GUIDED HIKES

Information>>>

 → Trails with permit

 → Closed trails

 → Trails causing problems

 → "Toll" trails

 → Opening of new trails

 → The smugglers´trails

☻ Mallorca has a huge trail network: some of the trails were built during the time of the Arabs (902-1229), other trails cross the forests to places where charcoal was produced, others lead to inaccessible places on the coast. These were built by tobacco- smugglers around 1920 or for the watchtowers against pirates (built in the 16th century). Around Valldemossa the Austrian Archduke Lluis Salvador also built panoramic trails.

☻ A big problem is private trails being closed. However recently, the Departament de Medi Ambient (the dry-stone wall building college) and the GEM (Majorcan mountain club) have opened and signposted a wide range of "lost" or overgrown trails.

►Trails with permit

Puig Major

- The access to the highest mountain of the island was off-limits since 1960 when a military radar station was built there. It is possible to climb it taking the road or the foothpaths from the Coma d'en Arbona or the penyal des Migdia. Other paths are closed because they cross environmentally restricted areas.

- It is easy to get the two permits that you need: one from the military station (Tel. 971 637 056) and another one from the Environment’s Department (Tel. 971 612 876 or Fax 971 612 493). Click here to see it>>>

Ternelles

→ The estate was closed for hikers since 1995. The municipality of Pollença has been fighting for the right of access. They are some limits: 20 persons a day and they need a permit. The Castell del Rei is closed but you can reach the cove of Cala Castell.

- For more information: www.ajpollenca.net (the page is written in catalan. The webmaster of "www.mallorca-camins.info" has sent in january 2012 the english translations to the Pollença townhall. Mid march wasn't yet updated)

►Closed trails:

☻92% of the mountain range "Serra de Tramuntana" is private property. Free access is only possible on public land and on public trails. And even in these, some owners don´t recognize free access and apply to the courts to close  public trails.

They are plenty of reasons to close a trail and sometimes the owner has been provoked by "hooligans" who have crossed his land. Lighting of fires, leaving rubbish, noisy people, hikers who forget to close gates, are also other reasons for closing a trail.

We list here some of the closed trails:

Around Banyalbufar:

- Banyalbufar- Estellencs: It´s a public trail and part of the trail GR 221 which crosses the island. Since 2001 there has been a sign on the gate of Es Rafal. You could open the gate and cross the land. At the end of 2006, the courts declared that they owner could close the trail. At the beginning of 2007 it was closed. The government is dealing with this case and will try to open the trail again.+ Information. Since 2009, there is a deviation.

Around Sóller:

- S´Arrom- Es Cornadors

- Puig des Teix: all footpaths to the summit are closed (from Coll de Sóller, Valldemossa) + Information

Around Orient: there isn´t any open trail between Orient and Sóller

- Comasema,

Around Alaró:

- The direct trail between Es Verger and Castell d'Alaró is closed

Around Lluc:

- The hike "Around the Puig Roig": open only on Sundays.

Around Sóller:

- Binis- "Camí des Cingles" :  It is a public trail but the owner has put up signs forbidding entry.

►"Toll" trails

A couple of landowners were charging a fee for crossing their private property.

- Massanella: It is the second highest mountain of Mallorca. Since February 1996, if you take the normal route, you have had to pay 4 € (2009). Since mid 2010 there is nobody at the barrier and the entry is free.

►Opening of new trails

-  In the recent years, the Balearic Government has bought land (Albarca, S´Alqueria Vella) in the northeast, in the north (Son Real) and in the southwest (Coma d'en Vidal, Galatzó und Planícia) and several trails has been signposted

-  The GEM (Majorcan mountain club) has organised clearing an overgrown trail every year sine 1997 (Sa Costera, the trail between Estellencs and Banyalbufar, the one between Esporles and Port des Canonge)

-  The dry stone wall building college  is responsible for renovating public trails. They are working on the trail GR 221 which is going to cross the island from Port d'Andratx to Pollença. Other trails where they have worked are: Castell d´Alaró, the trail from Esporles to Banyalbufar, the trail from Deià to Sóller, the Barranc de Biniaraix, the trail to Puig de Maria near Pollença, the old trails from Caimari to Lluc and from here to Pollença. From 2004 the Department of Environment of the Mallorca Council has overtaken the functions of the college.

 ►The smugglers´ trails

Between 1920 and 1960 tobacco smuggling created an important network of steep, difficult trails across isolated coastal areas. The tobacco came from northern Africa on big ships and,12 miles from the coast, it was loaded ionto fishing boats. Afterwards it was hidden inside small coastal caves until it was transported on foot to the nearest road. It´s fascinating to find walls and steps carved in the steep cliffs. Only the expert hiking guides can lead you there.

- Smugglers were very active in the coastal region around Puig Roig (northwest of  Lluc) . You can still see one former police station, "Quarter des Carabiners"

The key sections along these steep trails are known as  "passos". The pictures are from the "Pas des Pinetons" not far from Mortitx. Other important "passos" are: the trail to the Cova Tancada (Alcúdia), "Pas  de s´Argamassa" (Sa Calobra), "Pas des Recó" (Deià), "Pas des Pescadors" (Cala Sant Vicenç), "Pas de Na Cordellina"  and  "Pas de s'Heura"  (Port de Sóller).