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WALK 4

Mola de s’Esclop from Ses Fontanelles

Start/Finish	Ses Fontanelles
Distance	9km (5½ miles)
Total ascent/descent	770m (2525ft)
Time	4hrs
Terrain	Good tracks at first, then rugged paths are sometimes vague. The higher parts of the mountain involve short scrambles on bare rock.
Map	Alpina Tramuntana Sud
Refreshment	Basic refreshment at Ses Fontanelles
Transport	None

The rugged mountain of s’Esclop can be approached from a number of directions, and the route from Ses Fontanelles is handy because it starts at a private refuge. The way is rugged and seems longer than it actually is, then the summit offers wide-ranging views. If there is no need to return to Ses Fontanelles, then descents can be made towards Estellencs or es Capdellà.

Leave Ses Fontanelles, at 280m (920ft), following a track as signposted up to a path. Walk up the forested valley of Coma des Cellers and keep left at a higher level to follow another track. Just before the track reaches a gate, switch to a narrow, rugged, cairned path, swinging left as it climbs, with views back to Pla de s’Evangèlica. Watch carefully to spot where the path exploits a breach in the cliffs at Pas Gran, around 450m (1475ft), crossing an old fence. Keep watching for small cairns all the way up a rocky slope dotted with pines, bushes and scrub.

Looking back while climbing a rocky slope at Pas Gran

The rather vague path crosses a metal ladder stile over a fence, almost touching 610m (2000ft) before descending through an area with more pines and dense càrritx. A house might be noticed uphill at ses Alquerioles, but keep watching for the cairned path, rising to cross another metal ladder stile. Turn right and pass between an old well and a ruin.

Climb, but pay great attention to the route, which is vague in places. It rises across old terraces, where burnt and fallen trees often obscure the way. In 2013 a forest fire caused extensive damage in this area.

It is important to spot a rocky cleft in a cliff at Pas d’en Ponsa, which is awkwardly clogged with burnt and fallen trees. Once through, it is tempting to follow a trodden path onwards, but it leads downhill, so turn right and climb, watching for more small cairns. These show the way up another rocky slope dotted with pines. Views open up wonderfully, with the watchtower of sa Torre Nova seen far below.

Keep climbing to reach a prominent fan palm. Just beyond it is an area of short-cropped grass, with a circular era, or threshing floor, situated between the tumbled ruins of Caseta de la Mola and old terraces at 844m (2769ft).

Turn right to follow a path across terraces beneath a cliff. Turn left and tackle some mild scrambling to gain the crest of Mola de s’Esclop. Turn either right or left. Right leads quickly to a ruined building that once served as an observatory. Readings were taken to measure the Paris Meridian. Left leads to the summit trig point at 928m (3045ft). Splendid views stretch in all directions, with the neighbouring peak of Puig de Galatzó featuring particularly well.

Descend very roughly north-east from the trig point, watching carefully for the path across bare rock, aiming for a rocky hump called es Castellet. Don’t go all the way to it, but reach a vague path junction and turn sharp left. Continuing straight ahead allows Walk 5 or Walk 6 to be used as alternative descents.

After turning left, cross a low, tumbled wall on a broad, gentle gap. Follow the path as it traverses a slope, passing above a rocky chasm above Font des Quer. Take care not to follow a path downhill. Climb past old terraces to return to the ruins of Caseta de la Mola. From this point, it is a matter of retracing steps carefully to return to Ses Fontanelles.