ENTZIA MOUNTAIN RANGE
A karstic plateau between plains and valleys with dense forests and pastoral tradition
It is a high plateau that rises sharply between the Llanada Alavesa and the Arana valley and continues with the mountainous reliefs of the Sierra de Urbasa in Navarre, to the east, and with the Montes de Vitoria, to the west. The smooth and flat reliefs of the upper portion are interrupted by some small elevations and ravines that emerge from the ample forest canopy.
Equally important are the karstic phenomena that affect the large package of limestone and dolomitesof the upper portion, modeling a typical morphology with cracks, lapiaces, dolines, etc.
With the exception of the existing agricultural soils in the vicinity of the existing inhabited nuclei in the area, the rest of the zone is covered by dense hardwood forests, especially beech forests, among which are interspersed areas of scrubland and pastures. The pastoral tradition of this mountain range is great, hosting during the favorable time of the year a large number of livestock, sheep, cattle and horses, from the nuclei involved in the Parzonería. Apart from its own natural and scenic values, typical of an acceptably preserved mountain area, it is worth mentioning the excellent natural viewpoints that characterize the mountain range and offer unique panoramic views over the surrounding valleys.
The Entzia mountain range is part of the Natura 2000 Network, having been declared a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in 2005. Like the neighboring Urbasa, its main axis is oriented in a northeast-southwest direction, with the upper portions of this mountain range representing the bottom of a hanging valley. The basic substrates are mainly limestone, which conditions a mainly calcareous flora.
It is a natural area with floristic, faunistic, geomorphological and landscape values. Traditional land uses are maintained, which are responsible for the acceptable state of conservation of the resources. The area is home to a large area of mature beech forest, with unique species, both in terms of flora and fauna. In the sunny areas and on the Arboro mountain, gall oak groves and marojales predominate. The vegetation linked to the rock also acquires importance, concentrating in these environments a large part of the flora of interest.
The easy access to the plateau and the spectacular views from the crests attract a large number of mountaineers. In fact, there are several itineraries both on foot and mountain bike that allow us to enjoy this beautiful place, while we go back to the past if we observe the large number of prehistoric remains that populate this mountain range, reflecting the long pastoral tradition: monoliths, cromlechs, dolmens, burial mounds, sites in caves or in the open air ... They are megalithic monuments.They are megalithic monuments of great value both for their size and their state of preservation. The best known are the dolmens of Sorginetxe and Egileor, the cromlech of Mendiluze and the menhir of Itaida.