UKC

Manged to grab some time off and cheap flights to Mallorca in a couple weeks! Was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for easy routes/sectors/general outdoors things to do? 

I'm hillwalker/mediocre trad climber (leading up to around VS) and haven't been on a sport route for a couple years.

I have a pair of 50m double ropes and a 70m single rope, and have been wondering whether I should take all 3 ropes for max flexibility...or maybe one 50m and the 70m (pesky 20kg baggage limit!).

I've got the Rockfax guidebook (which is sport and DWS only it looks like), which has a 'Top 50 routes' section which looks really useful (Albahida (Gubia Normal) on Sa Gubia looks fantastic), but any personal recommendations would be much appreciated.

Where are you going to be staying? It's a fairly big island and it might help recommendations if we know where you will be based and if you'll have a car. 

It's a stunning island with some great mountains and sport crags. Sure you'll love it.

Gubia normal is good, maybe take some wires and slings for p1 if I can remember correctly.

Theres also a very good grade 5+ to the right.

La creveta is a good, steep slab in the north with lots of good routes between 5 and 6b.

I'll try and drag my memory banks and see if I can remember any others!

Cheers, James. 

Sa Gubia is a fantastic sector, plenty of mid grade sport and some multi pitch that are bolted but sometimes benefit from taking a small rack with you.  Check out La ley del deseo...

Cala Magraner is good as it's got some nice sport routes located right on the beach...

Others may advise otherwise, but I'd be tempted to just take the 70m single, and a small rack.  It's mostly sport out there, not sure you'll need the double ropes... Never seen anyone on the continent use them, well outside of English people anyway!?

I'm not much of a walker but there's some amazing scenery around Soller, the road from Soller to Pollenca gives some amazing views and I'm sure there plenty of trails in the area.

Enjoy yourself, it's a beautiful island!

Oops should have put that indeed. Staying near the Caimari area (centre/north-ish), will rent a car for sure!

Caimari is a fine crag with a fair bit of new development, but struggling to remember if there's much easy on it. 

At Puerto Pollenca suss out the Boquer Valley and from there the Cavall Bernat ridge is a stunning walk / scramble. Google it for plenty more info. 

At Caimari you are right on the edge of the Tramuntana mountain range. No end of wonderful walking very close to you. 

Hi I am also going to Mallorca in a couple of weeks from now - from the 8th October until the 15th. Hoping to meet up with other climbers. I only have hand luggage at the mo so ideally I wouldn't be bringing rope or draws but could maybe add a bag if necessary. Hoping maybe you have time free to climb with me? Or maybe someone else on this forum does?

I won't have transport but could maybe rent a car if needed. I'll be in the Port de Sóller area I think in the NW.

Cheers, Louise

Definitely check out the Archduke's Path. Great day walk, fabulous scenery. 

b

There might be restrictions up there? I headed up that way a couple of years ago and there was a manned checkpoint just above Valdemossa. I turned up to the right and just bimbled up to the ridge crest and back. The area is a reserve of some sort. You might need a permit nowadays unlike years ago when I walked it.

Sa Gubia is definitely worth a visit. A good range of bolted sport routes, and some trad. The Normal Route is a superb multi pitch 800 ft VS. Take a rack (wires are particularly useful for threading runners in the upper section)

Calvia has a couple of dozen or so quality bolted routes, but check the access situation. I was last there in the 1990s and I've heard rumours that access has been restricted?

A must do fun gorge is the Torrente de Pareis which involves great scrambling and possibly some swimming, depending on conditions. It is possible to go up and back down in a day, but that again depends on conditions, and most parties use two cars with one at each end. WARNING do not attempt it if heavy rain/thunderstorms are expected, as it is prone to flash flooding and people have drowned.

The Cavall Bernat Ridge is a magnificent walk/scramble . Very exposed and one of the best ridge traverses on the island.

Have a great holiday!

Wasn't there some talk a while back about needing a climbing permit for Mallorca now, or have I got that confused with another story?

Gubia Normal as others have said - there's a slightly harder 4 pitch (I seem to recall) variation start to the left which is better than the original start. Might have a name of its own?  There are some really good long single pitch climbs to the right of the ridge.

I remember Cala Magraner and Creveta having a good mix of easier routes.

The walking is really really good. I have a spare copy of Walks in Majorca you can have for the cost of postage if you'd like? 

Many thanks for all the suggestions!

@Mark, really appreciate the offer, but unfortunately don't think the book would arrive in time for this one.

@Louise I will drop you a message if we do, although I think there are additional non-climbing things being rapidly added to the itinerary. I did see a couple of Facebook groups that could be useful for other partners??

@Graham  Had a small dig into access and found this: https://rockfax.com/news/2021/05/10/mallorca-access-update-2/ , will update if we have any issues!

That's a shame. I was there in 2007 I think, so suspect things may have changed. Found this online (tripadvisor, of all places - which makes sense when you read the last sentence):

Superb walk, certainly one of the best in Majorca. We climbed up from one if the car parks off the main road going through Valldemossa. There is also parking on some of the residential roads near the sportsground, closer to the start of the path.

After travelling along the path for about 20 minutes, you arrive at a junction with the main route seemingly going around to the right. The path on the left goes past a wooden hut; when we visited it was manned and walkers were not allowed to enter without a permit (apparently only a few are allowed to go through each day, apply for a permit in advance). This left hand path leads to the Mirador de Can Costa where the Archduke had a viewpoint built, protected by a stone wall. The right hand path winds its way up to the Archduke's path at the top of the ridge coming out near Caragoli, one of the peaks. Access is free, no permit required. The easy to follow path climbs to an airy viewpoint, below the main ridge/plateau. The path (now less distinct) then climbs through the trees and up onto the plateau itself - several routes appear to cross this relatively flat area - keep heading forward until you reach the Archduke's path which runs along the northern edge of the plateau.  

I would recommend that you turn left at the Archduke's path - this is the most 'interesting' and attractive part of the walk. Caragoli, the main peak on this section is a short distance away, not long after on the right is a path that drops down to Deia. Continuing along, the archdukes path becomes a ridge walk with a precipice on the right and the land dropping away (less steeply) on the left. Note the path itself is broad and well maintained. A final summit is reached where the path climbs, somewhat reminiscent of Jacobs Ladder, into the heavens. Looking back, it is possible to see the path winding its way back towards Caragoli. Ahead is Talaua Vella with a mountain hut built at the time of the archduke just below. Continuing, the path drops down to a hermit's cave, which is worth a look, if unoccupied.  

The Archduke's path then goes across a wooden style above a stone wall, however there are warning signs that the land is private with restricted access. Personally, I would have liked to continue across the style and onto Talaia Vella and the later viewpoint of Mirador de Can Costa. However, I instead followed others in front down a path which was still under construction. The path was less distinct and after about 10 - 15 minutes, goes down a rather difficult steep rocky section. The route then winds around and comes out on the path climbed earlier in the day, above the wooden hut. I found this last section disappointing, the authorities need to ensure that the full length of the path is available to all to enjoy.