Aitz Txiki is a peak of

Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. B ...

, Basque Country (

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

), 791 m. high. Its name means "small rock" ''aitz''=rock ''txiki''=small.

Description

It is the smallest peak of the

Urkiola Urkiola is a mountain range of the Basque mountains in Biscay near Durango, Spain, Durango, in the western Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, Spain. The highest mountain in the range is Anboto (1331 m). The range runs from we ...

range, and forms part of the same

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

mass that forms the

Anboto Anboto () is a limestone mountain of the Western Basque Country, the highest peak of the Urkiola range and not far from the Urkiola mountain pass between Durango and Vitoria-Gasteiz. Description An immense mass of limestone, very compact an ...

and the

Alluitz Alluitz (also Asluze ) is a peak of Biscay, Basque Country (Spain), 1,034.3 metres high. Description It is the second highest peak of the Urkiola range. It is part of the same compact gray limestone mass that forms the Anboto. The main feat ...

. Although it is the smallest one, it has the same rough and wild look, especially when viewed from the ''Atxarte'' pass that separates the mountain from the neighbouring

Untxillaitz Untxillaitz, Untxillaitx, or Untzillatx, is a mountain of Biscay, Basque Country (Autonomous community), Basque Country (Spain), 934 m. high. Its name may mean "Rabbit's peak" (in Basque language : ''untzi(a)''=rabbit, and ''aitz''=peak). Part o ...

. It has a double summit- the highest is Aitz Txiki and the lowest one is ''Artxua'' or ''Sorginkobetagana''. It is rough and difficult from all sides except the one faced to ''Atxarte'', which is the main access route. There are remains of a

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

that was used to watch the Atxarte pass. The main

rock climbing Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and ...

ways of Biscay's climbing school are in its slopes.

Ascents

From Atxarte (1h 30m): from the ''Zelaieta'' parish of Abadiano goes the road to ''Mendiola'' until the ''Atxarte'' pass, then the river is crossed and the route reaches the col of ''Asuntze'' soon left to reach the col of ''Artola''. From there the proper ascent to Aitz Txiki begins without major difficulties through steep meadows. From Axpe (1h 30m): the path goes just under the ''Devil's Pass'', from here the

can be seen. A path to the right leads to the col of ''Artola'' from where the route of Atxarte continues.

External links

* (es
Astxiki at wikineos
(includes maps and many photos) * (es
Mendikat
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525205828/http://mendikat.net/monte.php?numero=306 , date=2015-05-25 * (es
Las montañas
Geography of Biscay Basque Mountains Mountains of the Basque Country (autonomous community)