Biarritz.
The walk to the viewpoint
The trail starts at the edge of Lesaka near the Barrio de Aldura and climbs steadily through oak and beech forest before breaking out onto open heathland. The ascent takes roughly 90 minutes at a comfortable pace and requires no technical skill, just waterproof boots and a layer for the wind at the top.
In autumn the heathland turns a deep russet and the beech canopy goes gold, making this one of the most photogenic walks in Navarre. In spring, wild orchids and heather carpet the open slopes.
What you see from the top
On the clearest days — typically after Atlantic fronts sweep through in autumn — you can identify the lighthouse at Cabo Higuer near Hondarribia, the urban sprawl of San Sebastián, and the dark mass of the Aralar range to the south-east. It is a humbling reminder of how compact and varied this corner of the Iberian Peninsula is.
The Collado de Ibardin itself sits on the French border and has a small market selling duty-free goods — a quirky contrast to the wild landscape, and a useful spot to refuel with a bocadillo before heading back down.
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