Sunflower Books: Landscapes of MALLORCA: WALKS AND CAR TOURS

Mallorca, 6th ed (2006), updated 22/06/08

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Updates for walks and car tours (drives) on Mallorca given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book and want to "upgrade" to the latest edition at half price, click here.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably in hard copy, by post, to Sunflower Books, PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU (or if you prefer, by e-mail, to mail@sunflowerbooks.co.uk).

Overnight accommodation
In case you want to stay at a monastery, etc, here are the telephone numbers:
Lluc: 971-871525
San Salvador: 971 827282
Monti-Sion: 971 647185
Cura: 971 120260
Puig de María: 971 184132
Ermita de Bonany: 971 561101
Ermita on the Puig St Miquel: 971 646314
Castell d'Alaró: 971 510480
Tossals Verds: 971 182027

Monastery/refuge accommodation: Castel d'Alaró now has five new 4-bedded bunk rooms with radiator (12 euros). Take your own sleeping bag; blanket and pillow provided. Cold rainwater only (take sterilizing tablets); NO showers. Bar/meals available in common/dining room by fire. Refugi La Muleta by Soller lighthouse is the same as Tossals Verds, but only one large mixed dorm (so snorers, please give this a miss!). Only walkers and cyclists are accepted. Warm, comfortable, showers, meals available. Usually 3 nights maximum stay (10 euros). On Saturdays usually booked in advance by locals. Sheet hire extra, or take your own. (User, 12/05) New refuge "Can Boi" opened in Deia June 2006. Same as Tossals Verds and Muleta. 2 dorms with 18 and 12 beds. For all 3 ring government department Mon-Fri between 9am and 2pm. 971 173 700/731. Website www.conselldemallorca.net (but English version not up to date - manage in Catalan or Castellano if poss!) (User, 12/06)

Walk 2: This is a really good walk, but I think it ascends more than 350m. The route between Sa Trapa and Ses Basses is common to both Walks 1 and 2, but the time given is different. - ie on walk 1 it is given as lh10min (from lh05min to 2h15min). On walk 2 it is given as 50min (from 1h55min to 2h45min). I think Walk 1 gives the correct timing, and for Walk 2 the timing for Ses Basses should be 3h05min, which will affect all the following timings. The junction 5min after Ses Basses is marked by an easily missed cairn tucked under a rock face on the left-hand side of the path, next to a red arrow. At the end of the walk and after crossing the coll (end of page 63) there is a cairn after 5min, but the path appears to ascend, however 10 min from the col there is a sharp right turn which appears to be correct and which we used but which has NO cairn. (User, 4/07)

Walk 5: We went Lluc - Col de sa Bataia - Comafreda - Coll d'es Prat - ridge and Galileu, then DOWN the Voltes to the Ma-10 and back to Lluc - a satisfying round. The new section also makes possible a variation from the Coll d'es Prat on the way to Lluc (Walk 22), as the route is signposted and waymarked across from the wall at the Coll d'es Prat. (User, 5.07)

Walk 12: At the 2h30min+ stage ("Return to the Pas de Ses Cases de Neu") it was impossible to find the long rocky ridge. We spent some time looking for the cairns with no success. (User, 1/08) Editor: Has anyone else had a problem here? + Walked this 04/08 and found no problem with "return to Pas de sas Casas de Neu at 2h30m". You can not miss the ridge ahead. Just go straight across the path at the col and continue in the same direction. Cairns are a bit intermittent but it is afier all a ndge albeit a broad and easy one simply stay on top of it, circumventing any obvious outcrops encountered en route. I think a better, if more costly, route to go, clockwise, Lluch-Coma Freda - Col d'es Prat - Casa de Neu - top of ridge - along to Pas de Casas de Neu, up & down Gal ileu, and DOWN Ses Voltes to Liuch. (User, 5/08)

Walk 16: At the 3 hour stage the bridge and the plank were both washed away in Dec 2007. There was so much rushing water to traverse that we decided to omit Es Cornados. (User, 1/08)

Walk 23: The time given on page 111 for the right turn to Comaf reda should be 5min and not l5min. (User, 4/07) + At the start: note that the road bridge near the petrol station at the Col de sa Bataia has a parapet on the left side which is only knee-high and has two gaps in it. As walkers would be on the left, facing oncoming traffic, any false step sideways could cause a serious accident, as there is a drop of about 15ft to the boulders in the river. (User, 04/08)

Walk 25, Alternative: The end of the walk has been vastly improved. Instead of following the main road (C710) and being alert for traffic there is now a signposted footpath which runs parallel with the road at first and then via an old pilgrim path directly to the monastery without walking on the road at all. The route is well signed as part of the GR 221 (User, 8/07). + You can learn more about the GR 221 (the 'Drystone Route') by downloading the 2-sheet brochure published by The Consell de Mallorca at www.conselldemallorca.net/mediambient/pedra/senderisme.php?idioma=ing&opcio=2 (Sunflower)

Walk 26: Yippee! From Las Creus (4h40min) it is no longer necessary to walk along the road, thanks to the Programme for Footpaths in Mallorca, which is reclaiming the old Lluc road for walkers. When you reach the Ma-10 at K5.3, cross the bridge and immediately take the waymarked track to the right, away from the road, between the road and the Torrent de la Vall d'en March. Cross a small footbridge and continue the leafy rural walking you were enjoying before. To the right there are fine views to the Cuculla de Fartarix across the river, until you briefly encounter the road again (at K4.9). Here a new sign point you down the Cami de Can towards Llobera a la Torreta. The way soon asserts itself as the GR221, which stays on the left bank of the torrent. A stile on the left gives access to a short stretch of track that runs along the top of a broad stone wall, before regaining the riverside. A curious wooden ladder has to be negotiated en route, before you meet the Ma-10 again near some stepping stones (at K3.9), opposite the gates of Can Serra with its imposing avenue of plane trees. From here the track goes alongside the river, still separated from the road, with fine views to the Penya del Migdia. At the moment this track stops at K3.5, where a stile takes you back onto the road opposite Ca na Borrassa, but they are working on the next stretch. For the moment the path goes alongside the Ma-10, but separated from it , until K3.1, leaving only 300m of road-walking until the turn-off at K2.8. This 300m also now has signs alerting motorists to walkers! (See also Walk 25, Alternative, above) + As well as the welcome, road-avoiding, changes which I reported last year (see above), a new refuge has opened. It is the Refugi Ponte Romano, situated (obviously) near the Roman Bridge as you enter Pollensa. It looks brand new, with a gleaming glass frontage, and we had a quick look inside to see a pleasant reception area and kitchen. It appeared to have all services and is obviously better placed for Pollensa town than the one on top of Puig Maria. (User, 5/08)

Walk 28: The parking place at the start is easily acessed from the new road that is now partially open. It is directly right off the roundabout that is on the line of the walk. (User, 6/08)

Walk 30: We found the turn off at 2h10min now clearly marked by post and the path is easy to follow and well signed all the way back to the Ermita. (User, 6/08)

Walk 31: The very poorly surfaced road is now resurfaced to the entrance just past the agroturismo, making it a more pleasant drive. A one way system has been set up round the loop beyond the entrance, takinging you right, therefore parking is just round the headland to the left on reaching the bay. Unfortunately when were there 10 June the road had a large gully carved accross it on the sharp bend, so without 4WD it was necessary to park just above and walk down to the bay adding an extra 10 minutes to each end of the walk - no major problem as it is in shade. You then needed to return the wrong way round the one way. After 10 minutes there is no longer a gate, just a gap at the end of the fence. More posts have been erected here. These are either to mark the prcareous edge or the land owner is about to fence it off... (User, 6/08)

Mapping changes: the (free) tunnel under the hill into Puerto Soller is fully operative, and emerges in the middle of PS. At Puerto Pollensa they are building a new link between the Ma 10 and the Alcudia road. It runs from the Caprabo/Naval yard roundabout to bypass the front and emerges on the Alcudia road at appx. K 61.9. It is nearly ready - ready enough for local vehicles to be happily using it afier work has finished for the day! (User, 5/09)

Resurrection of the old walk PUIG DE S'AGUILA.
A walk which featured in the early editions of the Landscape "Mallorca" was from Cala San Vicente up to Puig de S'Aguila, when it used to be possible in the 1980s to walk this. This ceased in the 1990s when it was a) restricted to certain days of the week, and b) prohibited altogether. We have looked at it in recent years but the prohibition notices were still there. This year, however, we spotted people on it, and went to investigate. The notices have gone, access is OK, and there is even a monument at the start dedicated to walkers who strive to keep routes open. It was always a popular walk, useful to tie in with the path over Soller from Puerto Pollensa to SCV, and could perhaps be re-considered? Foreigners and Mallorquins are now back on it, the latter continuing on to Mola. (User, 5/08)