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WALK 5

Mola de s’Esclop from es Capdellà

Start/Finish	Plaça de Bernat Calvet, es Capdellà
Distance	19km (12 miles)
Total ascent/descent	810m (2660ft)
Time	6hrs
Terrain	Good roads, tracks and paths on the lower slopes, but steep and rocky higher on the mountain, with short scrambles on bare rock
Map	Alpina Tramuntana Sud
Refreshment	Bars and restaurants at es Capdellà, drinks machine at Finca Galatzó
Transport	Buses serve es Capdellà from Palma and Calvià

Mola de s’Esclop can be climbed from es Capdellà via the interesting and scenic public estate of Finca Galatzó. The estate used to be private, but has been public since 2006. A long, but fairly easy ascent through a valley becomes more difficult as height is gained on the higher parts of the mountain. Alternative descents are available after enjoying wonderfully extensive views.

The name of es Capdellà derives from ‘es cap d’allà’, meaning ‘the very end’. Start at a crossroads at Plaça de Bernat Calvet, around 130m (425ft). Follow Carrer de Galatzó, which is signposted for the Finca Pública Galatzó. A mapboard and signpost are passed at a junction with Camí del Graner del Delme. The road later becomes a track passing almond groves, olive groves and small farms, reaching a gateway on a gentle, wooded gap beside Puig Matós.

A track leads gently down into a marvellous valley, full of fertile red earth, flanked by the towering peaks of Mola de s’Esclop and Puig de Galatzó. Stay on the main track to reach the Finca Galatzó, where a huge old building, dating from the 13th century, features a courtyard, chapel, oil press and several outbuildings. It has been open to the public since 2006.

The Consell de Mallorca charge a ‘tourist tax’ on visitors, which for some time was used for the purchase of private estates, on the rare occasions they came onto the market. These estates were then opened to the public. Some of the more important ones in the Serra de Tramuntana include the Finca Galatzó, Sa Coma d’en Vidal, Son Fortuny, Planícia, Son Moragues, Cúber and Menut.

Keep to the right of the main building to pass beneath an arcade and follow a walled track, which continues through almond groves. Keep to the main track at all times, which means turning right at a junction, as signposted for ses Sínies. The track drops gently into a sparsely forested valley, passing fan palms. Go through a stone gateway and pass two limekilns – one small and one large – both to the left. Wander gently up through the valley alongside the Torrent de Galatzó.

An easy valley track leads through the Finca Galatzó to the mountains

Watch out for a sitja, carboner hut and limekiln on the right. A picnic site is located in the shade of pine trees later, with a reconstructed sitja and carboner huts. Keep following the track to approach Pou de ses Sínies. There is a junction of tracks just before the pou, or well.

Turn right, then decide whether to make a short detour to the archaeological site of Naveta de ses Sinies. Later, avoid a turning to the right, then watch for a marker post and follow a path cut through càrritx, winding up a rugged slope and passing above an old trough. Also watch out for a well at Font des Poll, hidden on the other side of the path.

A steep and rugged climb includes views of Puig de Galatzó for a while, and some parts of the path feature old cobbles and stone buttressing. There is a view back to the sea at a higher level, and the path climbs past a sitja and passes an occasional pine tree. Climb past another sitja at a higher level, noting how the course of the old path has been cleared in preference to any other trodden line. Always keep sight of the path, noting another sitja to the right, climbing to a signposted junction. Walk 9 heads right for Puig de Galatzó.

Follow the main path further uphill, eventually reaching a gap at 652m (2139ft) beside Serra des Pinotells. Don’t cross a stile over a wall, but turn left instead. Walk 6 crosses the stile, and could be used for the descent later. The path climbs, but occasionally has burnt trees lying across it. A ruin lies to the left and an era, or circular threshing floor, is crossed at Era des Coll.

The path continues across a rugged slope covered in càrritx, with the rocky hump of es Castellet rising to the right. A path junction is reached beside a low, tumbled wall on a broad, gentle gap. Left leads directly to the summit of s’Esclop, but it is worth turning right and stepping across the wall instead.

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 reach the ruins of Caseta de la Mola, which features another era and old terraces at 844m. Turning right reveals a path descending to Ses Fontanelles, used on Walk 4. Keep left, or straight ahead, 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; 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 the rocky hump of es Castellet. Don’t go all the way to it, but reach a vague path junction and turn right for Era des Coll. Simply retrace steps back to the Finca Galatzó and es Capdellà to finish.