07/09/2007
Fundación
Catedral Santa María and Club de Montaña Goiena
have organised six walking tours along the ‘Camino de la
Piedra’, a trail that runs between Ajarte and Vitoria. This
itinerary offers a unique perspective since it runs alongside a series
of quarries surrounding the village of Ajarte, in the County of
Treviño, which produced much of the stone used in the
construction of the Cathedral.
Ajarte is a small village located in the County of Treviño,
which currently has just one occupied house. As well as offering
stunning views of the Vitoria Mountains, the nearby quarries produced
much of the stone used to build churches all around the province of
Álava as well as the Cathedral of Santa María.
Therefore, walking tours between these two locations link the
historical and artistic interest of the Cathedral with elements of the
surrounding landscape, the geography of the area and in particular the
historic routes used throughout history to transport stone to the hills
of Gasteiz.
These walking tours are free and will be held on the following
Saturdays: 15th, 22nd and 29th September, and the 6th, 20th and 27th
October. On each day, a bus will take participants to Ajarte, from
where they will set out on a 14 km hike, during which, as well as
enjoying the natural surroundings, they will also be given explanations
about the different areas they pass through.