Situation, climate and place names

The Deba Garaia region, which has a surface area of 346 Km2 can be found in the south-west of Gipuzkoa, with its southern edge bordering Gipuzkoa and its western edge Bizkaia.

The Deba river springs from the Zaraya mountain range which forms a natural border with the plains of Araba and runs from North to South through Gipuzkoa until it finally flows into the Cantabrian sea. It flows down through Leintz Gatzaga, Eskoriatza, Aretxabaleta and Arrasate-Mondragon where it collects the waer from Aramaiona, and then a little further on -at San Prudencio-, after having flowed through O#ati and Bergara, the last town of this region and the point where the rivers which flow from Antzuola and Elgeta-Ubera meet, it is joined by the water from the river Arantzazu.

The valley is surrounded by impressive limestone massifs with peaks such as Aitzorrotz (1,010 m.), Udalaitz (1,082 m.), Kurtzebarri (1,155 m), Aranguren (1,163 m.), Alo#a (1,238 m.), Putreaitz (1,357 m.) and Aitzgorri. These summits shroud the important limestone areas of Urbia and Degurixa.

The climate is mild and humid with no great contrasts between the different seasons of the year.

There are practically no drought periods. Annual rainfal is around 1,300 mm. Although it does snow, winters are usually mild. The average temperature for January is 5C and for July, 17.5C. Natural vegetation is typical of wooded areas which lie near the coast and includes such species as oak, maple, chestnut, birch, ash, alder and beech. Much of this natural vegetation has now been replaced by evergreens including, pino insignis, larch, Douglas fir and by meadow land. All of this provides the landscape with a huge variety of color from the light grey of the lime stone peaks, the dark green of pino insignis, the mottled patterns of larch and beech woods and the brilliant green of the meadows.

Geographically, there is a marked difference between the built-up urban areas at the bottom of the valley, which are obviously used for industry, and the tiny rural villages and hamlets with their baroque towers and scattered farmhouses which are tucked away in small valleys surrounding the Deba. Higher up the mountain slopes, at about 900 to 1,000 metres above sea level, high grazing land can be found amongst the limestone landscapes of Degurixa and Urbia. It is to these pastures where sheperds go with their flocks in spring time, bringing them back down to lower levels on Saint Mikel's day (the 29th of September).

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Last updated: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 - 18:49:19

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