Mallorca Day 43 - Tramuntana Tours, Cala Tuent Hike

Set the alarm, coffee and breakfast and at the Tramuntana Tours office by 10:00. The group today was 4, female, solo travelers. The other three were all young women and German. We were guided by Vincent and Jeremy.

We were taken by van up to Mirador de ses Barques. I have posted pictures from this location before, looking down on Port de Soller. As you can see, a very different day from yesterday.

The first part of the hike is gradually downhill on a gravel track

through terraced

olive groves,

with some ancient olive trees.

All the time surrounded by mountains. Vincent pointing out

one of the 3 torres we would see today.

I was told not to expect any bears or wildcats, the sign refers to mountain goats who are a bit of a problem, over running and defoliating the mountains and they have no predator but human hunters.

Looking up at Puig Major, the highest peak in Mallorca (1436 metres above sea level)

From this cave, built by the Moors

flows a spring, still used today by the 3 fincas in the valley.

The finca half way down into the valley and that gap is the pass (col) on the other side that we will walk through.

The valley itself is stunningly beautiful

as is the finca on the valley floor that is also a hotel.

Here we had a glass of orange juice

and a slice of orange cake that this little dog insisted on sharing. The owner came out and admonished him, saying he wont eat his own food anymore because he likes orange cake too much.

Lemons in a pickup truck, ready to go to market.

Across the valley floor and up through the col.

There are no pictures of that climb. When I stopped it was not to dig out the camera but to rest on my poles and get my heart rate back down, but luckily it wasn't for that long, maybe half an hour of steep up hill climbing.

Through to the other side and we were on the coastal path section of the hike with infrequent, short climbs and lots of downs.

We didn't have to walk over the far headland, but the one just this side of it.

We saw the boat from Colabra Beach, that Eve and I had taken, passing. Thankfully that wasn't the one we were to catch.

There were times that the mountains felt like they were hanging right over us.

Over the headland and

down to Cala Tuent.

I sat, on a fallen tree, under this pine, to eat my picnic lunch

with an olive grove and an amphitheater of mountains behind

and the bay in front.

We had about half an hour to relax at the beach and then we went to wait for the boat.

Here it comes. A little rough out there but luckily a following wind to take us home, so the ride wasn't too bad.

Two ropes onto the dock, down comes the gang plank and we got priority boarding as the tour had booked places.

Of course we sat on top

Heading home into the sun

past the beautiful coastline that we had hiked

There's the pass we came through.

Back in to Port.

We disembarked and said our goodbyes and thank yous. I then walked over to my favorite spot and had a ( well deserved I thought) glass of wine, while watching the late afternoon parade of dog and buggy walkers along the harbourside.
Supper was leftovers, then a hot shower to try and beat the aches. It's 10pm and I am blogging in bed while keeping an eye on the Toronto weather as Mum and Dad are supposed to catch a flight in about 4 hours that will take them to Gatwick and then down to Palma. Fingers crossed as the snow looks bad back in Canada.