Good morning!
As promised I bring you the post describing the tour in the mountains of Mallorca: La Ruta de Pedra en Sec. So enjoy!
As promised I bring you the post describing the tour in the mountains of Mallorca: La Ruta de Pedra en Sec. So enjoy!
The route was declared World Heritage Site in the category Cultural Landscapes by UNESCO. It stretches on a distance of 167km from the south-west to the north-east. We managed to travel in 5 days a total number of 75km between Valdemossa and Pollenca.
The paths were in rehabilitation, at the initiative of the Palma Municipality. The wish to transform the north of the island into a hiker's paradise. Let's hope they will succeed. So here we start on the first stage.
Valdemossa-Deia
From Palma you can take a bus, that's actually the main transportation method used on the island, to the small town of Valdemossa. The place is known for the carthusian monastery and it's also the start of the route. You won't find to many tags along the way, they are still working on it, but if you have a map or a GPS you can safely arrive to Deia. The streak has 11 km and the altitude difference was 800m. At the Can Boi shelter, that's the name used for the huts along the way, we took our boot off and enjoyed a well deserved Spanish beer: Estrella Damm. The huts are pretty spacious for groups up to 30 people and are funded by the municipality. Therefore with 20Euro/Backpack we had a bed, dinner and breakfast. For dinner we had a delicious potato creme-soup, puree and chicken steak. Mallorca is well renowned for its wines, so a bottle of red wine awaited on every table.
The paths were in rehabilitation, at the initiative of the Palma Municipality. The wish to transform the north of the island into a hiker's paradise. Let's hope they will succeed. So here we start on the first stage.
Valdemossa-Deia
From Palma you can take a bus, that's actually the main transportation method used on the island, to the small town of Valdemossa. The place is known for the carthusian monastery and it's also the start of the route. You won't find to many tags along the way, they are still working on it, but if you have a map or a GPS you can safely arrive to Deia. The streak has 11 km and the altitude difference was 800m. At the Can Boi shelter, that's the name used for the huts along the way, we took our boot off and enjoyed a well deserved Spanish beer: Estrella Damm. The huts are pretty spacious for groups up to 30 people and are funded by the municipality. Therefore with 20Euro/Backpack we had a bed, dinner and breakfast. For dinner we had a delicious potato creme-soup, puree and chicken steak. Mallorca is well renowned for its wines, so a bottle of red wine awaited on every table.
Deia-Muleta
The next stage included a path along the northern coast of the island, filled with superb landscapes. The walked distance was 10.5 km, but the altitude difference was of only 300m. At the end of the day we arrived at the Muleta shelter, located near the touristic town Port du Soller. Because we arrived there pretty early we could walk downtown, enjoy an ice-cream and take advantage of the warm sun-rays. In the evening, before dinner we watched the show: the sunset in the sea. Afterwards our stomachs thanked us for the delicious fish, cooked in the Mallorca style, accompanied by the red wine.
The shelter is situated far away from the town's light pollution, which means that at night we saw the Milky Way. Awesome!! As extra we also had some falling stars. Late in the night if you had looked to the north you could have seen an orange blur. That was supposedly the light from Barcelona, which is 200km away.
The next stage included a path along the northern coast of the island, filled with superb landscapes. The walked distance was 10.5 km, but the altitude difference was of only 300m. At the end of the day we arrived at the Muleta shelter, located near the touristic town Port du Soller. Because we arrived there pretty early we could walk downtown, enjoy an ice-cream and take advantage of the warm sun-rays. In the evening, before dinner we watched the show: the sunset in the sea. Afterwards our stomachs thanked us for the delicious fish, cooked in the Mallorca style, accompanied by the red wine.
The shelter is situated far away from the town's light pollution, which means that at night we saw the Milky Way. Awesome!! As extra we also had some falling stars. Late in the night if you had looked to the north you could have seen an orange blur. That was supposedly the light from Barcelona, which is 200km away.
Muleta-Cuber
On this morning we had to wake up early in order to successfully walk all 17 km with the 800m altitude difference and also to catch the last bus at 15:15 to the next place with civilization. As I said before, the route is not yet complete, so some of the shelters are not yet open. So we put our head-lights on and pressed the gas. With the time-pressure pushing us from the back we quickly reached the town center of Soller, a town dominated by its cathedral. And then we went higher and higher. Soon we could see the lighthouse near our last shelter from the heights of the mountains. After that we reached a plateau and soon the Emasssament de Cuber lake came before our eyes. At the other end of the lake awaited our bus station. We were there 30 minutes earlier and a local donkey acted as our entertainer for that time. The bus took us to Lluc, a place populated only by the shelter and the Lluc monastery. We also started to feel the walked kilometers in our muscles.
On this morning we had to wake up early in order to successfully walk all 17 km with the 800m altitude difference and also to catch the last bus at 15:15 to the next place with civilization. As I said before, the route is not yet complete, so some of the shelters are not yet open. So we put our head-lights on and pressed the gas. With the time-pressure pushing us from the back we quickly reached the town center of Soller, a town dominated by its cathedral. And then we went higher and higher. Soon we could see the lighthouse near our last shelter from the heights of the mountains. After that we reached a plateau and soon the Emasssament de Cuber lake came before our eyes. At the other end of the lake awaited our bus station. We were there 30 minutes earlier and a local donkey acted as our entertainer for that time. The bus took us to Lluc, a place populated only by the shelter and the Lluc monastery. We also started to feel the walked kilometers in our muscles.
Lluc - Puig de Massanella Peak
For this day we had as original plan to go back to the bus-station and carry on from there. But it was Sunday, and on Sundays the buses have free. Instead, we chose to climb the second highest peak in Mallorca - Puig de Massanella (1365m). The circuit took us 18km with an altitude difference of 900m. Everybody was happy, because for the first time we didn't have to carry our heavy backpacks filled with all our stuff. So with a bag with water and food for every 2 people, the atmosphere was chiller and the people were happier. And we weren't wrong in being so. The track offered us everything: paths through the woods, rocks, Lord of the Rings landscapes, a little bit of climbing, olives, goats and sun. From the top everybody could see his or her house and also take photos in the strangest positions. The way back was long and tiring, but it was worth it.
For this day we had as original plan to go back to the bus-station and carry on from there. But it was Sunday, and on Sundays the buses have free. Instead, we chose to climb the second highest peak in Mallorca - Puig de Massanella (1365m). The circuit took us 18km with an altitude difference of 900m. Everybody was happy, because for the first time we didn't have to carry our heavy backpacks filled with all our stuff. So with a bag with water and food for every 2 people, the atmosphere was chiller and the people were happier. And we weren't wrong in being so. The track offered us everything: paths through the woods, rocks, Lord of the Rings landscapes, a little bit of climbing, olives, goats and sun. From the top everybody could see his or her house and also take photos in the strangest positions. The way back was long and tiring, but it was worth it.
Lluc-Pollenca
The last stage involved a 18km long way till the city of Pollenca, city founded by the Romans. The road was pretty monotonous and boring, but finally we arrived at our destination. We were then happy and proud of us for our achievement. In Pollenca a warm sun, a delicious ice-cream and a cold glass of Sangria waited for us. The city is renowned for its stair, a number of 365, one for each day of the year, and also for the Calvary Street. It symbolizes the way of the Cross from the Bible and along the road you can see stone crosses. In the church, which is located in the center of the city, you can admire the light effect of the rosette. You can also take a bus to the port, where public beaches await you.
The last stage involved a 18km long way till the city of Pollenca, city founded by the Romans. The road was pretty monotonous and boring, but finally we arrived at our destination. We were then happy and proud of us for our achievement. In Pollenca a warm sun, a delicious ice-cream and a cold glass of Sangria waited for us. The city is renowned for its stair, a number of 365, one for each day of the year, and also for the Calvary Street. It symbolizes the way of the Cross from the Bible and along the road you can see stone crosses. In the church, which is located in the center of the city, you can admire the light effect of the rosette. You can also take a bus to the port, where public beaches await you.
I hope you made it through this ... min post and that you are enthusiastic about this route. I will surely come back one day to do it again.
Until then I wish you sunny paths!
R.C.
Until then I wish you sunny paths!
R.C.
