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INTRODUCTION

Looking towards Cap de Fornells (Walk 14)

The Mediterranean island of Menorca was a British possession for the best part of the 18th century, and it remains a firm favourite holiday destination for British visitors today. Sunshine and sandy beaches were considered a sufficient draw during the 20th century; however, since the year 2000, trail-blazing initiatives have led to the creation of a scenic long-distance trail right around the island and a network of interesting walking and cycling routes across it.

Outdoor enthusiasts are rediscovering Menorca, quartering the island in search of rugged cliff scenery, splendid beaches, amazing archaeology and fascinating historical sites. Routes pass through dense woodlands and cross steep-sided valleys, but never venture too far from useful facilities. The island has abundant accommodation, a good bus network and plenty of places offering food and drink along the trails.

This guidebook explores Menorca by means of 16 one-day walks, spread all over the island, and one four-stage walk across the island, together totalling almost 260km (160 miles). The long-distance GR223, or Camí de Cavalls, is also included, and measures an additional 185km (115 miles). It completely encircles the island, and takes about ten days to complete. In short, there is enough to keep a keen walker occupied for a whole month!

Location

Menorca is one of the three Balearic Islands, basking in the Mediterranean Sea between southern Spain and northern Algeria. It is located from 3º 44’ W to 4º 17’ W and 39º 47’ N to 40º 06’ N. Its name is derived from the fact that its size is ‘minor’ (menor), when compared to Mallorca, measuring only one-fifth the size of its larger neighbour. At 695km² (268 square miles), Menorca is only slightly larger than the Isle of Man. The highest point on the island rises only to 362m (1188ft) on Monte Toro. While some maps suggest that Menorca is almost flat, in reality most of the island is covered in small hills, dissected by a network of steep-sided valleys, or barrancs.

Geology

The spiral-striped lighthouse on the rugged Cap de Favàritx lies just off the GR223 route

Menorca has many rock types, but the most important distinction is between the north and south of the island. Northern Menorca (Tramuntana) features the oldest and most convoluted rocks: approximately 400 million-year-old Devonian strata. These beds are chiefly exposed between the central and northernmost point of Menorca, and also along the east coast.

Rocks from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods – 300 to 65 million years ago – flank the older beds throughout the north. The rock types are complex, but red sandstone and grey slate are common. These break down to form golden sandy beaches and grey pebbly beaches respectively. The northern hills are remote, rugged and densely forested, although many valleys and plains have now been cleared for agriculture.

The southern half of Menorca (Migjorn) is a gently sloping limestone plateau, riven by a succession of steep barrancs. The rock was formed in a shallow sea in the Miocene period, approximately 25 million years ago. Where the limestone reaches the coast, it generally forms sheer cliffs and rock-walled coves, often with blindingly white sandy beaches at their head. This limestone provided the building material for the vast bulk of the island’s archaeological sites.

Areas of dense woodland are separated by rugged fields criss-crossed with drystone walls. The southern half of Menorca is more accessible than the north, and and is where most of the resorts are to be found.

History

One of the two Navetes de Rafal Rubi, which can be reached by a short detour from the first stage of the Coast to Coast walk

There are over a thousand ancient monuments dotted around Menorca, to say nothing of more recent historical structures. The island has been settled for thousands of years, as well as being attacked and colonised by almost every neighbouring Mediterranean power. The most absorbing ancient sites are talaiotic settlements, dominated by stone towers, or talaiots, and T-shaped taulas. Later periods are notable for the construction of fortifications, especially around the coast. The table below lists the key events.

4000BC	Neolithic hunters also herd goats on Menorca.
2300BC	Bronze Age people build navetas to bury their dead.
1400BC	Stone talaiot towers are built, along with T-shaped taulas.
900BC	Phoenician traders establish links with Menorca.
800BC	Greeks supplant Phoenicians and dominate trade.
650BC	Carthaginians supplant Greeks and settle in Menorca.
123BC	Romans, led by Metellus, completely conquer Menorca.
404AD	The islands become the Roman province of Balearica.
425AD	Vandals exert their influence over the islands.
534AD	Menorca comes under Byzantine control.
707AD	The first of many Moorish raids on the islands.
859AD	Vikings raid the islands, but the Moors remain dominant.
903AD	The islands become part of Moorish Al-Andalus.
1085	The islands become a Moorish Emirate.
1114	First of a series of Christian raids on the islands.
1232	Jaume I assumes control of Menorca without conquering it.
1276	Jaume II inherits the Balearic Islands from his father.
1287	Alfonso invades Menorca and remaining Moors are evicted.
1311	Sancho rules Mallorca and Menorca, which both flourish.
1349	The plague reaches Menorca from mainland Europe.
1350	Under Aragonese control, the islands’ fortunes suffer.
1479	The kingdoms of Aragon and Castile are united.
1492	America is discovered; the islands decline further.
1535	Barbarossa lays siege to Maó and enslaves many inhabitants.
1558	Pirali raids Ciutadella and enslaves most of the inhabitants.
1571	Turkish ships are destroyed, bringing an end to Turkish raids.
1652	The plague once again ravages Menorca.
1708	The British invade Menorca and meet little resistance.
1722	Island governance is transferred from Ciutadella to Port Mahon (Maó).
1756	The British are expelled by French forces.
1763	The British regain Menorca in exchange for other islands.
1782	The British are expelled by the Spanish.
1798	The British again invade and recapture Menorca.
1802	Menorca is ceded to Spain under the Treaty of Amiens.
1836	Religious institutions throughout Spain are suppressed.
1936	Spanish Civil War, in which Menorca supports the Republicans.
1939	Menorca surrenders last in the war, through British intervention.
1960s and 70s	Menorca’s tourist infrastructure develops.
1978	Spain’s new constitution establishes Balearic autonomy.
1983	The Catalan language is restored to everyday use in Menorca.
1986	Spain joins the European Union.
1991	Laws are passed protecting nearly half of the island.
1993	Menorca is declared a World Biosphere Reserve.
1995	Parc Natural de s’Albufera des Grau is established.
1999	Reserva Marina del Nord de Menorca is established.
2000	Legislation is enacted to restore the Camí de Cavalls.
2002	Spain switches from pesetas to the Euro.
2010	The Camí de Cavalls is fully waymarked and opened.

The attractive, narrow, rocky inlet of Cala Alcalfar and the village of Alcalfar (Walk 1)

Landscape

A large car park surrounded by farmland at Alfurí de Dalt

The underlying geology and thousands of years of human influence have shaped the landscape of Menorca. Seen from the air, the island is compact and almost entirely surrounded by cliffs, broken by occasional sandy or pebbly beaches. Inland a patchwork of fields is criss-crossed by drystone walls, and there are also extensive forests, small woodlands and areas of rugged scrub. In places the underlying rock is exposed where vegetation struggles to cover it. Many areas are arid, but there are a few lagoons that attract a variety of birds.

By contrast, some fields are remarkably lush and green, ideal for grazing black and white Friesian dairy cows and native red cows. Some of the valleys, or barrancs, that slice deep into the landscape carry running water, but many are dry. Most of the countryside features houses and farms, some of them old, stone-built and ornate. Some areas are dotted with curious barracas, or circular stone-built cattle-sheds, with a stepped profile reminiscent of ziggurats.

The island appears almost flat in some places, but there are lots of little hills. The highest point is Monte Toro, which rises only to 362m (1188ft) and is crowned by a church. Overall, the landscape ranges from rugged and wild to gentle and agricultural. Walking routes tend to be easy in most places.

Occasionally, while walking past lush green pastures grazed by Friesian dairy herds, walkers may find the countryside surprisingly reminiscent of lowland England!

Trees and flowers

The Camí de Son Xoriguer, between Binisafullet and Llucmaçanes (Walk 5)

Menorca’s original forests have been harvested and cleared for timber and fuel throughout the ages. The only representatives of naturally regenerating woodland today are found on the steep slopes of the more remote valleys. Some parts of Menorca are densely forested, where tall holm oaks and pines are common. Many areas that were once enclosed and cultivated are reverting to woodland, with wild olive trees and lentisc bushes dominant. Wooded areas may also feature thorny scrub and ivy, broom and tall heather, and where light penetrates the woodland canopy there is an abundance of other plants.

Flowering plants vary enormously, ranging from dense, prickly ‘pin-cushion’ socarrells, which sprout tiny flowers, to cistus, rock-rose and capers, which produce extensive displays in spring and early summer. Aromatic rosemary and lavender are common, along with plants having herbal or medicinal uses, such as camomile. On barren rock, plants are often inconspicuous, cowering in cracks to exploit shade and moisture. Amaryllis and asphodels thrive in rocky, barren places.

Clockwise from left: Asphodels grow profusely in old abandoned fields all over Menorca; rock-roses often grow among pines; juniper berries are used to flavour Menorcan gin, but not the ones growing on the island.

In wetland areas and meadows plants compete vigorously, while saltmarsh species cope with high salt levels. Some open hillsides, and also sunny spots inside woods and forests, may be covered with tall pampas-like grass, best referred to by its Menorquí name of càrritx. Spring is the best time to see flowering plants at their best. In high summer the landscape looks parched, and only in late autumn or winter does it turn green once again, ready for the next display of springtime colours.

Walkers passing shallow seas often spot what appear to be grassy meadows underwater. The ‘grass’ is actually Posidonia oceanica – a remarkably important species because it provides food and shelter for a wealth of marine life. However, when rough seas cause masses of posidonia to pile up onto the beaches, it smells awful as it rots. Strange spherical objects that look like coconuts may often be washed ashore, and these are also parts of this plant.

A guide to Mediterranean flowers will help to identify species around Menorca. Well over five per cent of flowering plants are endemic to Menorca, but more than ten per cent of flowering plants have been introduced to the island. The majority of species are Mediterranean stock, common to many other locations.

Birds

The premier bird-watching area on Menorca is the Parc Natural de s’Albufera des Grau, on the eastern side of the island. A visitor centre (tel 971-356303), offers plenty of information about species that can be spotted, and there are hides available, overlooking a lagoon surrounded by reeds and bushes. The main species include mallard, coot, moorhen, grebes and pochard.

The cliff coastline is populated by a variety of gulls, as well as cormorants, storm petrels and Mediterranean and Balearic shearwaters. Wooded areas are noted for wood pigeons and turtle doves, while bushy scrub features a variety of finches, warblers and blackbirds. Cattle egrets may be seen among grazing cattle. Birds of prey range from the Egyptian vulture and booted eagle to kestrels, red kites, peregrines and owls. Ospreys are only very rarely seen.

The environmental organisation GOB Menorca can offer plenty of information about the birdlife of Menorca, but their website is in Catalan only: www.gobmenorca.com. They manage the Centre de la Naturaleza de Menorca, on Carrer Malloca in Ferreries, which is usually open on Saturdays.

Animals

With the exception of bats, it is likely that nearly all the mammals represented on Menorca were introduced by humans. Most are protected and include small rodents such as dormice and shrews, and larger mammals such as hedgehogs, weasels and pine martens. Rats and rabbits are also present. There are Menorcan varieties of farm animals, including cows, horses, sheep and hens, but the dairy industry is dominated by Friesian herds.

Reptiles include three species of snake, which are rarely encountered. Hermann’s tortoises were introduced to the island and can be found almost everywhere, while terrapins occupy certain pools. The Balearic lizard is native, but its strongholds are restricted to small islets dotted around Menorca. Other species of lizards are more widespread, and geckos may be spotted at night. Amphibians include the tree frog and green toad. The most notable insects are butterflies, but cicadas and grasshoppers chirp and whir noisily among the vegetation.

Protected Areas

Looking along a tidal river near the little coastal village of Es Grau (Walk 15)

The whole island of Menorca was declared a World Biosphere Reserve in 1993. There are over 600 such reserves across the world, including three in England, three in Scotland and one in Wales. They are protected, monitored and managed as demonstration areas for different ecosystems in order to encourage sustainable development.

The ‘core area’ of the reserve, the Parc Natural de s’Albufera des Grau, was designated in 1995, and this also encompasses the sea off the east coast. The Reserva Marina del Nord de Menorca was established to the north of the island in 1999. Almost half of the island, including most of the coastline, was granted special protection as a ‘buffer zone’. Even those parts of the island which aren’t specifically protected are still regarded as a ‘transition zone’ within the Biosphere Reserve.

When to go

The best times to walk in Menorca are spring and autumn, but especially spring if you have an interest in wild flowers, or want to see the island at its most colourful. High summer, in July and August, is a very busy time and many walkers would find it too hot to be enjoyable. Winter is generally mild, but it can occasionally be cold, grey and wet. This need not be a problem, but when the ground is wet the clay is often sticky and slippery underfoot. Deep puddles may form on rutted paths and tracks, and some streams may need to be forded. Snow is exceptionally rare and seldom lies for any length of time.

Once on Menorca, the daily weather forecast is easily checked by looking at a copy of the local newspaper, the Menorca Diario Insular. The El Tiempo page is easily understood as it uses obvious weather symbols.

Accommodation

Where you choose to base yourself will depend on when you visit Menorca, and how you plan to explore it. If you are planning to use public transport it would be sensible to stay in one of the main centres such as Maó (Mahón) or Ciutadella; however, if you are hiring a car, the island is so small that you will be able to reach your selection of routes from pretty much anywhere, so the seaside resorts will be as practical as the cities.

Menorca has long been sold as a package holiday destination, which means there are plenty of bargains available if you’re on a budget, especially in the resorts on the south coast. Outside of the peak summer season and festivals, there is no need to book accommodation in advance. There are enough lodgings available all year round in centres such a Maó, Ciutadella, Fornells on the north coast and Es Mercadal in the middle of the island to suit visiting walkers who want to move from place to place.

Some of the resorts are mostly closed for business outside summer and many of them only have summer bus services. Tourist information offices supply a helpful low-season accommodation list and websites such as www.visitmenorca.com cover all types of accommodation across the island.

Menorca looks wonderful for ‘wild camping’, but this is illegal, even though it does happen in some popular locations. There are campsites near Biniparratx, Son Bou and Sa Talaia, but these are not located conveniently near the walking routes in this guidebook.

Health and safety

Menorca is generally easy to explore on foot, but there are several low hills and rugged paths

There are no particular dangers for walkers in Menorca. Naturally, care must be taken near cliffs and beside the sea. Sun protection is advised throughout the year, and sufficient food and drink must be carried when there are no open shops, cafés or bars along the route. Most of the roads followed in this guide are quiet, or have good pavements, but it is always wise to keep an eye on the traffic. Many of the paths used in this guidebook are also available to mountain bikers and horse riders, and it is wise to step to one side and let them pass.

If you require medication, take adequate supplies with you. Pharmacies can advise in case of minor ailments, while for medical emergencies, phone 061. If a doctor or a trip to a hospital is required, European citizens should present their European Health Insurance Card, which may help to offset the cost of certain treatments.

Language

There are two official languages in Menorca: Spanish and Catalan. Catalan is spoken from Andorra to Valencia, as well as on the Balearic Islands. Menorquí is a dialect of Catalan and includes words of French and Arabic origin. No one expects visitors to learn Catalan, let alone Menorquí, and any Spanish you may learn is readily understood on Menorca. Many people in the main resorts and large hotels speak English, German and other languages but this may not be the case in small villages and in the countryside. See Appendix B for basic phrases and useful words in English, Spanish and Catalan and Appendix C for a topographical glossary for use with maps.

Money

The Euro is the currency of Menorca. Large denomination Euro notes are difficult to use for small purchases, so avoid the €500 and €200 notes altogether, and avoid the €100 notes if you can. The smaller denominations, €50, €20, €10 and €5, are fine. Coins come in €2 and €1. Small denomination coins come in values of 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c and 1c. Carry small change for use on the buses. Banks and ATMs are mentioned in route descriptions if further supplies of cash are needed. Many accommodation providers will accept major credit and debit cards, as will large supermarkets; however, small bars, shops and cafés deal only in cash.

Communications

A solitary white house near Cala de sa Torreta (Walk 15)

Menorca has efficient communications systems. The postal system is as good as anywhere else in Europe. There are telephone kiosks dotted around the towns and villages, and mobile phones get a good signal in most urban or elevated locations. However, signals are poor or non-existent in some deep valleys, as well as along some more remote stretches of the northern coastline.

Getting to Menorca

By air

Flights from UK airports to Menorca mainly operate in the summer season, from May to October. Budget operators include Jet2 www.jet2.com, Monarch www.monarch.co.uk and Ryanair www.ryanair.com, and flights are mainly from the London airports, Birmingham and Manchester. There are some flights from a dozen other regional airports. For the rest of the year the choice of airports, airlines and dates on which flights operate is limited. However, this can be overcome by flying via mainland Spain or neighbouring Mallorca, changing onto year-round flights to Menorca operated by Iberia www.iberia.com, Spanair www.spanair.com and Vuelair www.vuelair.com. It is possible to start walking directly from the airport arrivals hall, to see an amazing prehistoric site and then head straight onto quiet country lanes, simply by following Walk 6.

By road or rail

Few travellers consider an overland journey to Menorca, but the Mediterranean ports of Barcelona and Valencia are served by trains and buses. For coach travel check Eurolines, www.eurolines.com, or for trains check www.renfe.es. Driving overland is a very time-consuming approach, but might suit those living in southern Spain.

By sea

The little city of Maó (Mahón) offers the biggest range of services on Menorca

There are two main sea approaches to Menorca: the shortest are ferries from Mallorca, and the longest are from mainland Spain. The most regular are from Alcúdia (Mallorca) and Barcelona (Spain) to Ciutadella, operated by Baleària www.balearia.com. The Alcúdia to Ciutadella route is also served by Iscomar www.iscomar.com. Acciona Trasmediterránea serves Maó from Palma (Mallorca), Barcelona and Valencia (Spain).

Getting around Menorca

An impressive network of footpaths and cycleways has been developed around Menorca

Taking or hiring a car

Taking a car to Menorca may not be a good idea. However, some walkers may wish to use a car in order to have a personalised backup service. If so, choose a good navigator to meet you at intervals along your chosen routes. Some of the one-day walks in this book are linear, rather than circular. The GR223, or Camí de Cavalls, is linear too, and returning to a parked car is inconvenient. Cars can be hired in advance, or on arrival at the airport, or it can be arranged through most hotels.

Bus services

Menorca has a splendid bus service between 1 May and 31 October, covering the peak summer period, when most settlements and resorts can be reached. During the low season, a reduced bus service operates, but this is perfectly adequate as long as you study the timetables carefully.

Winter buses run regularly between Maó, Alaior, Es Mercadal, Ferreries and Ciutadella. The airport, Es Castell, Sant Lluís, Sant Climent, Cala en Porter, Es Migjorn Gran and Fornells can all be reached from Maó. Cala en Bosc, Cala Blanca, sa Caleta, Cala en Forcat and Es Migjorn Gran can all be reached from Ciutadella. There are also buses running between Es Mercadel and Fornells, and between Fornells and Arenal d’en Castell.

Different bus companies operate along different routes, and most timetables can be checked at the bus station in Maó. Transportes Menorca (TMSA) www.tmsa.es, Torres www.e-torres.es and Autos Fornells www.autosfornells.com all post timetables online, and up-to-date bus timetables for the whole island are also printed in the local newspaper, Menorca Diario Insular, on the Transportes Autobuses page.

The only real bus station on Menorca is in Maó. When leaving it to access walking routes in the city, simply follow pedestrian signposts from the Plaça de S’Esplanada to the ‘Port’ or ‘Centre Històric’. To return to the bus station from the city centre, follow signposts for ‘Estació d’autobusos’. Buses from Ciutadella operate from two different locations so, if changing there, be sure to ask the driver from where the next bus departs. In other towns and villages, if the bus stop isn’t evident, ask someone for directions to the parada (bus stop).

Taxis

Taxis are available in all towns and most villages throughout Menorca, usually close to the main squares. Cars operate under the aegis of the Asociacion Menorquina De Radio Taxis (tel 971-367111). The telephone number covers the whole island, and all you need to do is to state where you are and where you want to go, and leave it to the operator to locate an available car. The green sign Lliure/Libre means ‘free’ and any taxi displaying this can be flagged down. In case of difficulty ask your hotel, or a roadside bar, to call one for you. Offer a couple of Euros if they demur. A general rule of thumb is that a long taxi journey will cost five times more than the bus fare. If three or four walkers share a taxi, the individual cost is close to the bus fare for the same journey. Tips of ten per cent are customary.

What to take

Even in winter on Menorca, walkers need take no more than they would take for a summer trip in Britain. The weather will probably be warm, and might be very hot and sunny, so take clothing that will protect against sunburn, as well as sunscreen and a hat. On the other hand, if it rains, be prepared with lightweight waterproofs. Footwear is a personal choice, and walkers wear everything from heavy boots to lightweight sandals. However, bear in mind that the ground can sometimes be rocky or stony underfoot and occasionally steep, and after a spell of rain some parts can get quite wet and muddy.

Waymarking and access

(Left to right): signs on the PR-IB-Me 2 trail (Walk 7); marker post on the Camí de Cavalls; signs at a junction of the Camí de Cavalls

Most routes available for public use around Menorca are exceptionally well waymarked and signposted. The long-distance GR223, or Camí de Cavalls, is particularly well-marked. GR stands for gran recorrido, and the route is flashed red/white in the usual European fashion. The waymarking is particularly helpful where the route passes through woods or scrub, where it is not possible to see far ahead; however, it is easier to lose the route in towns and villages where there are lots of distractions. There are also two waymarked PR (pequeño recorrido) routes, PR-IB-Me 1 and PR-IB-Me 2, which are flashed yellow/white, with a particular emphasis on archaeology.

Many walking routes are also marked as cycleways, so keep your eyes and ears open, and hope that any mountain bikers on the trails also have your well-being in mind! Only a couple of routes cross private property, where walkers have been tolerated for many years, but bear in mind that the landowners could withdraw access at any time. Walk 10, through the Barranc de sa Cova, and Walk 15, around Sa Torreta, are examples.

Maps

The best map for exploring Menorca on foot is the Editorial Alpina Menorca sheet, at a scale of 1:50,000 (www.editorialalpina.com). This highlights the long-distance Camí de Cavalls (in green) and many other walking routes, as well as showing the intricate network of roads and farm tracks around the island. Its detail is equal to what walkers would expect of the Ordnance Survey Landranger series of maps in Britain.

Extracts from the Editorial Alpina map have been reproduced in this guidebook by kind permission of the publishers. These are fine for each of the walking routes, but if you want to see how all the routes relate to each other, then either obtain the complete map in advance of a visit, or look out for it on Menorca, where it is widely available and widely used by walkers. UK stockists include Stanfords (12-14 Long Acre, London, WC2E 9BR, tel 020 7836 1321, www.stanfords.co.uk) and The Map Shop (15 High Street, Upton-upon-Severn, WR8 0HJ, tel 01684 593146, www.themapshop.co.uk).

Food and drink

There are plenty of restaurants, cafés, bars and shops in the towns and villages around Menorca, so it is usually easy to obtain food and drink. Even some remote beaches have a small café/bar or restaurant. However, there are some walks that have little or nothing, so it is always a good idea to carry enough food and drink for the day. See Appendix B for food and drink items.

Tourist information offices

There are five tourist information offices around Menorca. They offer plenty of local information and might help with accommodation searches, attractions, opening times, bus timetables and so on. They should have information about the long-distance Camí de Cavalls, as well as knowledge of nearby walking and cycling opportunities.

 Airport Arrivals Hall, tel 971-157115

 Plaça de S’Esplanada, Maó, tel 971-367415

 Moll de Levant, Port de Maó, tel 971-355952

 Plaça de la Catedral, Ciutadella, tel 971-382693

 Casa del Contramaestre, Fornells, tel 971-158430

Emergencies

If emergency assistance is required on land, phone 112 and explain the nature of the incident to an English-speaking operator. If a rescue is required, a response might be mounted by the fire service (bombers) or the police. The police can be contacted directly, either phoning 092 for the Policía Municipal, 091 for the Policía Nacional, or 062 for the Guardia Civil. Alternatively, for a medical emergency, phone 061. For sea rescues, phone 112 or 900-202202.

Using this guide

These walkers are evidently backpacking, but where do they intend to camp, since it is illegal to camp wild?

There are 20 one-day walks in this guidebook; 16 of these are spread around most parts of Menorca, but are particularly concentrated within easy reach of Maó. The Coast to Coast route across the island from Maó to Ciutadella, a total of 71km (44½ miles), is divided into four one-day stages. Most walks are easy, but sometimes there are short, steep, rocky or stony slopes, and some areas are densely vegetated, where it is possible to become disorientated. Many of the walks, not just the Coast to Coast ones, link with adjacent walks, so that it is possible to extend the distance.

The only thing that really makes a walk difficult on Menorca is distance, particularly in the peak summer period when it is very hot. There is enough information in the introduction to each day’s walk for readers to choose walks that are appropriate to their abilities.

The long-distance GR223, or Camí de Cavalls, completely encircles Menorca, and while many stretches can be completed as simple day-walks, walking the full circuit day after day requires a lot of planning. See the separate introduction to this long-distance walk later in the guidebook.

Note that the spellings of place names used in the route descriptions match the spellings that readers will encounter while in Menorca, on street signs and the like. In some places these do not correspond exactly with those that appear on the official map, and therefore on the route maps. However, the differences are small and places easy to identify.