Zegama

Zegama
Municipality
View o Zegama frae Aizkorri
Zegama Location in Spain
Coordinates: 42°58′36″N 2°17′27″W / 42.97667°N 2.29083°W / 42.97667; -2.29083
Kintra	Spain
Autonomous commonty	Basque Kintra
Province	Gipuzkoa
Comarca	Goierri
Govrenment
• Mayor	Edurne Albizu Ormazabal
Area
• Total	35.07 km2 (13.54 sq mi)
Population  (2009)
• Total	1,492
• Density	43/km2 (110/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Zegamarra
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	20215
Offeecial leid(s)	Basque
Website	Offeecial wabsteid

Zegama is a toun an municipality in the Goierri region o the province o Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous commonty o the Basque Kintra, northren Spain. Bi caur it is some hauf a oor frae Donostia, Vitoria-Gasteiz an Pamplona.

Zegama's main characteristic is its naitural location as the last Gipuzkoan toun up the valley o river Oria, vera close tae the Aizkorri Natural Pairk, in which the heichest moontain in the Basque Autonomous Commonty can be foond, the popular Aizkorri summit (1,528 m), locatit at the same name muntain range touerin ower the whole aurie. The Oria river, the langest ane in the province o Gipuzkoa, rises in several springs an thair correspondin streams flowin doun the dramatic slopes o the valley that merge in a main stream afore the nucleus o the toun. The soothren Otzaurte hamlet (IPA: /o'tsaurte/) staunds on the dividin line o the watters runnin ontae the Mediterranean wattershed an thae flowin north tae the Atlantic throu the Oria river.

The historic Wey o St James, namely the stretch cried the Tunnel Route, passes throu the toun, the municipality an the pairk syne the Middle Ages. Pilgrims exit the toun heidin sooth up the slopes, sae reachin the San Adrian tunnel efter 5 km, whaur backpackers an hikers mey gain access tae the plains o Alava, the Urbia fields or the summits o the ruggit Aizkorri muntain range.

The climate in Zegama is teepical o the eastren Cantabrie aurie, temperate an humid, wi a average temperatur o aroond 12 °C. Thare are aroond 180 rainy days a year. Hairst can be quite windy.

The main economic activities are thae relatit tae industry, but agricultur daes still exist. Cattle, especially sheep, graze on the sides o the muntainous terrain, follaein a tradeetion o millennia, as attestit bi auld traces an megalithic vestiges that bear witness tae the activity. The grazin provides the basis for the production o the hintle appreciatit an heichlie regardit Idiazabal cheese elaboratit an labelled as sic on the whole Aizkorri-Aratz aurie an the Basque muntains.

The maist important event that taks place in Zegama ivery year is the Zegama-Aizkorri Alpine Marathon [1] Archived 2014-01-18 at the Wayback Machine, pairt o the Skyrunner World Series [2], which is the alpine marathon warld championship.

• Offeecial wabsteid (in Spaingie) (in Basque)
• ZEGAMA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa) (in Spaingie)