PATHS WITH PERMIT

> Son Balaguer des Racó (Vall de Superna)- Ajuntament de Puigpunyent at least 2 weeks before.

> Son Moragues (Valldemossa)- access to the Pla des Pouet and the viewpoints Miradors de na Torta and Can Costa and to caseta de s'Arxiduc, tel. +34 619 591 985 or: info@muntanyadelvoltor.com

> Coma-sema (Orient)- Sr. Fernando Fortuny (+ 34 670 874 825)

> Puig Roig- only on sunday (without permit)

> Ariant (between Lluc and Pollença)- contactar amb: mallorca@procustodia.org o 971 575 880

> Ternelles (Pollença)- 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. Ask for the permit at the website of Ajuntament de Pollença . ON 2023, IT IS CLOSED AGAIN

☻ Mallorca has a huge path network: some of the paths were built during the time of the Arabs (902-1229), other paths 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 paths.

☻ A big problem is private paths 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 paths.

►Closed paths:

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

They are plenty of reasons to close a path 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 paths:

Around Sóller:

- Puig de Bàlitx- Cova des Migdia- Tanca des Bous: Since 2021 this area has been closed by the new owners

- S´Arrom- Es Cornadors

- Puig des Teix: the footpath from Coll de Sóller to the summit is closed+ Information

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

- Comasema,

Around Alaró:

- The direct path 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 path but the owner has put up signs forbidding entry.

►"Toll" paths

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 must pay 6 € .

►Opening of new paths

-  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 path has been signposted

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

-  The dry stone wall building college  is responsible for renovating public paths. They are working on the trail GR 221 which is going to cross the island from Port d'Andratx to Pollença. Other paths where they have worked are: Castell d´Alaró, the path from Esporles to Banyalbufar, the path from Deià to Sóller, the Barranc de Biniaraix, the path to Puig de Maria near Pollença, the old path 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´ paths

Between 1920 and 1960 tobacco smuggling created an important network of steep, difficult paths 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 paths are known as  "passos". The pictures are from the "Pas des Pinetons" not far from Mortitx. Other important "passos" are: the path 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).