Mountain Walking in Mallorca

50 routes in Mallorca's Tramuntana

By Paddy Dillon

ISBN

9781852849498

Availability

Published

10 May 2018

Edition

First

Pages

288

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.60cm

Weight

320g

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Guidebook describing 50 full and half-day walks in Mallorca's mountainous northwest. Ranging from 5.5km to 24km, the routes showcase the outstanding natural beauty and mountain heritage of the Serra de Tramuntana. Potential bases include Pollença, Sóller, Valldemossa and Andratx, and most walks are accessible by public transport.

Seasons

The best and most colourful season is spring, before the summer heat makes walking difficult. Autumn is usually fine, while winter is possible, but wetter, with snowfall possible on the highest mountains.

Centres

Port d'Andratx, Sant Elm, es Capdellà, Calvià, Puigpunyent, Estellencs, Banyalbufar, Esporles, Valldemossa, Deià, Sóller, Bunyola, Alaró, Caimari, Lluc, Pollença, Port de Pollença, Alcúdia

Difficulty

The mountains of Mallorca feature some very rough and rocky terrain, and at times it is necessary to walk slowly and carefully, and be prepared to use hands to scramble. Ropes are useful in places such as the Torrent de Pareis, but care is needed on all walks.

Must See

Outstanding limestone scenery and coastal vistas, the island of sa Dragonera, Torrent de Pareis gorge, lofty peaks, ancient paths, drystone heritage, wildflowers and birdwatching

ISBN

9781852849498

Availability

Published

10 May 2018

Edition

First

Pages

288

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.60cm

Weight

320g

Overview

This guidebook presents 50 half-day and day walks in Mallorca's Serra de Tramuntana, the striking limestone range that stretches along the northwestern flank of the island. Whilst the region promises breathtaking scenery and some fantastic walks, there is also some potentially challenging terrain, making guidance when choosing, planning and walking the routes all the more valuable. As many involve steep ground, navigational challenge and hands-on scrambling, these routes are primarily geared towards those with some experience of mountain walking.

Comprehensive route description is illustrated with 1:25,000 Alpina mapping and each walk includes a statistics box to aid route selection. Useful contacts are listed in the appendix. There is also background information on history, plants and wildlife, plus language notes in native Catalan and Castilian Spanish. The routes are spread across the Serra de Tramuntana, with characterful towns and villages such as Sóller, Deià, Fornalutx, Valldemossa and Pollença serving as potential bases for a walking holiday.

Ranging from 5.5km to 24km, the carefully selected routes showcase the region's rugged limestone peaks, mountain and coastal vistas and rich mountain heritage manifested in numerous drystone constructions, charcoal-burning sites and irrigation systems. Highlights include the lush island of sa Dragonera and the dramatic gorge of Torrent de Pareis. The majority of walks are accessible by public transport and many can be linked, opening up further possibilities for exploration.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Overview map

Map key

Route summary table

Introduction

Serra de Tramuntana

Brief history of Mallorca

Mountain heritage

Wildlife

Travel to Mallorca

Travel around Mallorca

When to go

Mountain weather

Accommodation

Language

Money

Food and drink

Kit check

Mountain maps

Path conditions

Guided walking

Emergencies

Using this guide

Sant Elm, es Capdellà, Calvià, Galilea and Puigpunyent

Walk 1 sa Dragonera

Walk 2 Port d’Andratx and Pintal Vermell

Walk 3 Sant Elm, La Trapa and s’Arracó

Walk 4 Mola de s’Esclop from Ses Fontanelles

Walk 5 Mola de s’Esclop from es Capdellà

Walk 6 Mola de s’Esclop from Boal de ses Serveres

Walk 7 Puig de Galatzó from Boal de ses Serveres

Walk 8 Puig de Galatzó from Font des Pi

Walk 9 Puig de Galatzó from es Capdellà

Walk 10 Calvià to Galilea and Puigpunyent

Walk 11 Camí Vell d’Estellencs and Camí de Superna

Banyalbufar, Esporles, Valldemossa and Deià

Walk 12 Banyalbufar and Mola de Planícia

Walk 13 Banyalbufar, Port des Canonge and Esporles

Walk 14 Esporles to Valldemossa

Walk 15 Valldemossa and Talaia Vella

Walk 16 Valldemossa, Puig des Teix and Camí de s’Arxiduc

Walk 17 Valldemossa to Deià

Walk 18 Deià coastal walk

Sóller, Port de Sóller, Fornalutx and Biniaraix

Walk 19 Camí des Rost and Camí de Castelló

Walk 20 Sóller, Fornalutx and Mirador de ses Barques

Walk 21 Mirador de ses Barques to Cala Tuent

Walk 22 Port de Sóller and Puig de Bàlitx

Walk 23 Serra d’Alfàbia and Cornador Gran

Walk 24 Fornalutx, Monnàber and Portell de sa Costa

Walk 25 Penyal des Migdia

Bunyola, Orient, Alaró and Santa Maria

Walk 26 Puig de s’Alqueria from Bunyola

Walk 27 Bunyola and Penyal d’Honor

Walk 28 Vall de Coanegra and Santa Maria

Walk 29 Alaró, Orient and Puig d’Alaró

Walk 30 Serra d’Alfàbia from Orient

Cúber and Tossals Verds

Walk 31 sa Rateta, na Franquesa and Puig de l’Ofre

Walk 32 Cúber, Pas Llis and Tossals Verds

Walk 33 Puig des Tossals Verds and Morro d’Almallutx

Walk 34 Cúber, Tossals Verds, Solleric and Alaró

Walk 35 Cúber, Puig de Massanella and Lluc

Santuari de Lluc, Escorca and Caimari

Walk 36 Torrent de Pareis

Walk 37 Puig de Massanella from Coll de sa Batalla

Walk 38 Puig d’en Galileu from Lluc

Walk 39 Caimari and Puig de n’Ali

Walk 40 Caimari, Camí Vell and ses Figueroles

Walk 41 Puig Tomir from Lluc

Walk 42 Mossa, Puig Roig and Lluc

Walk 43 Lluc, Binifaldó and Menut

Pollença, Formentor and Alcúdia

Walk 44 Lluc to Pollença

Walk 45 Mortitx and Rafal d’Ariant

Walk 46 Pollença and Puig de Maria

Walk 47 Serra del Cavall Bernat

Walk 48 Formentor and na Blanca

Walk 49 el Fumat and Cala Murta

Walk 50 Penya des Migdia and Talaia d’Alcúdia

Appendix A Glossary

Appendix B Public transport

Appendix C Useful contacts

Maps

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).

Updates

May 2023

Walk 26

The recent strengthening of locked gates on the descent makes it difficult to complete this route as a circuit. The best thing is to treat it as a there-and-back ascent and descent of Puig de s'Alqueria. This has no effect on the route statistics as the distance, ascent/descent and time for completion remain the same.

April 2023

Storm Juliette - closed routes

The mountains of Mallorca were severely affected by Storm Juliette early in 2023, which dumped over 3 metres of snow in some places. The weight of snow uprooted some trees and broke the branches off many more trees, causing the complete closure of some walking routes. The island council sent over 100 workers into the mountains to clear the 'official' signposted and waymarked trails, and many volunteers also assisted. However, paths on some private estates remain closed, and while a few of these might be cleared by volunteers in the future, it is likely that some will remain permanently closed. The following routes in the book are still closed at some point, generally in wooded areas above 400m. Please avoid them unless you hear that they have been reopened.

Walk 12 The higher parts of Mola de Planícia

Walk 23 The ascent from Sóller to Serra d'Alfàbia

Walk 24 Through the Bosc de Monnàber and the descent from Portell de sa Costa

Walk 30 The ascent from Orient to Serra d'Alfàbia

Walk 38 The ascent from Coll de sa Batalla through Pas de sa Rebollada

Walk 39 The ascent of Puig de n'Ali

Walk 40 Paths between Coll de sa Batalla and Binibona are very badly affected

Walk 41 Paths between Alcanella and Coll des Pedregaret are very badly affected

Walk 43 Path at es Pixarells is very badly affected

April 2022

Walk 21

The country house of Bàlitx d'Enmig is under new ownership. Abundant notices point out that walkers should no longer pass the house. A new signposted and waymarked route offers a diversion. Before reaching Font de Bàlitx, the route now runs through olive groves above Bàlitx d'Enmig, offering better views than previously, and soon descends to rejoin the original route. See the map extract and follow the new route indicated in green between A and B. Do not follow the former route.

March 2022

Walk 22 - Port de Sóller and Puig de Bàlitx

Following a change in ownership in 2021, access to Puig de Bàlitx has been closed. The paths described on the circuit have been fenced off and a gate now bars entry to the cave of Cova des Migdia. While local walkers have already cut holes in the fences, it is best for visiting walkers to avoid this walk.

Reviews

Top marks for listening!

This guide is a massive improvement over Paddy Dillon's previous guide because the route maps are full scale 1:25000, and (best of all) there are GPX tracks to download. This will save me many hours of work (and guesswork) in preparation for my trip. I did once suggest that Paddy should start including GPX tracks with his guides, so top marks for listening!

Clive S, by email

Perfect for anyone looking to combine sun, sea and mountains.

Perhaps best known for its beach holidays, Mallorca is starting to attract more and more people in search of warm weather hiking with fantastic island views. The mountains of the north offer solitude and spectacular views in equal measure, and Cicerone author Paddy Dillon has detailed some of the region's best routes in Mountain Walking in Mallorca. Inside the book, you'll find details of 50 walks that crisscross the island's major massif, the Serra de Tramuntana, taking in high ridges, gorges and the lower slopes. The routes, aimed at experienced walkers, are perfect for anyone looking to combine sun, sea and mountains.

Adventure Travel magazine

Downloads

Mountain Walking in Mallorca - GPX File

Paddy Dillon

Paddy Dillon is a prolific walker and guidebook writer, with over 100 guidebooks to his name and contributions to 40 other titles. He has written for several outdoor magazines and other publications and has appeared on radio and television.Paddy uses a tablet computer to write as he walks. His descriptions are therefore precise, having been written at the very point at which the reader uses them.Paddy is an indefatigable long-distance walker who has walked all of Britain's National Trails and several European trails. He has also walked in Nepal, Tibet, Korea and the Rocky Mountains of Canada and the US. Paddy is a member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild and President of the Backpackers Club.

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