SUGASTIETA - LA ARBOLEDA

La Arboleda, La Reineta and Trapagaran are three small villages at the foot on the hills of the Triano mountains which are barely 800 high.

It all started as early as the 11th century. A few spots have been the subject to archaeological  investigation, dating the activity of these mining installations between the 11th and 13th centuries. But the real-rush came in the 18th century. The village of La Arboleda was established in 1877 for the purpose of housing miners who arrived from all over the peninsula of Iberia. This village also features an old mining hospital dating from the last decade of the 19th century.

Iron and iron processing is so tightly weaved into the history of the Basque Country and especially Bilbao. Iron was the lifeblood of the whole region for more than a century.

Trapagaran, which is located on the foot of the hills, is connected with la Reineta, on the top, through a historic cable car. This cable car still runs today. From La Reineta to La Arboleda it is only a short distance. Usually horses and cows roam around freely and old mining holes have filled up with  water, forming pleasant lakes for swimming today.