Despite its small size, Mallorca offers a huge range of possibilities for hiking and trail running. The most spectacular trails are found in the Serra de Tramuntana, the wild mountain range that crowns the northern shores of the island, with its tortured relief, barren summits, gravity defying overhangs and surreal karst formations.
Many other beautiful but somehow less dramatic hikes can be enjoyed on the southern shorelines or eastern hillls, such as in the National Park of the Llevant.
The trails
Many trails in the Serra de Tramuntana were built in the middle ages, in the years following the Christianisation of the island, as the land was split into large estates awarded to noblemen in return for their contribution to the successful eviction of the Moors. The mountains have been used ever since for charcoal and lime production, to keep livestock in the summer period, as well as shelter and a safe communication channel in times of war and instability.
A network of precarious coastal trails were used at night by smugglers to avoid paying dues to the nobility and later to the government, whilst snow pits were built to store ice close to the higher summits and linked to the plains by well constructed tracks on which runners would carry the ice overnight to the markets in the hot months. All this lead to the creation of an impressive network of trails, many of which can still be hiked today.
Maps:
The Tramuntana mountains are best navigated with the help of the " Tramuntana" Alpina map series. They are a goldmine of information and no hiker going off the well beaten track should venture without those. These maps are available in digital format as well as in different printed sizes. There are also a number of great hiking guides published by the same editor.
Note that the maps can be out of stock locally from long periods of time, so ordering online could be an option. The maps are generally very accurate, but may not include every existing trail, especially on private land.
Rights of way:
More then 90% of the serra de Tramuntana is privately owned.
Rights of way remains an issue in many places, as many landowners consider the intrusion of leisure hikers onto their ancestral lands as offensive. However, most paths are routed well away from lived in farms and most normal casual walkers should be able to hike the island without much trouble, even off the well beaten track of route 221. Remember,you can usually leave the mountains through private land but sometime not access it that way (an example of that is the Coma Sema next to Orient).
Do's and don't:
While the rights and wrongs of these right of way issues are very debatable, all hikers can have an input in keeping the paths open by following simple rules:
A small index follows of common words
Many other beautiful but somehow less dramatic hikes can be enjoyed on the southern shorelines or eastern hillls, such as in the National Park of the Llevant.
The trails
Many trails in the Serra de Tramuntana were built in the middle ages, in the years following the Christianisation of the island, as the land was split into large estates awarded to noblemen in return for their contribution to the successful eviction of the Moors. The mountains have been used ever since for charcoal and lime production, to keep livestock in the summer period, as well as shelter and a safe communication channel in times of war and instability.
A network of precarious coastal trails were used at night by smugglers to avoid paying dues to the nobility and later to the government, whilst snow pits were built to store ice close to the higher summits and linked to the plains by well constructed tracks on which runners would carry the ice overnight to the markets in the hot months. All this lead to the creation of an impressive network of trails, many of which can still be hiked today.
Maps:
The Tramuntana mountains are best navigated with the help of the " Tramuntana" Alpina map series. They are a goldmine of information and no hiker going off the well beaten track should venture without those. These maps are available in digital format as well as in different printed sizes. There are also a number of great hiking guides published by the same editor.
Note that the maps can be out of stock locally from long periods of time, so ordering online could be an option. The maps are generally very accurate, but may not include every existing trail, especially on private land.
Rights of way:
More then 90% of the serra de Tramuntana is privately owned.
Rights of way remains an issue in many places, as many landowners consider the intrusion of leisure hikers onto their ancestral lands as offensive. However, most paths are routed well away from lived in farms and most normal casual walkers should be able to hike the island without much trouble, even off the well beaten track of route 221. Remember,you can usually leave the mountains through private land but sometime not access it that way (an example of that is the Coma Sema next to Orient).
Do's and don't:
While the rights and wrongs of these right of way issues are very debatable, all hikers can have an input in keeping the paths open by following simple rules:
- Leave all gates as you found them.
- Stay well away from lived in farmstead, finca, houses or manors, and do not poke your face and camera into other people's private lives.
- Be QUIET when in the vicinity of the same, even if you are on a public footpath. A large group passing by can be felt an (or just is) invasive, so keep it down.
- If you come across local farmers, always greet them and ask for permission to pass.
- Lighting fires and leaving rubbish on the trails is criminal.
A small index follows of common words
Paret wall
Amunt High Baix low Barranc Ravine, canyon Cami Path Casa, can house Cingle cliff Clot hollow Coll Saddle Cova, Avenc Cave Fita Cairn, milestone. Font Fountain Mirador viewpoint Pas mountain pass Penyal: Pinnacle Pla Plateau Puig: Peak Punta Point Rafal small farm Rosaguera Scree or boulder slope Salt waterfall Serra range(mountain) Sitja charcoal production settlement Talaia watch tower Torre Tower Vinyes Vines