Duration: 3 to 4 hrs
Difficulty: Medium High, no technical passages, many scrambles.
Rising some 1400 meter above sea level, this is the highest summit in Mallorca that can be climbed without obtaining prior permission from the authorities. It is an immensely rewarding hike, best undertaken on a circular route offering a unique perspective on the Serra de Tramuntana and some of the most impressive views that can be had anywhere on the island. The route is described anticlockwise, involving a steep climb to the summit, a fairly airy ridge walk, and a slower descent along the north slopes. One of the very best classic adventure hikes in Mallorca.
Warnings: Despite the relatively low altitude, this walk should only be undertaken in good settled weather. There are no paths as such at the top of the hill, and whilst the south side route is cairned all the way, the northern slopes are only sparsely way-marked; both might be tricky to navigate in very poor visibility. There are some steep passages, the drops from the ridge are impressive, very few people come this way, and a reasonable fitness level is required. Maybe best not undertaken without the lead of a person with some sort of mountain experience, so to be on the safe side, occasional walkers should hire a guide.
Difficulty: Medium High, no technical passages, many scrambles.
Rising some 1400 meter above sea level, this is the highest summit in Mallorca that can be climbed without obtaining prior permission from the authorities. It is an immensely rewarding hike, best undertaken on a circular route offering a unique perspective on the Serra de Tramuntana and some of the most impressive views that can be had anywhere on the island. The route is described anticlockwise, involving a steep climb to the summit, a fairly airy ridge walk, and a slower descent along the north slopes. One of the very best classic adventure hikes in Mallorca.
Warnings: Despite the relatively low altitude, this walk should only be undertaken in good settled weather. There are no paths as such at the top of the hill, and whilst the south side route is cairned all the way, the northern slopes are only sparsely way-marked; both might be tricky to navigate in very poor visibility. There are some steep passages, the drops from the ridge are impressive, very few people come this way, and a reasonable fitness level is required. Maybe best not undertaken without the lead of a person with some sort of mountain experience, so to be on the safe side, occasional walkers should hire a guide.
Getting there
The walk is described as an anticlockwise loop starting a few hundred meters from the Soller side entrance of the tunnel de Monaber, at marker 37.8 to be precise. To get there with your own car, just take the Lluc/Pollensa road from Soller, park at the view point at the exit of the tunnel and walk back a short distance downhill.
The 8:40 am bus from Soller to Lluc and Pollensa does not normally stop at the tunnel. You might be able to sweet talk the driver into dropping you off, otherwise the closest official stop is Cuber reservoir, from where you will have to backtrack some 3 kms to the start of the walk, through the very dark tunnel. There is no bus on Sundays or holidays.
You could reach the Km 37,8 on foot from Soller, via the Portell de sa Costa and the Val de son Torellas or just by following the Cami Vell de Monaber all the way up from Biniaritx. While the latter option is slightly easier, either make for a very, very long day in the hills!
Last, if all else fails, hitch-hiking is not very common but does usually work, especially if you look like genuine walkers desperate for a ride back home!
The walk is described as an anticlockwise loop starting a few hundred meters from the Soller side entrance of the tunnel de Monaber, at marker 37.8 to be precise. To get there with your own car, just take the Lluc/Pollensa road from Soller, park at the view point at the exit of the tunnel and walk back a short distance downhill.
The 8:40 am bus from Soller to Lluc and Pollensa does not normally stop at the tunnel. You might be able to sweet talk the driver into dropping you off, otherwise the closest official stop is Cuber reservoir, from where you will have to backtrack some 3 kms to the start of the walk, through the very dark tunnel. There is no bus on Sundays or holidays.
You could reach the Km 37,8 on foot from Soller, via the Portell de sa Costa and the Val de son Torellas or just by following the Cami Vell de Monaber all the way up from Biniaritx. While the latter option is slightly easier, either make for a very, very long day in the hills!
Last, if all else fails, hitch-hiking is not very common but does usually work, especially if you look like genuine walkers desperate for a ride back home!
The route:
From the km 37.8 marker, take the rocky track going up the hill through the woods towards the steep valley/gully of the Coma de n'Arbona. You will soon reach a dry stream bed that you follow up, till you reach a set of small cliffs. The old path to the snow pits starts here, on the right hand side of the valley going up.
The path is easily followed, past the two snow pits to the right of the path, and onwards to reach the ridge of the Serra de son Torellas at its northern end. Pass the boundary wall at the top of the valley, enjoy the view, turn left and follow the military road for some 20 or 30 meters till you spot the cairns on the left leading you steeply uphill towards the ridge of the Penyal de Migdia. The very short stretch of road is inside the restricted area, though this seems to be the accepted route; if you need to avoid it, go a small distance back down the coma de n'Arbona, cross the scree in a westerly direction and come back up. After a short scramble you will come out well above the road, thus bypassing the military zone.
Follow the cairns that will lead you straight up towards the ridge at first, then slightly to the left, before turning back to a direct climb towards the ridge. The climb is steep but not difficult.
Follow the ridge to the right to reach the higher summit, enjoy the view, jump to make sure that you do get indeed to 1400 meters, and return, following the ridge in the opposite direction (westwards), past your starting point and onto the lower summit, a few hundred meters away. The Alpina map shows a trail going down from the ridge on the North side starting at the point you originally joined the ridge. This looks like a difficult way down, very steep to start with and joining a vast expanse of steep scree, probably easier avoided.
The classic route is to keep going along the ridge westwards (you will have to use your hands at times on some of the scrambles) till you eventually leave the rocky outcrop and reach a vast grassy slope edged by the western cliffs of the mountain.
Follow the cliff top for a small distance, then go downhill in the direction of the binis ( Bini Gran and Bini Petit), that is more or less heading North. There are only very few cairns on this stretch.
You will soon reach a steeper section ending at the top of a set of cliffs. The passage down is marked by a very large cairn. YOU MUST FIND THIS CAIRN, and proceed to the left of it to a moderately easy scramble downwards, also marked by cairns. Keep some more to the left till you reach a scree slope and the forest just above the Cami des Cingles, easily identified from above.
Take the Cami des Cingle to the left and return to your starting point.
From the km 37.8 marker, take the rocky track going up the hill through the woods towards the steep valley/gully of the Coma de n'Arbona. You will soon reach a dry stream bed that you follow up, till you reach a set of small cliffs. The old path to the snow pits starts here, on the right hand side of the valley going up.
The path is easily followed, past the two snow pits to the right of the path, and onwards to reach the ridge of the Serra de son Torellas at its northern end. Pass the boundary wall at the top of the valley, enjoy the view, turn left and follow the military road for some 20 or 30 meters till you spot the cairns on the left leading you steeply uphill towards the ridge of the Penyal de Migdia. The very short stretch of road is inside the restricted area, though this seems to be the accepted route; if you need to avoid it, go a small distance back down the coma de n'Arbona, cross the scree in a westerly direction and come back up. After a short scramble you will come out well above the road, thus bypassing the military zone.
Follow the cairns that will lead you straight up towards the ridge at first, then slightly to the left, before turning back to a direct climb towards the ridge. The climb is steep but not difficult.
Follow the ridge to the right to reach the higher summit, enjoy the view, jump to make sure that you do get indeed to 1400 meters, and return, following the ridge in the opposite direction (westwards), past your starting point and onto the lower summit, a few hundred meters away. The Alpina map shows a trail going down from the ridge on the North side starting at the point you originally joined the ridge. This looks like a difficult way down, very steep to start with and joining a vast expanse of steep scree, probably easier avoided.
The classic route is to keep going along the ridge westwards (you will have to use your hands at times on some of the scrambles) till you eventually leave the rocky outcrop and reach a vast grassy slope edged by the western cliffs of the mountain.
Follow the cliff top for a small distance, then go downhill in the direction of the binis ( Bini Gran and Bini Petit), that is more or less heading North. There are only very few cairns on this stretch.
You will soon reach a steeper section ending at the top of a set of cliffs. The passage down is marked by a very large cairn. YOU MUST FIND THIS CAIRN, and proceed to the left of it to a moderately easy scramble downwards, also marked by cairns. Keep some more to the left till you reach a scree slope and the forest just above the Cami des Cingles, easily identified from above.
Take the Cami des Cingle to the left and return to your starting point.
