GR225 The Escape of Ezkaba - 1938

Explore historic trails with cultural significance, retracing escape routes through scenic valleys, offering a unique blend of adventure and history.

The escape of prisoners from the Fort of San Cristóbal/Ezkaba took place on 22 May 1938 and constitutes one of the most significant milestones in Navarre during the Civil War period which, however, remained in obscurity for decades. Memorial associations, family members, and others have done important work to recover the facts of one of the largest prison breaks in Europe, which occurred on our doorstep, with nearly 800 escaped, and with the execution of 206 of them in the mountains between the Fort and the border, to which are added another 14 who were later shot as leaders of the escape plan. For the past decade, the commemoration of those events has included a chapter on the ground, a march that, faithful to the original routes known from the investigation of that escape, follows the route of the escapees from the Fort to the border along ancient trails until reaching the Alduides Valley, a goal achieved by one of the lucky ones, Jovino Fernández from León Fernández, from León, who was one of the lucky ones to reach the valley of Los Alduides, the destination reached by one of the lucky ones, Jovino Fernández, from León. The group promoting this signage initiative emerged from this valley, considering it to be of general public interest. The project is similar to other trails that are not strictly for sports, but have added value due to their cultural and historical significance, such as the smuggler's route in Sara, the Smugglers' Trail in the Tena Valley, and the Retreat of the defeated Republican army to the border in Catalonia in February 1939, although the closest reference is provided by the historical research project that analyses migratory flows and cross-border itineraries in the Pyrenees throughout the 20th century (Recurut project (http://recurut.eu/es/), combining sport hiking and historical recovery. The signposting of trails in Navarre is regulated by Regional Decree 197/2011, of 7 September. The proposal can be processed by individuals, as in this case, and is a file that administratively involves the town councils through which the route passes, three different departments of the Government of Navarre, and the Navarre Federation of Mountain Sports and Climbing.