UKC

Hi all 

Off to Mallorca for a week on Saturday, staying in Pollenca. First time there. Mostly lounging around and resting, but I'm interested in any recs for good short walks and places to explore.

I still can't really climb or walk far following ongoing health issues from a head injury a year ago, and anything except very short, grade one (or probably below) scrambling is out due to vertigo - especially exposure. So looking for shorter but still interesting walks. Particularly ones which are scenic and either get us in the mountains, rugged valleys, interesting coastline but without needing to walk far (say c.2 hours, but ultra short, park up and potter around options also very welcome for my bad days).

Recommendations very welcome.

Cheers.

We used the Rother guidebook which was pretty useful, we were doing short walks with the kids. 

The Boquer valley walk from Puerto de pollenca is a family favourite of ours. Some reviews describe it as a bit tricky but our kids first did it at about 5 while wearing flip flops.

https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/spain/mallorca/valle-de-boquer

About a 10 minute drive from pollenca is Cala san Vincente, couple of small but pretty beaches with the stunning Cavall Bernat ridge as a backdrop. If you drive through Cala san vincente, past Cala Mollins beach, keeping the sea on your left, the road takes you to a dead end on an obvious saddle where you can park up. From here it's about a 150m ascent to the mountain summit that forms one end of the ridge. No path but fairly easy going (not flip flop territory though. From the top the views are magnificent and you can traverse an easy section of the ridge until the terrain gets trickier after about 100m. I know you stated some vertigo issues but the ridge is fairly wide at this point.

From pollenca itself there's the calvary steps, which takes you to a view point above the town. You can also walk up to the old monastery on the obvious rounded hill above the town. Used to be able to stay the night in the monks cells for about 5 euros.

https://www.vidavillas.co.uk/articles/puig-de-maria-walk-from-pollensa-a-gu...

There's a Sunflower guide for Mallorca which might interest you

https://sunflowerbooks.co.uk/product/walking-in-mallorca/

The Cicerone book by Paddy Dillon has walks long and short (you can always go back when you're feeling fit). There are several show caves on Mallorca which can be a bit touristy. Went to the Covas de Campanet with my Mum which was very good and you can get a coffee as well. There's the monastery at Lluc which has a short 'stations of the cross' circular walk around the knoll at the back and great views and the mountains. On the north coast the Archduke villa at Son Marroig is interesting too. It's a great drive on that road and through the mountains past the Cuber reservoir below the Puig Major but watch out for cyclists. Valldemossa is a nice place. You can walk out the back towards the Archduke's path - I think you need a permit these days to actually walk on it these days but it's nice just walking through the trees on the way up to it. Right at the western end of the island is Sant Elm, a nice little place. There is a boat ride out to Dragonera but I haven't done it. The crags anywhere on the north coast are spectacular and you get good views often from the road. I can't remember the name of the church/ monastery on top of a prominent hill that we drove up to but Google maps would probably get it for you. The drive down to Sa Calobra is interesting and gets you to the outflow of the Torrent de Pareis gorge. Make sure you walk up a way, it's spectacular.

Take a bag of cat crunchies around with you to feed local moggies.

These ideas all sound fabulous - thank you very much all!

We are currently in Mallorca, and have been walking the initial section of the GR211, but are now in Soller and taking it easy.

We spent the morning walking from Soller to Biniraix, dead easy, to Fornalutx, bit harder, to Binibassi, the path we took, was tougher, but following the road is an easier option, or there is a bus.

The scenery is superb. In Fonalutx in the Town Hall, there is a charming museum about Olive Oil production, but no one goes in because the door is closed, most odd.

That sounds fabulous. We looked at Soller but couldn't find any accommodation at that point. Have a lovely rest of your trip! 

I guess you know, but next week is Easter, and the Spanish make a big deal of it with parades and confrida marching, well worth researching so you can watch one.

I can recommend the bird / nature reserve at Alcudia. Easy flat walking with some good bird watching if that suits you.

https://www.abc-mallorca.com/salbufera-nature-reserve-alcudia/

I can recommend the bird / nature reserve at Alcudia. Easy flat walking with some good bird watching if that suits you.

https://www.abc-mallorca.com/salbufera-nature-reserve-alcudia/

If you like birds I can recommend the walking round the nature reserve just down the road at Alcudia. Some flat walking through a large wetland with lots of migrants in April…

https://www.abc-mallorca.com/salbufera-nature-reserve-alcudia/

Thanks. Don't suppose you have any tips on finding wild tortoises, do you?! We have one at home and I rather like the idea of spotting one that's managed to continue to roam free...! 

Halfway through our trip and just sharing a few bits of experience in case anyone else reads this for their own trip. 

Val de Boquer was lovely and just the right length for me, so thanks for that recommendation (well I'm paying for it now, but it was worth it). Fabulous valley of rocks - like Mahabalipuram meets Font meets Kaly - very curious about climbing here; I've not seen it mentioned anywhere (other than a sign at the entrance) but there were definitely a few bolts and chalk marks (and, sadly, the one place with litter was under said boulder). Nice dip in the sea - saw cuttlefish, jellyfish and sea urchins. Came back at about 7pm to find the gate back past the farmhouse was locked - no warning about this on any of the signs, and there are many signs giving out info to tourists, so not sure why on earth this was the case! Nor any mention in the Rocher guide. Thankfully wasn't alone as I wouldn't have been able to climb that gate myself (and found it rather hairy as it was). I don't know what time it closes - some time between 3 and 7. 

We went up on the hill above Cala Molins to try to scramble the end of the Cavall Bernat and managed to get a horrible bushwhack up the wrong hill That should have been obvious if we'd actually looked at the ridge beforehand - we hadn't yet been through Sant Vicenç, so our bad. The very small bit of rock we found was fun though (unfortunately we mostly found a painful bushwhack that ended in very scratched legs in saltwater... Oops). But the ridge proper did indeed look fun! And the views from our little hill were great. 

We have fabulously managed to accidentally get a villa on Cami del Puig, which should shave a few metres off the walk up the hill (in fact, on Easter Monday we were surrounded by people doing so. We've yet to do it). Apparently there is no longer a snack bar as the folk got busted for not having a licence for offering accommodation or something. 

The Calvary steps in town were easier than expected (though vestibular issues made coming down harder). Enjoyed overhearing the parent telling her child that if the lady with the walking stick could do it... 

In short, absolutely loving it here; wish we had more time - the countryside is gorgeous - and good tourist infrastructure but reasonably easy (at least at this time of year) to get away from the hordes. Just health holding me back from doing more. Can't believe in didn't realise Mallorca was this fabulous - heartily recommend. Cyclists everywhere too - is this what it feels like to be a non-climber on Kalymnos..? 

Thanks again all.