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WALK 7

Puig de Galatzó from Boal de ses Serveres

Start/Finish	Km97 on the Ma-10 road above Estellencs
Distance	10.5km (6½ miles)
Total ascent/descent	850m (2790ft)
Time	4hrs 30mins
Terrain	Good 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	None
Transport	None closer than Estellencs: the extra road-walking there-and-back amounts to just over 5km (3 miles). Using the signposted GR221 from Estellencs to Km97 adds 9km (5½ miles) there-and-back, although there are ways of short-cutting the distance. Limited roadside parking at Km97 (although, of course, walkers without cars don’t need to return to their starting point and may use other routes to descend).

Galatzó is most often climbed from an interesting recreational area at Boal de ses Serveres in the public estate of Son Fortuny, above Estellencs. A combination of paths allows a ‘sort of’ circular walk, but there is really only one way up and down the steep, rocky, upper part of the mountain, and this is used in common with Walk 8 and Walk 9. Views from the summit are exceptional and wide-ranging.

From Km97, where there is a mapboard and signpost at around 300m (985ft), walk up a dirt road onto a wooded slope. Pass a chain barrier and keep climbing, noting the mock paving underfoot while turning a bend. Reach a three-way signpost and turn left. Walk 6 turns right here. After an easy stretch, the track climbs again to reach a picnic area at Boal de ses Serveres. There is a signpost here, as well as sitges and a carboner hut, all around 410m (1345ft). Take the time to spot a path behind the hut that will be used during the descent later in the day.

Follow the track through a gateway and keep right at a junction as marked by a post. Left leads to a tiny refugi building. Pass some enormous boulders, then a short spur to the left leads only to a viewpoint. The path descends in bends, which is disconcerting for an ascent route, but this is the correct way, and there are more enormous boulders. Reach a sitja and a signpost, but avoid a path heading downhill. The path climbs, then descends gently to 390m (1280ft), where it crosses a valley at another signpost. Again, avoid a path heading downhill.

The path mostly rises gently around the wooded slopes of Puig Babaiós, passing another signpost. Watch out for a clearing on the left, where there is a view down to Son Fortuny and Estellencs. Back in the woods, climb past a small ruin and pass several piles of rotting chopped logs where the woodland has been partially cleared.

Reach a three-way signpost and keep right to climb further. The other path passes Font de Dalt, and after 2.75km (1¾ miles) links with Walk 11 to Puigpunyent. The path climbs, passing a marker post beside a sitja, then another sitja has a signpost where there is a pronounced right turn. Zigzag uphill and eventually the trees thin out and the path crosses a slope of scrub bushes and càrritx. A three-way signpost is reached at the Pas de na Sabatera, around 720m (2360ft).

The three paths meeting at this point all come and go through small clefts in the rock. Turn left to follow a path up through one of these clefts, then climb as the path bends one way and another on the rugged slope. It eventually levels out for a short way, reaching the concrete base of a demolished hut, where there is a signpost around 820m (2690ft). Pause to enjoy the fine view, then turn right to keep climbing. The other path is used by Walk 8, from Font des Pi and Galilea.

The climb is steep and rugged, and occasionally involves scrambling up bare rock. Take care as height is gained, as there is a lot more rock, and some of the scrambling routes are best avoided in favour of easier and less exposed ones. Simply by climbing ever-upwards, the summit trig point on Puig de Galatzó is reached at 1027m (3369ft), and views are remarkably extensive.