08 de junio de 2008

                                       
                              The best weather forecast                              The best hikes in Mallorca

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-  The government wanted to buy the state Planícia (Banyalbufar- 445 Ha.) for € 11,2 Mio. But the owners doesn't want to sell. The case will finish before the courts.

-The manor house (1500 qm) could be restored as a mountain hostel of the long distance trail GR-221. They are many hiking trails across the holm oak forests and there will be a new alternative to avoid the closure of the GR-221 in Es Rafal.

- View from Puntals de Planícia-

- Es Aljubets , water reservoir in the forest of Planícia-

►Hiking trails in the Galatzó state, near Es Capdellà 

→  Some trails have been signposted: from Es Capdellà to the manor house Galatzó, the trail of Sa Vinya and the Camí de Ses Planes. For more information: Finca pública Galatzó/ Carrer Major, 2-1-D/ Es Capdellà/ Tel. 971 233 328/ http://www.esgalatzo.com/ Email: oficinagalatzo@calvia.com

→ The very overgrown trail through the Comellar de ses Sínies was cleared on 2007 . It links up with the mountain hostel of Sa Coma d'en Vidal (which could open soon) and Estellencs.

→ The government has bought the state on 2006 (1350 ha) for € 7 Mio. The manor house could be restored as a mountain hostel. 

     - The trail from Es Capdellà to Galatzó-                                      - The watermills-

                   - The houses and the watermills and the Puig de Galatzó-

       - On the way to Ses Planes, you can admire the wild character of the area below S'Esclop-

→ It is only one short section between the paved roads: Sa Pobla- Pollença and Alcúdia- Pollença. 140 hikers helped clear this historic and beautiful section which is of limited interest for hikers.

►Problems on the trail GR-221 from Estellencs to Banyalbufar - Nr.6 on the map-

→ In 2001 a couple of no entry signs appeared  in the Finca Es  Rafal , on the trail from Banyalbufar to Estellencs, which is also signposted as long distance trail GR-221. Until the courts made the final decision, the trail was open. You could open the gate and walk past the manor house of Es Rafal.

→ At the end of 2006 the courts decided that the owners could close the trail. On January 2007 the gates were still open and we talked to the friendly owner about the new situation. On february the gates were already closed.

→ We have also talked to the "Departament de Medi Ambient" of the "Consell Insular" responsible for the long distance trail GR-221. They are looking for an alternative and working with the municipality of Banyalbufar. At the end of 2007, the government has put a couple of information boards warning about the closure (in Banyalbufar and Estellencs). It could last a while and the hikers should use the main road Ma-10.  If the government buys the state Planícia, another alternative could be possible.

► Restricted areas in the "Paratge Natural de la Serra de Tramuntana"-

→ On 2007, a huge part of the Serra de Tramuntana was declared a "Paratge Natural" (a kind of Nature Park). The hiking clubs were worried because important hiking areas could be "off limits" ("zones d'ús exclusiu"). At the end, the closed areas are only some of very difficult access at the bottom of the cliffs between Sóller and Cap Formentor.

→ Some owners have been lobbying the government to get some of these areas (which are intended to be created to protect the fauna and flora of the Serra) in order to keep hikers off their lands. This is clear when we look at the huge restricted area in the Vall de Ternelles which doesn´t protect anything at all, but it will prevent opening the trail to the Castell del Rei.

→  The "Federació Balear de Muntanyisme" sent a lot of complaints in order to limit the extent of the restricted areas.

► The GEM clears the old trail between Alaró and Orient-

                     -Trail head at km. 11,200-                                                             - Pas de s'Escaleta-

► The restoration of the Camí de Ses Voltes des Galileu has been completed-

→ On 20 December 2005, the "monumental" restoration work (5 years and 562,764 €) was completed. The trail is a section of the GR-221 between Tossals Verds and Lluc. More than 300 trees have been planted in order to fight erosion. For more information see another new item below: "New section of the hiking trail GR-221: Tossals Verds- Lluc-

► 500 hikers demonstrate in Es Fangar (Manacor).  The unusual decision of the landowners

→ Es Fangar is situated near Manacor and is one of the biggest properties of the island (30 square kilometres). It was bought by a German society three years ago. Their project is the renovation of the buildings as a luxury hotel. They closed the trails with gates and posted guards around. They are also negotiating with the municipality the diversion of the private trails with public right of use. Last year some organisations demonstrated against the closing of the trails.

→ On the 12th. of April , 1000 hikers demonstrated for the public trails in Es Fangar. The municipality is about to accept the proposition of the owners: just one steep trail around the property instead of the 4 public trails. It was a second demonstration on the 19th. of December 2004. In December 2005 the municipality decided that the trails should be opened and they were open during the demonstration. The next day the gates were closed again. It was also a demonstration on december 2006 (1000 hikers) and the last one on the 16.th. december 2007

→ One tourist leaflet of the municipality recommends some of the closed trails as biking- routes. In order to avoid that they become known, the landowners bought all 8000 leaflets.

►On June 2003 the trail to Castell del Rei was declared public. But it is still closed!

→ Fodesma gave the catalogue of Pollença trails to the municipality. It is an important tool because it allows the municipality to negotiate with the owners. In more than 40 old documents, it is shown that the private trail is for public use. In one of them, from the 14. century, it is shown that the municipality repaired the trail.

→  On November 2001 the spanish "Tribunal Supremo"  declared this trail and some more "private trails for public use". But everything is moving slowly...the owners are very rich and they have the best lawyers.... The trail is still closed (as of January 2007). The municipality of Pollença has proposed (2006) that each day 20 hikers could do the hike.

►New section of the hiking trail  GR-221: Tossals Verds- Lluc- Nr. 3 on the map- (detailed map►)    

- Section of the GR 221 between the passes "Coll des Telègraf" and "Coll des Prat". From here, it turns right to the mountain hut Tossals Verds- 

   - Section of the restored snowhole trail-                        
                                                                                                                                                                                  

→ The restoration (which started on 2001 and finished on 2005) was a challenge for FODESMA (the dry- stone wall building college) . The new section begins at the junction between Tossals Verds and the "Font des Noguer" (Cúber reservoir). From here there is a level path to the spring "Font des Prat" and uphill through the forest to the pass " Coll des Prat" (1.205 m). Just behind the dry- stone wall, it turns left to a narrow and steep passage, just 50 metres away. Nearby it goes by a snowhole and steeply down to the next pass "Coll des telègraf". From here the trail turns right downhill for 10 minutes and then uphill again, in the direction of "Puig des Galileu". After the pass the trail is level to the west until a junction where another snowhole is signposted. For Lluc the trail turns right and reaches the most spectacular section where most of the restoration work was done: "Ses Voltes des Galileu". Afterwards the trail comes to the forest, crosses the road Sóller-Lluc and arrives at the monastery of Lluc.

►One renovated building in the mountain hut  Castell d´Alaró has been opened - Nr. 4 on the map-

→ The building was inaugurated on 27 April 2003. There are 4 dormitories for 4 people each with central heating and bathrooms. (Tel. [0034] 971 182 112). The long renovation of the main building will start now.

→  It is planned to join this hut up with the hiking trail GR-221 but it will be a challenge. The trail to the valley of Orient is public but from here all the trails to Sóller or to L´Ofre are private and closed.  It is possible to cross the finca Solleric by paying a fee and reach the mountain hut Tossals Verds.

►A hiking trail  is planned between Artà and Lluc   - Nr. 5 on the map-

→ The trail will connect Artà (in the northeast of Mallorca), the nature park "Peninsula de Llevant"  , the tourist village Colònia de Sant Pere and the villages Santa Margalida, Llubí, Inca, Selva, Caimari before reaching our spiritual centre: the monastery of Lluc, high in the mountains. Two sections are finished:

              - The first section: from Artà to the beach "S´Arenalet" ,on to the hermitage of Betlem and to the coast. For more information 

              - The last section: from Caimari to Lluc.

→ Many trails which are to be restored are the old transhumation trails. They were used for taking animals from the flatlands to the mountains (before summer) and in the oppposite direction in autumm.

→Two new  sections from Caimari to Lluc: For one kilometre the trail crossed the road and went alongside it: in this section, a new trail has been built in 2007 which leads underneath the road from Son Canta to the picnic area of the Comuna de Caimari. Here, it crosses the road below the bridge and takes a dirt track to "Sa Llonganissa" and the "Bretxa Vella".

►The government has purchased Son Real, near Can Picafort. Several hiking and biking trails are now public- Nr. 7 on the map- (detailed map ►)

- Neolitic necropolis in Son Real-

→ With some of the fees collected with the eco-tax (which the tourists were paying from May 2002 until October 2003), the government purchased the 400- hectare finca Son Real in the bay of Alcúdia. It is an interesting place with farmland, an unspoilt beach and archaeological ruins.

►Signposted trails in the Llevant nature park , near Artà - Nr. 8 on the map- (+ information and detailed map ►)

→ On 2001, the government purchased two huge "fincas": Albarca (1200 hectares) and S´Alqueria Vella (400 hectares). Some buildings have been turned into accommodation: "Refugi de S'Alzina- Albarca" (6 double rooms),"la caseta des Oguers" (10 beds) and the "Refugi de s´Arenalet" (18 beds).  Nearby there is also a camping site with 30 places. You must book well in advance: Tel. [0034] 971 836828 und [0034] 971 829219.

→ The hiking trails start in S´Alqueria Vella (4 km von Artà, you can reach the place by car). From here you walk to Es Verger (45 min.) and on to Albarca and the beautiful beach S´Arenalet (2 hours). From here you can walk to Puig de sa Tudossa in 90 minutes (they are two ways: "Camí d'en Mondoi" and "S'Esquena Llarga") or in the opposite direction to the cove Cala Estreta (2 hours) .

→ From S´Alqueria Vella you can walk to the hermitage Ermita de Betlem in one hour and on to Betlem  (45 min) and along the coast to the cove "Caló de Ferrutx" (1 hour.)

►Signposted trails around Sóller -  Nr. 9 on the map -     (detailed map ►)

→ The clearing and opening of these trails is planned:

                 * Camí de Ses Tres Creus : from the cemetery of Sóller town to the viewpoint  "Ses Tres Creus". The first section is a trail and the last one follows the tarmac road.

                 * Camí de Castelló : most of the trail is already signposted: from Cas Xorc to Deià. From Cas Xorc you can take two trails to Sóller: the "camí des Rost" or the "camí des Montreals", both signposted. The true "Camí de Castelló" isn´t signposted yet: it goes downhill from "Es Pujol d´en Banya" to  Sóller.

→ These trails are already signposted:

                 * Camí Vell de Bàlitx : the trail starts in Son Blanco, near the Sóller state school , it crosses the road from Sóller to Lluc, passes the houses of Can Costurer and reaches the pass " Coll d´en Pastor" (this place is 10 minutes away from the Mirador de ses Barques, in the direction of Bàlitx).

                 * Camí des Montreals : from the petrol station of  Sóller, it takes the trail "camí des Rost", in the direction of Deià. After 20 minutes, the "camí des Montreals" is signposted to the left and, after crossing the railway,  it passes the beautiful finca "Es Montreals" and ends in the trail "camí de Castelló":   to the right you can go down to Sóller and to the left to Deià.

                  * Camí de Rocafort : from the petrol station of  Sóller, it takes the trail "camí des Rost", in the direction of Deià. After 3 minutes it turns left. The trail ends in the trail "camí de Castelló":   to the right it goes to the right down to Sóller and to the left to Deià.                 

                 * Camí des Rost : from the petrol station of  Sóller. The trail ends near Cas Xorc in the trail "Camí de Castelló".

                   * Camí de Sa Costa d´en Flassada: from Ses Marjades (near the football pitch of Sóller) in the direction of "Mirador de Ses Barques".

                   * Camí de Sa Costa d´en Nicó: from Fornalutx to " Mirador de Ses Barques".

                   * Camí de S´Alzina Fumadora: from Fornalutx to Sa Bassa (picnic site on the road from Sóller to Lluc).

                   * Camí de Sa Costera: from Mirador de Ses Barques to Cala Tuent.

                    * Camí de Sóller a Fornalutx: from the football pitch of Sóller towards Binibassí (up to here it is a section of the GR-221) and to Fornalutx.

     * Camí de Muleta: from the finca Muleta Gran to the Hotel "Rocamar" (section of the GR-221)

                    * Camí de Binibassí a Biniaraix: it is a section of the GR-221.

                    * Camí des Barranc de Biniaraix: from Biniaraix to L´Ofre. It is a section of the GR-221.

                    * Camí de Sa Figuera: from Port de Sóller it takes the tarmac road of Sa Figuera up to the pass "Coll d´en Marqués". Here it turns to the left and, shortly afterwards, it takes an small trail to the right. It climbs to an unpaved road where you turn right. This unpaved road crosses the trail to Bàlitx and the one of the Costa d´en Flassada (this trail ends in the Mirador de ses Barques) and ends on the road from Sóller to Lluc near the church of Sa Capelleta. From here you could go down to reach the trail from Sóller to Fornalutx.

                      * Camí de Binidorm: from Hotel Rocamar (Port de Sóller) to ca´n Ai, near Sóller. It is a section of the GR-221.

                     * Camí de Son Sales : it begins in "Can Bleda" (at the road pass from Sóller to Deià) and goes down to " Can Ai".

                      * Camí de Muleta Gran to the Muleta hut: it is a section of the GR-221.

                     * Camí Vell de Bàlitx : the trail starts in Son Blanco, near the Sóller state school, it crosses the road from Sóller to Lluc, passes the houses of Can Costurer and reaches the pass " Coll d´en Pastor" (this place is 10 minutes away from the Mirador de ses Barques, in the direction of Bàlitx).

                     * Camí des Creuer: from Fornalutx to the " Camí Vell de Monnàber".

                      * Camí vell des Port : . It begins in "Es Monument" (crossroads to Lluc) and leads to the pass "Coll des Borrassar". From here it goes straight to Port de Sóller. 

* For more information contact Sóller tourist bureau:  971 638008 / 971 633042

(+ information►)

►The mountain hut  Muleta, near Port de Sóller, has been open since Mai 2002- Nr. 2 on the map-(+ Information►)

→ Since May 2002 there has been a new mountain hut in Mallorca: Muleta (Tel. [0034] 971 634271). The old police station is located 1 kilometre from Port de Sóller . 

►Hiking trail GR-221: new trail from  the Cúber dam to Binimorat  and from Coll de l´Ofre to the farm L´Ofre -  Nr.  10  on the map - (detailed map►)

→ In 2000 the GR-221 was signposted along the road to the dam. In 2003 this trail was signposted near the carpark on the main road and follows the opposite side of the reservoir. It then takes the unpaved road and, after the farm Binimorat, it turns to the right through the forest to the pass Coll de l´Ofre .

→ From here the GR- 221 follows the old trail to the junction near the farm L´Ofre. This new cleared section replaces the trail signposted three years before (it followed the shortcuts of the unpaved road).

►New trail from Tossals Verds  to  Cúber -Nr. 10 on the map - (detailed map►)   

- Safety rope in the key passage-

→ The trail begins in the mountain hut Tossals Verds and leads above the "Torrent d´Almadrà" which is on the left. A rope in the key passage makes it safer. Afterwards the trail climbs to the pass "Coll de sa Coma des Ases" and down to the spring "Font des Noguer" . The trail isn´t signposted yet.

→ It is an interesting variant of the hiking trail GR-221. Taking the signposted trail you should walk back to the junction (1 hour away) if you want to follow the GR to Lluc. With the new trail you can reach the mountain hut taking one trail and leave it taking a different one.

→ It is also a good alternative to the tunnel trail in the popular hike around the mountain Tossals Verds.

►Collective action 2002 of the Majorcan mountain club:  the overgrown trail to the Portell de Sa Costa, near Fornalutx has been cleared - Nr. 11 on the map- (detailed map ►)   

-View from "Portell de Sa Costa" above Fornalutx and Port de Sóller-

→ On 10 March 2002 , the G.E.M. organised the annual clearing of an overgrown hiking trail. 90 volunteers were helped by a professional team from FODESMA. The trail is located near Fornalutx, it joins the Camí Vell de Monnàber with the Coma de Son Torrella and has beautiful views over the Sóller valley.

►Collective action 2003 of the Majorcan mountain club the overgrown trail to the Puig de Son Talent, near Manacor, has been cleared - Nr. 13 on the map-

→ On 16 March 2003 the GEM organised the annual clearing of an overgrown trail. 50 volunteers helped by a professional team from FODESMA cleared the "Camí des Puig" in the Puig de Son Talent near Manacor.

►The government purchased the valley "Coma d´en Vidal", near Estellencs.  The farm  has been turned into a mountain hut- → The farm and the 50-hectare Finca "Coma d´en Vidal" were purchased in  November 2002 with money from the tourists' ecotax. It is situated one hour from Estellencs. A hiking trail to the mountain "S´Esclop", which is also the old trail from Estellencs to Es Capdellà, crosses the finca. Work was completed on early 2007 but the hut was still closed on october 2007.

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