Walking in Mallorca - A Walker's Guide

The 80 varied walking routes in this guidebook are around the island of Mallorca, mainly in the rugged Serra de Tramuntana. Enables walkers to explore the island’s diverse terrain – from rugged mountains to remote valleys and breathtaking cliff coastlines.

General Background

The Balearic Islands, or Illes Balears, lie in the Mediterranean, between Barcelona on the coast of mainland Spain and Algiers on the North African coast. This favoured position is responsible for the sunny, temperate climate attractive to both sun-lovers and walkers, and it is worth pointing out right from the start that temperatures in July and August, which may be ideal for sunbathing, are far too hot for any serious walking by most people. These months are best avoided, and the recommended ‘season’ for walkers is from the beginning of September to the end of May.

Mallorca is the largest of the islands and has long been well known as a paradise for sun-worshippers. That it is also a paradise for discerning walkers has now been discovered by those who enjoy the attractive and varied scenery, the equable climate, and opportunities for walking in quiet places where other people rarely go. Add to this the extensive Mediterranean flora, the spring migration of birds and the potential for photography, and it is hard to understand why Mallorca was neglected as a walking area for so long. That this is no longer the case is witnessed by the increasing number of walkers on popular routes. However, it is still possible to walk in quiet areas, especially in winter.

The main mountain chain in Mallorca is the Serra de Tramuntana, which lies along the northern coast and reaches heights of over 1000m in many places, culminating in Puig Major at 1436m. The Serra de Llevant in the east, although only topping the 500m contour, also offers walks of surprising length and quality, having the same sort of high mountain characteristics as the Serra de Tramuntana. Many of the mountain tops are almost bare of vegetation and the hard, rough limestone gives excellent walking and scrambling, with loose rock being extremely rare. There is a varied flora, including dense evergreen forests, maquis and garriga in the arid zones, sub-alpine flora on the approach to the peaks, and an enormous number of beautiful flowering shrubs that give an extra dimension to many walks.

The small size of the island means that almost every walk is enhanced by views of the coastline and the sea. The sea varies in colour from the palest greens and blues to incredible dark ultramarine and purple, often with small bays of white sand between steep cliffs that plunge dramatically into the water. In fact the coastal walks vie in attraction with the inland mountains, and although they may not reach any great height, often go through very wild and uninhabited country.

Many of the walks in this guidebook go through pathless and rough areas where some experience of route finding is needed. Some make use of excellent tracks and paths that are very easy to follow, most of which are a legacy of the past, having been made by those who worked in the now defunct rural industries of snow collecting and charcoal manufacture. Some of these paths are neglected, overgrown and difficult to find, but some have been repaired and waymarked.

Maps are not entirely reliable in the matter of footpaths, and while some routes have been signposted and maintained by the Department de Natura i Medi Ambient and local councils, many are marked only by small cairns or paint marks. Care is required if using maps to plan your own walks – steep cliffs or very complex ground can be encountered and maps give little or no indication of this.

Scope of this guide

This book is written for the experienced mountain walker who is used to walking in mountains like the British ones in all seasons. It is not comprehensive, but provides a selection of walks of all degrees of difficulty, and should enable those limited to a short holiday to make the best use of their time.

Circular walks have been described whenever possible, but sometimes it is necessary to return the same way to the starting point.

Most of the walks depend on the use of a hired car, but Mallorca does have an excellent public transport system too. Some walks can be done directly from Cala de Sant Vicenç, Pollença, Port de Pollença, Sóller, Port de Sóller, Valldemossa, Esporles, Banyalbufar, Andratx and even Palma.

Accommodation and Travel

Although the development of the tourist industry in recent years has led to the spread of large concrete jungles, these are in the main confined to the coast around the bay of Palma, from Peguera to S’Arenal. There is no need to stay in this area, as there is plenty of accommodation throughout Mallorca in places that remain comparatively unspoilt.

The resorts that are the best centres for walking are described later (see Choice of Base). There are certain advantages to staying in Palma, the capital, including an excellent network of roads in every direction, and an equally excellent public transport system, provided you are based near the centre.

One advantage of the tourist development of the island is that a number of tour operators offer package holidays throughout the year, with the effect of keeping prices down to a reasonable level. By far the cheapest way to get there is to take advantage of any special offers that include the use of a car at a reduced rate. These offers may only apply to the winter, but then that is the best time to go for a walking holiday.

It is of course possible to book a ‘flight only’ deal and find your own accommodation independently. On the whole it works out more expensive to book into a hotel this way, but less expensive to take an apartment. There are an enormous number of apartment blocks, and some smaller ones often belonging to small bars and restaurants. It is easier to arrange this sort of holiday on a second visit when you know your way around, and also if you can speak the language.

English is always spoken in larger hotels, but by no means always in smaller places where cheaper accommodation is more likely to be found. Remember that many hotels close in winter, although those that do open are rarely full. The exception to this is Christmas, New Year and Easter, when booking ahead is always advisable. Those who are able to take advantage of a long-stay winter holiday can obtain extremely good rates for stays of up to four months. The best of these offers are usually from November to March, if you can get away for that length of time. There is a regular ferry service from Barcelona to Palma, which may be worth considering for a long winter stay, but the costs of two ferries plus overnight stays on route make this quite an expensive option.

There is no useful campsite on Mallorca, though there is a basic site in the mountains at Lluc. Those wishing to camp or bivvy in the mountains should ask permission at the nearest farm. In many areas there is a prohibition against lighting fires because of the risk of dry vegetation catching fire. Many walks can be done easily from a base in a small town or village, and longer two- or three-day backpacking walks can easily be devised.

A popular annual event is organised by walking clubs on the island, in which a large number of walkers set out on a three-day walk through the Serra de Tramuntana. The route is different each year, but always very tough, and only a small number complete the whole course.

Note For more information on accommodation and travel, see Appendix 2, which is an alphabetical reference section giving details of accommodation, public transport, car hire, and so on.