Ullíbarri-Gamboa Reservoir

The Embalse de Ullíbarri-Gamboa covers 1,477 hectares on the Llanada Alavesa plain, 15 kilometres east of Vitoria-Gasteiz, in the heart of Álava province. Inaugurated in 1957 to supply water to Vitoria and Greater Bilbao, it is the largest reservoir in the Basque Country by surface area. Its irregular shape, with multiple arms and inlets stretching south and east, creates over 60 kilometres of shoreline, multiplying access points and quiet spots to spend the day between water, meadow and the oak woodlands that reach right to the water's edge.

The reservoir's ecological importance is recognised through its inclusion in the Natura 2000 network as a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA). Winter censuses record over 10,000 waterbirds of some 30 species: great cormorant, great crested grebe, mallard, Eurasian coot and common pochard are the most abundant. The reservoir serves as a wintering point on the Atlantic migratory flyway, and between November and February the water surface is dotted with dense groups of ducks feeding in the shallow sections of the Garaio arm. Grey herons fish the shores year-round, and in spring osprey on passage and little bittern in the reed beds can be observed.

The reservoir beaches are open for swimming in summer, typically from mid-June to mid-September. Garaio beach, the best equipped, has lifeguards, showers, toilets, a children's play area, free parking and a bar-restaurant open during the season. Landa beach, smaller and quieter, draws those who prefer less infrastructure. Water temperature hovers around 18–22 °C in midsummer, cooler than reservoirs in central Spain but comfortable enough for bathing.

Non-motorised watersports have a well-established presence. The Club Náutico de Vitoria operates in the Ullibarri arm with a sailing, canoeing and paddleboarding school. Windsurfing takes advantage of the regular north-westerly winds that sweep across the water in the afternoons. Sport fishing — carp, pike, largemouth bass and tench — requires a Basque Government licence; the southern arm shores and the Landa area are the most popular with anglers.

Around the reservoir, a network of rural paths and bidegorris (Basque Country cycle lanes) connects the villages of the Llanada: Ullibarri-Gamboa, Nanclares de Gamboa, Landa and Garaio, all with fewer than 200 inhabitants. The reservoir perimeter path allows walking or cycling circuits of 25–30 km with minimal elevation change, passing through oak woodland, hay meadows and bird-watching areas. In autumn, the beech trees on the Aizkorri slopes to the south turn the landscape red and ochre, and the reservoir mirrors the colours with a clarity that turns any stopping point into a natural viewpoint. For visitors from Vitoria, the reservoir is the nearest weekend getaway, with beach, sport and nature within a 20-minute drive.