Out of ideas for the weekend? At GoRandom here is a hand: a few things to do so that you get something out of autumn in the Basque Country with the people you want to spend it with.
October arrives and the good weather is officially over, and with it a good many of our favourite activities. Summer is for kayaking, for a session on a paddleboard, for a day up the hill with friends, for diving. But once the leaves go the swimming costume goes with them, and unless you are one of the people who are perfectly happy with things to do at home, it is time to find something else for your free time this autumn in the Basque Country.
What to do in autumn in the Basque Country
It is the question of the season, so read on for a list of things to do with children or with friends .
- Caving
- Multi-adventure
- Days out
- Climbing wall
- Paintball
- Gymkhana
- Hiking
- Mountain biking
We will go through them one by one.
A morning underground
Put a helmet on and see the Basque landscape from the inside. One of our favourite places for caving is at the foot of the Aizkorri, one of the highest Basque mountains: the Arrikrutz cave, near Oñati, with more than 14 kilometres of underground galleries. An autumn plan hidden underground, for anyone who dares.
An adventure park and a zip line
Zip lines, rope bridges, obstacles… The adventure parks have won over adults and children alike. If you think autumn puts an end to that, you are wrong: the courses have their indoor version here, and besides everything the outdoor ones have they add mats, inflatables and human table football. After an indoor adventure parkyou will not know which version you prefer. And if the cold does not put your friends off, the outdoor ones do not close.
A weekend away
If what you want is a weekend or a long weekend away with friends, a partner or family, we have written a whole article on it. The October bank holiday on the 12th, or All Saints’ Day — Halloween — on 1 November are the moment to put a couple of things in a bag and go. Press the button below for the article.
Up a wall
We love the mountains, but the Basque weather is not always on our side when it comes to climbing. You may be one of the braver groups who take on a route outdoors; if not, there is this: a session at a climbing wall, indoors, and a few hours on walls of different grades. Either way, you will find out between you who can get to the top.
A game of paintball
This autumn, nothing beats a paint battle for getting the stress out . It is a team game, and you will have to pick your best players. It is outdoors and it works in the rain — bad weather is a nuisance for some activities but not for paintball, where you go straight into the paint and the mud like the lead in a war film. Autumn here is a matter of life and death — not literally, obviously.
A gymkhana as a family
Last week we wrote about the most original escape rooms; this time we would suggest something built for autumn and for rain: a a gymkhana with the whole group. It works for adults and children alike, and everyone gets to show what they can do and how well they work with the others. Challenges, questions, riddles and a good deal of laughing. For more ideas for autumn with children, press the button below.
Autumn here means walking
Everyone knows that in autumn the Basque heads for the hills . The weather, the colours, the smell of it, the leaves on the ground, the chestnuts. If there is one place where autumn walking is enjoyed, it is here.
As a family, with friends or as a couple, a good walk or a trek at this time of year is common enough, and there are more and more ways to do it. We run guided routes all year, but autumn has something we like — and we suspect you do too.
The Or take on a mountain bike
What if you swapped the walking for a mountain bike? This is the autumn plan for the bolder among you. You may already ride, you may even be an expert; and if it is your first time, do not hold back — the instructors will give you everything you need.
The Mountain biking routes are set up to be entirely safe, and the equipment you need — the bike, the clothing — is handed to you at the meeting point. Easy, and a very good time. A remarkable way to spend one of our favourite seasons, and to get the heart rate up (the heart rate, not the speed — that will be somewhat lower).
What autumn is like here
Autumn here is still mild, though the first cold spells from Europestart to show. They say that while summer in the Basque Country lasts four months, autumn barely lasts two (October and November). The difference from summer is not great either, since it rains all year round.
What does change is the look of it: the deep green of spring and summer gives way to the browns of the leaves. It is a good moment to go back to the mountain routes and watch the country change.
In short, autumn resembles summer more than winter here, which makes it an unmatched season for anything done outdoors.
Want one of these? Book your GoRandom experience now.
