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ОглавлениеINTRODUCTION
Walkers descend carefully to the top of Cingles de Son Rul.lan (Walk 17)
Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands, basking in sunny splendour in the Mediterranean between Spain and Algeria. It has been a favourite destination for sun-starved northern Europeans for many decades. While beach holidays remain popular, more and more visitors seek the quieter pleasures of rural Mallorca, especially taking opportunities to explore the island’s most rugged mountain range, the Serra de Tramuntana.
In the high mountains there is more shade among the evergreen oak and pines, with cooling breezes to temper the heat of the sun. Away from the bustling resorts the pace of life in the mountain villages is more sedate and relaxing. Almond and orange trees burst into blossom and vineyards yield heavy bunches of grapes. Kid goats bleat plaintively, often unseen among the undergrowth, while bongling bells alert shepherds to the location of their free-range sheep and cattle. Every so often, emerging from the forests, walkers discover the sun-scorched façades of palatial country mansions, wayside ermitas (hermitages) and little casetas (huts). In a sense, the visitor who is prepared to walk can forget everything they’ve ever heard about Mallorca, and start afresh by making new discoveries every day, around every corner.
As walking became more and more popular over the years and guidebooks proliferated in many languages, the island authorities began to purchase some extensive rural estates, protecting them from development and marking paths and tracks for walkers. In due course they turned their attention to the creation of long-distance walking routes, which are still gradually being pieced together.
Serra de Tramuntana
Looking towards Mallorca’s highest mountains from Puig d’Alaró (Walk 29)
Serra de Tramuntana translates as ‘Mountains of the North’, and they form an incredibly rugged range stretching all the way along the northern flank of Mallorca. The Paratge Natural de la Serra de Tramuntana, or Nature Area of the Serra de Tramuntana, was designated in 2007, covering an area of approximately 625 square kilometres (240 square miles). In 2011 it became a World Heritage Site, due to its importance as a cultural landscape. Although the mountains are predominantly limestone, the coastline often features a complex mix of rock types. Pine forests and extensive holm oak woodlands abound, with cultivated areas featuring olive groves, citrus groves and nut groves. Terraced slopes near the towns and villages produce abundant crops, while bare, rocky mountainsides are colonised by tough plants that form dense maquis, or patchy garigue formations. These rugged mountains form the backdrop for walking in Mallorca.
Around 90% of the Serra de Tramuntana is private property, and many regular walkers can tell tales about access problems. On the other hand, every few years extensive mountain estates come onto the market and some of these have been purchased and opened to the public. Some of the most notable acquisitions and recreational areas, from west to east, include: Finca Galatzó, Sa Coma d’en Vidal, Son Fortuny, Planícia, Son Moragues, Cúber, Binifaldó and Menut. There are plenty of places where walkers are welcome, or at least tolerated.
The provision of the long-distance GR221 allows walkers to trek all the way through the Serra de Tramuntana. Although many stretches of the GR221 are included in this book, they do not run consecutively, nor always in the same direction. For full details of the GR221, described in its entirety as a long-distance route, see Trekking in Mallorca by Paddy Dillon, published by Cicerone.
Brief history of Mallorca
Mallorca has been inhabited for more than 6000 years, when the earliest settlers lived in caves, hunted and kept animals, made stone tools and employed certain rituals when burying their dead. Around 4000 years ago, stone buildings and large towers, or talaiots, were constructed, suggesting highly organised societies working together for the common good, while clearly engaging in serious disputes with their neighbours.
The Carthaginians established trading posts and often recruited local people to defend them. Most of the ports on the island had their origins around this time. The Romans invaded Mallorca in 123BC, but much of their work was later destroyed by Vandals from North Africa. After the breakup of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine general Belisarius dealt with the Vandals, and the Balearic islands were linked with what is now Tunisia. As part of the Byzantine Empire, Mallorca again became a trading post protected by military might.
Arab raids commenced in AD707. Arab settlers profoundly influenced the development of agriculture. The legacy of these times is recalled in placenames – bini means ‘house of’, as in Binibassi and Biniaraix. In the city of Palma the Moorish arches of the Almudaina palace and the Arab baths can still be seen.
Pine trees are common in the mountains of Mallorca
In 1229 Jaume I of Aragon, ‘The Conqueror’, led a fleet of 150 ships and an army of 16,000 men to Mallorca. Their intention was to land at Port de Pollença, but they were prevented by storms so they sheltered in the lee of sa Dragonera and later landed at Santa Ponça. The re-conquest was completed in 1230, but this didn’t lead to peaceful times. Disputes between Jaume’s sons, passed on to their sons and heirs, led to successive invasions, but the royal line continued through Jaume II and Jaume III, the latter being killed in battle in 1349. The reign of independent kings ended, and Aragon took direct control of the island.
Mallorca’s chequered history continued with invasions, rebellions and natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and outbreaks of cholera and bubonic plague. Watchtowers, or talaies, were built between 1550 and 1650 on high vantage points, so that invaders and pirates could be spotted in good time. In 1716 Mallorca finally lost the title of kingdom and became a province of Spain. Neighbouring islands had similarly convoluted histories, with Menorca spending the best part of the 18th century as a British possession. In the 20th century, the Catalan language was suppressed under Franco’s dictatorship, but has since flourished and is now very evident throughout Mallorca.
Mountain heritage
Most of the mountainous terrain in Mallorca is made of limestone. The built heritage of the mountains often uses nothing more basic than roughly hewn lumps of limestone. On the lower cultivated slopes, terraces are held in place by massive drystone buttresses (marges) and watered by stone-lined channels (canaletes). Water may be stored in tanks (cisternes) or small underground reservoirs (aljubs), all built of stone.
On the lower wooded slopes, where fuel was readily available, are large stone-lined pits which are former limekilns (forns de calç). On the highest mountainsides, larger and deeper stone-lined snow-pits (cases de neu) were used for storing snow and ice. In dense holm oak woodland there are dark, flat, circular, moss-grown remains of charcoal-burning platforms (sitges). Trekkers sometimes use these as wild-camp sites, but it is very difficult to get pegs into the hard-baked ground. Somewhere nearby will be the low remains of the circular huts of the charcoal burner (barraca de carboner). Stone-built outdoor bread ovens (forns de pa) are also likely to be spotted nearby. Drystone walls and cairns abound almost everywhere.
Snow collecting
The highest paths on Mallorca were built by snow collectors (nevaters). Snow was collected to make ice for use in the summer and conserved in snow-pits. These are found scattered around Puig Major, Puig de Massanella, Puig Tomir, Puig des Teix and Serra d’Alfàbia, mostly above 900m (2950ft). The pits were usually circular, oval, or occasionally rectangular, partly or wholly below ground level. When the mountains were covered with snow, groups of men went up to gather it into baskets. Flat platforms were made and cleared of vegetation, where the snow was arranged in layers and trampled down hard to pack it into ice.
Snow used to be collected and stored in pits on the mountains
The packed snow was put into the pit and each layer was covered with càrritx, a tall pampas-like grass, to make it easier to split the blocks later. When the pit was full it was covered with ashes, branches and more càrritx, then carefully guarded. On summer nights blocks of ice were taken down on mules to the villages and towns. It was not only used for ice creams and cooling drinks, but also for medicinal preparations. The local authority controlled the price and a tax was fixed on it. Sometimes ice had to be imported from the mainland, but in glut years it was exported to neighbouring Menorca. The last time a snow-pit was used was in 1925 on Puig de Massanella. The industry was killed stone-dead by the advent of modern refrigeration techniques.
Charcoal burning
Complex networks of paths were made by charcoal burners (carboners). Almost every evergreen oakwood was once used for the production of charcoal. Charcoal-burning hearths are flat circular areas, often ringed by stones and now covered with bright green moss. They often serve as landmarks in the route descriptions in this guidebook. They are referred to as ‘sitges’ (singular sitja). Charcoal burning lasted until butane gas became popular in the 1920s, although in some areas production lasted a while longer. Charcoal was used specifically for cooking, being preferred over wood because it was cleaner and gave a steadier heat.
Carboners started work in April, living and working all summer in the woods with their families. They had to watch their hearths carefully, as charcoal burning was a delicate operation and everything could be ruined in a moment of neglect. The idea was to carbonise the wood, not burn it to ash. Carboners lived in simple, circular stone huts, roofed with branches and grass. The remains of huts, as well as modern reconstructions, are often seen in the woods, along with beehive-like stone bread ovens nearby.
Axes and enormous two-handed saws were used to fell large oaks, of a diameter stipulated by the landowner. Each carboner had his own area, or ranxo. A circular site was prepared, with stones carefully arranged so that the air intake was limited, causing the wood to carbonise without igniting it. Logs and branches were arranged in a dome, leaving a narrow central chimney. Gravel and clay were heaped over it, and a ladder was used to reach the chimney, so that the carboner could start the firing process.
The weight of the wood was reduced by 75–80% and each firing lasted up to 12 days. Sieved earth was used for quenching and the covering was then removed. The hot charcoal was extracted with a shovel and rake, and an average burn could produce around 2800 kilos (2¾ tons) of produce. Once cool, the charcoal pieces were graded, loaded onto mules and taken to towns and villages for sale. Bark from the oak trees was also collected and used for tanning.
A simple, restored hut used by a carboner, or charcoal-burner; a sitja is a circular stone structure once used for burning charcoal
Lime burning
Limekilns are seen throughout the woodlands in the mountains. They are quite different from those seen in Britain, as they lack a draw-hole at the bottom, and are simply deep, stone-lined pits. Great heat was needed to split the calcium carbonate (CaCO³) into calcium oxide (CaO) and carbon dioxide (CO²), so a plentiful supply of wood was necessary. Although a vast amount of limestone is available, the stones used to produce lime were always chosen very carefully, and were referred to as pedra viva or ‘living stones’.
At the base of the pit, a dome was built of large stones with gaps left between them for aeration. Above the dome, more stones were built up, and the spaces around the sides of the kiln were filled with the actual stones that were to be converted into lime. The interior was filled with wood and the top of the kiln was covered with earth. The fire was lit and kept burning for up to two weeks, with more wood added continually. Huge quantities of wood were needed – up to 155,000 kilos (150 tons) – leading to devastation of the forests and producing as little as 10,000 kilos (10 tons) of lime. It was very hard work and it brought little financial reward. According to an old proverb, ‘qui fa calç, va descalç’, or ‘he who makes lime goes barefoot’. Lime was used for the annual whitewashing of houses and also for making mortar.
Wildlife
Trees, shrubs and flowers
Trees on Mallorca come in four main types – pines, oaks, olives and palms – but there are also several minor types. Overall, the forests and woodlands are green and leafy throughout the year owing to the predominance of evergreen species. Abundant Aleppo pines can grow almost anywhere from sea level to 1000m (3280ft). They usually grow tall and straight, but can be twisted in exposed locations. Holm oaks are the commonest of the evergreen oaks. They grow in dense woodlands and were exploited for the production of charcoal. Olives may have grown wild on Mallorca before being cultivated. Some of the thickest and most gnarled specimens are over 1000 years old. Dwarf fan palms grow mostly at lower elevations, but some thrive in the mountains.
Other common trees include the strawberry tree, with its strange edible fruit, and the carob which produces distinctive pods that are high in sugar but contain tooth-breaking seeds. Citrus fruits, oranges and lemons, are picked around January and are most abundant around Sóller. Almond trees blossom pink and white around February, and were first planted on a large scale in 1765.
Carob trees bear distinctive seed pods
Woody shrubs include various species of broom, including some that bristle with thorns, blazing with yellow flowers in March and April. The resin-scented lentisk grows almost anywhere, and aromatic rosemary is also common. Heather tends to form feathery clumps and some species are like small trees.
Plants such as asphodels thrive in rocky, barren places, but many other flowering plants manage to eke out an existence. There are Mallorcan varieties of St John’s Wort, for example, and several species of cistus. Two species of spiny plants, despite being quite separate, are both referred to as coixinets de monja or ‘nuns’ sewing cushions’. Another spiny plant is smilax, known locally as aritja, giving rise to the place-name aritges. Shrubby euphorbias, or spurges, contain a milky, latex sap, and some bushy species are referred to as tree spurges. Delightful little flowers include tiny crocuses and cyclamens, sometimes appearing to grow from bare rock but actually rooted in tiny crevices.
Asphodels flourish on many sunny and stony slopes
A rock rose looks like crumpled tissue paper
Most open mountainsides, as well as sunny spots inside woods and forests, may be covered with the tall pampas-like grass, Ampelodesmus mauritanica, which is best referred to by its common name of càrritx. It looks innocuous from a distance, but can prove troublesome on closer acquaintance. Avoid stepping on its long fronds with one foot as they can form a loop, tripping walkers as they bring their next foot forward. Get into the habit of high-stepping past càrritx to avoid tripping.
Animals
Whatever large mammals once roamed Mallorca, only feral goats remain, along with domesticated sheep, a few cattle and fewer pigs. Bells draw attention to farm stock foraging on the mountainsides. Signs reading ‘Big Game Hunting’ might seem alarming, but they refer to the hunting of feral goats, which is permitted on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from October to February. Hunters are unlikely to shoot across popular paths, but walkers should be aware of their presence. In the unlikely event that you find yourself close to a shooting party, yell loudly in any language!
Goats are seen in the mountains and hunted as ‘big game’
Most of the mammals native to the island are small, including pine martens, weasels, hedgehogs, bats, hares, rabbits and rodents, and many of them are hunted by birds of prey. South American coatis are causing concern since being released into the wild, as they prey on native animals. Snakes are only rarely spotted and should cause no concern to walkers. Geckos are unlikely to be seen, except by those keeping a keen watch. Frogs and toads may be common in well-watered areas, and they are notable near the large reservoirs at Cúber and Gorg Blau (Walks 31–35). Snails can be easy to spot because of their distinctive shells. Insect life includes abundant butterflies in spring and summer, and even more species of moths. In the hot summer months cicadas and grasshoppers chirp and whir in the vegetation.
A notable ‘pest’ insect is the pine processionary moth. The female lays up to 200 eggs, which hatch into voracious caterpillars that can cause great damage to trees. They live in dense, spherical webs and move to new foraging areas by marching nose-to-tail, thus giving rise to their name. Avoid handling them, as they are covered in hairs that can irritate the skin. Other ‘pest’ insects include the red palm weevil, which destroys palms.
Birdwatching
Serious birdwatchers should get in touch with the local experts, the Grup Ornitològic Balear (GOB), www.gobmallorca.com. GOB has long been involved in renovating an old building as a refugi (refuge) at La Trapa, above Sant Elm (Walk 3). Unfortunately, construction has stalled and its future is in doubt. Other Mallorcans have a passion for hunting birds, especially thrushes, which cause a lot of damage to olive groves. Shooting and netting take place from the end of August to the end of January, but this should not inconvenience walkers as it usually occurs in the evening and at dawn. Most species of birds are protected.
A juvenile gull displays typical mottled plumage
The black vulture is unmistakeable when seen above remote mountains. Numbers dropped alarmingly in the last century and a programme was set up to assist their recovery. This involves minimising disturbance, leaving carrion out for them, setting up breeding programmes and introducing black vultures from other areas. The breeding season is exceptionally long, extending from January through to July. Black vultures are usually seen over the mountains between Sóller and Pollença.
Raptors include red kites, peregrines, kestrels and booted eagles. Harriers are occasional visitors, while ospreys may be seen at the large reservoirs at Cúber and Gorg Blau. Eleonora’s falcon breeds along the northern coastal cliffs.
Hoopoes are eagerly spotted in many places, while large flocks of crag martins are notable in the mountains in winter. Alpine accentors also frequent the highest mountains in winter. The blue rock thrush keeps itself out of sight, while swifts breed safely on cliffs. During the winter there is a big influx of birds from northern Europe, including starlings, thrushes, finches, waders and wildfowl. Woodlands support blackcaps, black redstarts, crossbills and goldfinches. Look out for white wagtail, meadow pipits, serins and greenfinches. Linnets and great tits are common and robins and chaffinches are abundant. Firecrests are found fairly high in the mountains.
Travel to Mallorca
Passing beneath an overhang on the way to es Horts (Walk 39)
By air
Most visitors fly to Mallorca from airports as far apart as Iceland and Israel, from all over Europe, including over two dozen British airports. The choice of routes and airlines is bewildering, but there are plenty of budget operators and deals for those willing to search online. It is worth accessing the Palma de Mallorca airport website to discover just how many routes and operators are available, www.aena.es (English-language option available; select ‘choose airport’).
By road or rail
Few travellers consider an overland journey to Mallorca, but the Mediterranean ports of Barcelona, Valencia and Dènia are served by trains and buses. For coach travel check Eurolines, www.eurolines.com, or for trains check www.renfe.com. Driving overland is a very time-consuming approach, but may suit expatriates living in southern Spain.
Ferries
Ferries sail from Barcelona, Valencia and Dènia to Palma, including Trasmediterranea, www.trasmediterranea.es, and Balearia, www.balearia.com. Ferries berth so close to Palma that it is possible to walk straight through the historic city centre for onward bus or rail connections, or use EMT bus 1 to get from the port to the Estació Intermodal on Plaça d’Espanya. Some buses heading west can be caught near the ferryport, without the need to go into the city. These include bus 102 to Port d’Andratx and bus 111 to Calvià and es Capdellà.
Taking or hiring a car
Car hire can be arranged in advance, on arrival at the airport or through most hotels. Before considering this approach, bear in mind that using a car to access a walk means returning to it afterwards. There are plenty of excellent linear walks that link with public transport, for which a car is a liability.
Travel around Mallorca
A colourful bus crosses a vintage railway line in Bunyola
By train
There are only two railway lines leaving the centre of Palma. An expensive, rickety, vintage train called the Ferrocarril de Sóller runs northwards to Bunyola. It then passes through 13 tunnels beneath the Serra d’Alfàbia and spirals down to Sóller, where it links with an electric tram to Port de Sóller. For timetables, tel 971 752051 or 971 752028, www.trendesoller.com.
Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca (SFM) trains only serve the end of one route (Walk 28), but they link with buses that serve a few more walking routes. For instance, bus 320 links the Consell-Alaró station with Alaró, and bus 330 links the Inca station with Caimari and Lluc. For train timetables, tel 971 177777, www.tib.org.
By bus
Bus timetables are published to cover the summer (April to September) and winter (October to March) seasons. The combined bus/rail station, the Estació Intermodal in Palma, provides photocopies for a few cents, and they are posted on brightly coloured bus stops around Mallorca, but otherwise printed copies are difficult to obtain. Most buses, but by no means all of them, are red and yellow. Buses run from early until late, but some remote villages have few buses. A list of useful bus services is given in Appendix B; for more details, tel 971 177777, www.tib.org.
By taxi
Taxis are available in all towns and most villages throughout Mallorca, usually close to the main squares or near popular hotels. Cars are generally white, with a stripe bearing the crest of the local municipality. The green sign Lliure/Libre means ‘free’ and any taxi displaying this can be used. In case of difficulty ask your hotel, or a roadside bar, to call one for you. Offer a couple of Euros if they seem reluctant to phone. 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. You can ask to see a scale of charges approved by the local municipality, but if you want to go on a long journey you may have to pay the fare both ways even if you’re not returning. Bear in mind that when asking for a taxi pick-up in a remote place, at short notice, it could be an hour or more before it arrives.
When to go
In theory it is possible to walk in Mallorca at any time of the year, but the peak summer period is very hot and any strenuous activity is quite exhausting. Spring and autumn are usually warm and clear, with a chance of rain, and most walkers would be happy with conditions at these times. The winter months can be clear and warm, but there is a greater risk of rain and the possibility of cold winds and snow on higher ground. Roughly every 20 years the whole of Mallorca is covered in snow, all the way down to the beaches, making transport to the mountains and walks along paths difficult.
Note the large number of religious or cultural holidays, or festes, on the island. Many businesses close on these days and public transport operates a reduced level of service. The main dates are 1 and 6 January, 1 March, Easter (Thursday to Monday), 1 May, 25 July, 15 August, 12 October, 1 November and 6, 8, 25 and 26 December. Some towns and villages have local festes, but these usually only affect local businesses and not public transport.
Rampant flowers on the way from es Capdella to the Finca Galatzó (Walk 9)
Mountain weather
Mallorca has a typical Mediterranean climate with mild, damp winters and hot, dry summers. The relative humidity is around 70% throughout the year. This, together with sea breezes, makes the hot summer days bearable, providing you are not walking uphill too much. There are nearly 300 sunny days in the year and even the winter months see an average of five hours of sunshine a day.
Rain usually falls in heavy showers that soon clear up, although there are occasional days of torrential rain in the late autumn and early spring. The rainfall is greatest over the high mountains and least on the south coast. Snow is common on the mountain tops in winter but very rare at sea level, with falls there recorded in 1956, 1985 and 2005. When snow falls deeply on the mountain paths, they can be quite difficult to follow.
Take nothing for granted with the weather, and obtain a forecast whenever possible. TV stations and Mallorcan newspapers carry daily weather reports. For hourly forecasts, check www.eltiempo.es/baleares.
Accommodation
The main tourism website for Mallorca is www.infomallorca.net. Tourist information offices are located in all the main resorts, but some of them operate only during the summer. Staff at these offices usually speak English and can assist with information about accommodation, transport and visitor attractions. There is a tourist information office at the airport and others in the city of Palma.
Accommodation varies widely, from dirt-cheap independent hostels to incredibly expensive hotels. While the bulk of tourists book package holidays, walkers may wish to stay in quiet rural locations or mountain villages. When choosing accommodation, think carefully about how far you are willing to travel in order to complete walking routes, as the island is big and travelling along winding mountain roads can be slow.
If a car is being used, then accommodation could be located anywhere, but if bus services are being used, then accommodation needs to be chosen somewhere close to a bus station or bus stop, preferably in a place offering services in many directions. Staying close to the Estació Intermodal in Palma makes it possible to commute to and from every walking route in Mallorca, for those willing to start early and finish late.
Some of the walks pass refugis, part of a small network established by the Consell de Mallorca and administered either by the Consell or independently. Often in restored buildings, they are equipped to a high standard and offer dormitory accommodation at very good prices. However, the refuges are more likely to be of interest to trekkers on the GR221 and are not really suited to use as a walking base – although hungry and thirsty passers-by may be grateful of the refreshments on offer. If you do wish to stay in a refugi, be aware that Mallorcans are very quick to take advantage of such economic yet quality accommodation, so weekends tend to be busy with family groups.
Language
There are two official languages in Mallorca: Catalan and Castilian Spanish. Catalan is spoken from Andorra to València, as well as on the Balearic Islands. Mallorquí is a dialect of Catalan and includes words of French and Arabic origin. No-one expects visitors to learn Catalan, let alone Mallorquí, and any Spanish you learn will be readily understood. 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.
Catalan in its written form may be understood by anyone with a knowledge of Spanish, but the spoken language is another matter. Between themselves, most islanders speak Mallorquí, so conversations on buses and in bars and shops may be incomprehensible to visitors. However, if you speak a little Spanish you will find that people are delighted and will help you all they can, and even more so if you attempt to converse in Catalan. It is well worth taking the trouble to learn a few words and phrases so as to be able to pass the time of day with local people.
Placenames
Most places in Mallorca had two names in the past, Spanish and Mallorquí. Since Mallorquí was given equal status with Spanish, almost all Spanish placenames have vanished from signposts and street signs. In fact, only in a few tourist resorts are there any Spanish signs to be seen, and Mallorquí may be the only language in evidence in rural areas.
Confusion is likely to arise if you use old maps and guidebooks, which generally show only Spanish placenames. The popular Editorial Alpina maps use authentic Mallorquí placenames. As a rule, many placenames look similar, regardless of whether they are in Spanish or Mallorquí, but some hotels and businesses insist on using Spanish forms for their addresses. For visitors, this could be confusing if your hotel is listed as being in Puerto Sóller or Pollensa, but the only road signs you see are for Port de Sóller or Pollença!
See Appendix A for basic phrases and useful words in English, Spanish and Catalan, along with a topographical glossary for use when interpreting placenames on maps.
Money
The Euro is the currency of Mallorca. 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 rest are fine: €50, €20, €10 and €5. Coins come in €2 and €1. Small denomination coins come in values of 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c and 1c. Bus drivers will appreciate the correct change and will frown on large notes. Many accommodation providers will accept major credit and debit cards, as will large supermarkets, but small bars, shops and cafés deal only in cash.
Food and drink
All the towns and villages offer the opportunity to buy food and drink. In some places there may only be one or two shops selling food, but there will always be a bar-restaurant, and there are often opportunities to sample local fare. There are occasional roadside bar-restaurants, and refreshment options are mentioned in walk descriptions where relevant. (Note that refreshments are not available on all walks.) Shops generally open from 9am–1pm and 4pm–8pm. Long lunch hours are common, but some shops open all day, while some close on Saturday afternoons, and some may not open at all on Sundays.
Mallorquín cuisine, or cuina Mallorquina, can differ from that of Catalonia on the mainland. Fish dishes are a speciality and so are tapas, served with drinks in many bars. They are usually behind glass on the counter, so you can point to the ones you want. Small or large helpings are offered and a large one can make a substantial meal. See Appendix A for translations of many types of local specialities that may appear on menus.
Kit check
A popular path is followed from l’Ofre into the Barranc de Biniaraix (Walk 23)
Think carefully about the gear you plan to wear and carry. Ground conditions are often hard and stony, but there are plenty of easier tracks and roads. Wear boots or shoes according to your personal preference over such terrain. Bear in mind that hot feet might be more of a problem than wet feet, so think carefully when choosing footwear and socks.
Clothing should be lightweight and light coloured, offering good protection from the sun, while being able to offer good ventilation for sweat. It could be cold on the high mountains, especially in the winter. Waterproofs and windproofs might only be used rarely, so lightweight items will usually be fine. On sunny days, use sunscreen on exposed skin and wear a good sun hat. Bare limestone is very bright in the full sun, so consider taking sunglasses. Ample water must be carried on hot days – a minimum of two litres. Guard against sunburn and heat exhaustion at all times, but be prepared for colder and wetter days too.
Mountain maps
Many of the walking routes in this guidebook are signposted or waymarked, but many of them aren’t, and may require careful route-finding. This guidebook contains extracts from the excellent Editorial Alpina 1:25,000-scale maps, which cover the entire Serra de Tramuntana. The Editorial Alpina maps are far and away the best and most popular maps for exploring the mountains, and are widely available around Mallorca. For details see www.editorialalpina.com.
Maps can be ordered in advance from British suppliers such as Stanfords (www.stanfords.co.uk) or The Map Shop (www.themapshop.co.uk).
Path conditions
For the most part, clear paths and tracks are followed, sometimes cut through solid rock and often built laboriously by hand. Some of the paths were engineered as zigzagging mule tracks from village to village, and these are often quite plain and obvious to follow. Others were made to exploit woodlands for charcoal, so they tend to fan out among dense woodlands, with many spurs reaching dead-ends. On these tracks it is necessary to pay careful attention to maps and route descriptions, confirming your location at every junction before making the next move. Even when the signposting and waymarking is good, remember that markers can go missing.
Conditions underfoot range from bare rock to stone-paved paths. However, there are also some uncomfortably stony stretches, and some paths are deeply eroded. Leaf-mould can obscure uneven surfaces, so tread carefully. Some mountainsides are covered in huge grassy tussocks of càrritx. Walkers quickly learn to high-step through càrritx, because stepping onto the tough fronds can cause the other foot to be caught as it is swung forward!
Many routes in the mountains – including Walk 32 – involve exposed rocky scrambles
The route could be in the Torrent de la Vall d’en Marc after rain (Walk 44)
Guided walking
Various companies and individuals offer guided walks in Mallorca. While this guidebook gives all the information you need to complete a variety of walks, some readers might be discouraged by some of the tougher routes involving intricate or exposed scrambling on rock (see route descriptions to get an idea of the potential challenges involved; Walks 36 and 47 may be prime candidates). For these routes it could be worth seeking an experienced local guide who specialises in individuals or small groups. Some hotels will put guests in touch with walking guides and companies that they have dealt with in the past and tourist offices will have some useful contacts. There are opportunities to join guided walking groups, and these may be advertised in tourist resorts. Tramuntana Tours, tel 971 632423, www.tramuntanatours.com, offers a variety of walks that anyone can join. Jaume Tort, www.camins-mallorca.info, guides individuals and groups, and having done all the research for the Editorial Alpina maps of Mallorca, his knowledge of the mountains is extensive.
Emergencies
Until 1995 there was only a voluntary mountain rescue service on Mallorca, but now there are two professional teams: one from the fire service or Bomberos (tel 080 or 112) and the other from the Guardia Civil (tel 062 or 112). There are three police forces: the Policía Local wear blue uniforms and are attached to local municipalities; the Policía Nacional wear brown uniforms; and the Guardia Civil wear green uniforms and are often seen in rural areas. All three police forces may be called upon in an emergency, tel 112.
Mountain rescue is free of charge and unfortunately has been kept very busy. However, getting a message out in an emergency is not always easy. Mobile phones and GPS units may not get a good signal in some places, and time lost trying to get a signal can be crucial.
Carry a first aid kit to deal with the usual cuts, scrapes and blisters. For other health issues there are pharmacies in the towns and most villages. If any regular medication is needed, include it in your pack. If a doctor or a trip to a hospital is required, an insurance policy might help to offset the cost of certain treatments. Some insurance policies may class walking in the mountains of Mallorca as a hazardous pursuit, in which case you might not be covered. Others, such as the BMC (www.thebmc.co.uk/insurance), are more likely to class it as ordinary walking.
Best of all, walk safely and avoid suffering any injuries.
Using this guide
The rugged coast from Torre de Lluc to Morro de sa Vaca (Walk 42)
The overhanging peak of el Fumat towers above Cala Figuera (Walk 49)
This guidebook offers all the information you need to organise a successful walk in the mountains, whether the route is waymarked or not. The routes may be adapted and amended, bearing in mind any alternatives that are suggested. Many of the routes link with, or run concurrent with other routes, allowing for significant variation.
If using public transport to reach a route and depart afterwards, be sure to check current bus and train timetables online, or obtain them from the Estació Intermodal in Palma. If you have timetables to hand, then you can refer to them easily. If you don’t have them, then you risk missing a bus by a matter of minutes and might discover that the next one will not arrive for several hours, or even a couple of days! If a taxi is likely to be needed, be sure to get a local taxi number in advance. At the last minute, bars and restaurants usually have the numbers for local taxis.
Read the walk descriptions in advance to see where refreshments are located, and be sure to buy provisions to cover for long walks that lack refreshment options.
An information box at the beginning of each route provides the essentials for the day’s walk: start and finish points, distance covered, total ascent and descent, the length of time it’s likely to take to complete the route, the title of the sheet map you should carry with you, refreshment options, and details of public transport. The nature of the terrain is always described, so that you know which routes involve open mountainside, which are in dense forest, which are on rugged paths and which run along gentle tracks. Some routes involve hands-on scrambling, agility and a head for heights; any potential difficulties or challenges are highlighted in the walk information boxes.
In the route description, significant places or features along the way that also appear on the map extracts are highlighted in bold to aid navigation. As well as the route being described in detail, information about local places is provided in brief.
Many things are likely to influence the time it takes to complete a day’s walk. The timings given in this guidebook are walking times, and do not account for breaks along the way. If you keep beating the stated times, you probably always will, and you can plan ahead on that basis. If you fall behind the stated times, then work out by how much, and apply that to future routes.
If stuck for words, needing a handy phrase, wondering what an item of food is on a menu, or just idly curious about the meaning of some of the placenames on maps, check the glossary in Appendix A – which includes a topgraphical glossary containing terms used within route descriptions. Detailed information about public transport, including which buses can be used for which walks, is given in Appendix B. Useful contacts are listed in Appendix C.
GPX tracks
GPX tracks for the routes in this guidebook are available to download free at www.cicerone.co.uk/949/GPX. A GPS device is an excellent aid to navigation, but you should also carry a map and compass and know how to use them.
