Sunflower Books: Landscapes of MENORCA: WALKS AND CAR TOURS

Menorca, 5th edition (2010); updated 9/10/2011

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Updates for walks and car tours (drives) on Menorca 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).

GENERAL

The Menorcan authorities are taking tourism seriously these days, and more and more of the treasures of the island are being made easily available to visitors. Now even the main churches in Mahon are open and well worth a visit. The big addition to historical sites opened up is the former military Base of La Mola at the entrance to Mahon harbour. Of course many of the places which you could visit freely in the days of the first edition of this book now charge for admission, but not much and there are concessions for children and also pensioners, so remember to have your BR464 with you.

Menorcan names.

One thing which causes much confusion for visitors is the multiplicity of names for just about every single place on the island. In the main towns it seems at times that every street and square has at least two names, and every time I visit the island more have appeared. Now the language aspect has become ever more complicated. Most of the Span ish names have gone, but that does not mean that we are left with just the Menorquin names. Oh no. Spain has two official languages: Castillian and Catalan. Since Menorquin is a dialect of Catalan that is seen as its official language. Except that Menorquin is far from identical with Catalan, so this simply adds yet another name to join the other two. The farm that in the first edition appeared as La Trinidad, and then as Sa Trinita, now appears on a road sign as La Trinitat which I swear nobody on Menorca has ever called it! I try to keep to the same name for places throughout the book and update.

Car hire: Here is a useful tip for people returning hire cars to Menorca airport. To get to the hire car parking follow signs for Arrivals (Llegadas), NOT departures (sortidas).

Walk 20: Just returned from Menorca. Having travelled to Ciutadella from Mahon on the TMSA bus, I attempted to join Walk 20 at point 10. The Sunflower guide indicates the stops for the TMSA buses from Mahon are at the Placa dels Pins. Actually they have moved these bus stops approx 150m to the southwest! They are now in the Placa de Menorca at a triangle of grass with palm trees where cars used to park 'nose in' to the south side of the triangle. (Google Earth http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl ). Having arrived by bus you need to walk along the Carrer de Lepant to find point 10. (User, 10/11)

Walk 21: The 3rd paragraph begins "Turn left after 100m on the Camí des Capelletes." This is no longer viable, as the underpass no longer exists. I suggest the following rewording: "When you reach the crossroads, turn left on Carrer de Sant Antoni Ma. Claret. Cross the road and walk up the right-hand side towards the roundabout. After 100m a new small road enters from the right. Crossing this, you will see in the field on the right the remains of an old track curving gently away from the road. Follow this to where it meets the ronda RC1 just to the right of the roundabout. Cross the RC1 (omit any mention of barriers, as there are none) and go ahead on the old track for another 50m or so, and then ahead on a small road. After 150m you come to the junction where you take either of the lanes forking ahead. We took the left fork, and it does end after 15min. I would not say it is very countryfied, just a small road between two walls, with the occasional vehicle to watch out for. (User, 6/10)