The Lea mills route

Discover the Lea Mills Route, a fascinating 20 km trail in Lea Artibai (Bizkaia). Follow the course of the Lea River, learning about the ancient hydraulic engineering of mills and ironworks until you reach the Marierrota tide mill, near the beaches of Lekeitio. Ideal for hiking or cycling in the heart of eastern Bizkaia.

In the Lea Artibai region, on the eastern coast of Bizkaia, water has been the fundamental element of the
area’s cultural and natural landscape since ancient times. The Water Mills Route runs between rivers, marshes, ironworks and mills, linked by the Lea river, revealing an ancient industry intricately tied to nature.

The Lea Trail is a little over 20 kilometres long and runs down the northern slope of Mount Oiz to its mouth on the Bay of Bizkaia, between Lekeitio and Mendexa. Since the late Middle Ages, the water from these modest but powerful waters has been used to power paddles and waterwheels that operated mechanisms and engines until not so long ago.

Small dams, sluices and canals appear, which turned the stone wheels of the mills that transformed corn or acorns into flour. Or they managed to blow the large bellows of the ironworks or the mallets that shaped the red-hot iron. People had to eat.

And they needed horseshoes, nails, farming tools and harpoons for the whalers on the coast.

The route offers a glimpse into the hydraulic engineering of centuries past. It also takes you through unique landscapes. The Lea Valley is dotted with towns such as Munitibar, Aulesti, Gizaburuaga, Ispaster and Amoroto, which have preserved their identity, character and cuisine intact.

The Marierrota tide mill, dating back to 1555, is located at the end of the route, in the marshes next to the mouth of the Lea River, between the beautiful beaches of Isuntza and Karraspio. The mill used the tides to move its grinding stones. Demolished almost half a century ago, it has been rebuilt to house a Biodiversity Interpretation Centre, which provides information on how it worked and the ecosystem of the marsh.

The Lea Mills Route can be easily explored on foot, by bicycle or however you prefer to travel. It is worth stopping every so often to watch the birds, listen to the sound of the water and connect with a time that is both past and ever-present. Nearby are the Zenarruza Collegiate Church, the Simón Bolívar Museum and the San Miguel de Arretxinaga Hermitage. And Le

A visit is highly recommended.