Trekking in Mallorca. Paddy Dillon
€20, €10 and €5. Coins come in €2 and €1. Small denomination coins come in values of 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c and 1c. Bus drivers will appreciate the correct change and will frown on large notes.
Banks and ATMs are mentioned in route descriptions if further supplies of cash are needed. Many accommodation providers will accept major credit and debit cards, as will large supermarkets, but small bars, shops and cafés deal only in cash.
Some insurance policies may class a walk along the GR221 as a hazardous pursuit, in which case you may not be covered. Others, such as that provided by the BMC, www.thebmc.co.uk/insurance, would class it as an ordinary walk.
Food and drink
All the towns and villages along the GR221 offer the opportunity to buy food and drink. In some places there may only be one or two shops selling food, but there will always be a bar restaurant, and there are often opportunities to sample local fare. There are occasional roadside bar restaurants, but read ahead to be sure where the next shops, bars and restaurants are located. If there is a significant gap in services, be sure to stock up appropriately in advance. Shops generally open from 0900–1300 and 1600–2000. Long lunch hours are common, but some open all day, while some close on Saturday afternoons, and some may not open at all on Sundays.
Mallorquín cuisine, or cuina Mallorquina, can differ from that of Catalonia on the mainland. Fish dishes are a speciality and so are tapas, served with drinks in many bars. They are usually behind glass on the counter, so you can point to the ones you want. Small or large helpings are offered and a large one can make a substantial meal.
Meals in hotels may involve table service or a self-service buffet with an excellent selection. Meals in refugis are usually wholesome, filling, local specialities. See Appendix B for translations of many types of local specialities that may appear on menus.
The dining room at the remote Refugi de Tossals Verds (Stage 8)
Water
Ordinary tap water is fine for drinking, and bottled water is on sale everywhere. Very little running water is available in the limestone mountains. However, the word ‘font’ on maps indicates a spring. Sometimes, these will flow copiously and provide excellent drinking water. Others might be stagnant, and unsuitable for drinking without treating. Others may be dry most of the time, or have been piped away at source. Play safe and carry plenty of water.
Walking the GR221
Walking from south-west to north-east works well with the prevailing weather and there is less likelihood of squinting into the sun. At the time of writing, the early stages of the GR221 were neither signposted nor waymarked, with agreements yet to be concluded with landowners. Most of these routes are already in regular use by walkers and access doesn’t appear to be a problem. The greater part of the route and its alternatives are very well signposted and waymarked, proving very popular with trekkers.
Most of the GR221 has been signposted and waymarked, with amazing precision in some places!
The Consell de Mallorca breaks the route into eight stages, but this guidebook presents the main route in 10 daily stages, with a further three alternative starting points and three alternative finishing points. The main route from Port d’Andratx to Pollença measures about 140km (87 miles), while all the variant routes added together give an additional 90km (56 miles).
Alternative routes
Many maps have been produced showing the course of the GR221 over the years, regardless of whether or not some stretches have been negotiated with landowners, or cleared of undergrowth to allow access. Every so often, one of the suggested alternatives becomes formally adopted, signposted and waymarked. At present, there are enough of these routes to offer three additional starting points, and three additional finishing points. Full details of alternative routes that are already available are given in this guidebook.
Instead of starting at Port d’Andratx and passing through Sant Elm, where the first one-and-a-half days of the route aren’t yet waymarked, your route could be started in the village of s’Arracó, where the route is waymarked all the way to Coll de sa Gramola. Another alternative starting point is the village of es Capdellà, where the route is fully signposted and waymarked all the way through the Galatzó estate to Estellencs. Yet another alternative starting point is the small town of Calvià, where the route is fully signposted as the GR221 as far as Puigpunyent, and at least waymarked to Coll d’Estellencs. The descent to Estellencs, despite being regarded as a Camino Real, or right of way, has not yet been formally adopted, and is admittedly a sorry mess by the time it reaches Estellencs.
Little houses are passed on the way to Coll de sa Gramola (Alternative start A)
Instead of finishing at Pollença, three other finishing points could be considered. One option, while not specifically marked as the GR221, is at least fully signposted all the way from the outskirts of Sóller to Cala Tuent. The problem with this route is getting away at the end, but ultimately it is planned that the route will continue to Lluc. Another option for finishing involves leaving the main route at Tossals Verds, and walking either to Alaró for an easy exit, or over Puig d’Alaró to finish in the village of Orient. Yet another finishing point can be considered by switching from the GR221 to the GR222, from Lluc to Caimari. In due course, the GR222 will be signposted and waymarked across the plains of es Pla to the distant Serra de Llevant.
Extra mountains
Hardy enthusiasts could walk the whole of the GR221 and include several mountain peaks along the way. Many prominent peaks lie close to the route, but climbing some of them involves hands-on scrambling. Peaks worth considering include Mola de s’Esclop, Puig de Galatzó, Mola de Son Ferrandell, Puig des Teix, Puig de l’Ofre, Puig des Tossals Verds, Puig de Massanella and Tomir.
Guided walking holidays
Some activity holiday companies claim to offer guided walks along the GR221. Check their details carefully as most of them do not actually trek along the entire route, but offer only a series of short walks along certain ‘highlight’ sections. However, there are some companies who offer long-distance guided walks through the Serra de Tramuntana that either follow or run roughly parallel to the GR221.
Maps of the GR221
At the time of writing the GR221 is neither signposted nor waymarked in its early stages, but the latter parts are usually very well marked. This guidebook contains extracts from the excellent Editorial Alpina 1:25,000 scale maps of the Serra de Tramuntana. These are far and away the best maps for trekking along the GR221 and all its alternatives. To enjoy full coverage of the mountains and to appreciate where the GR221 is located in a wider context, obtain the Alpina 25 Serra de Tramuntana map pack. This includes four extensive, detailed maps of the mountains, printed back to back so that they are light and compact, on durable waterproof material, packed into a handy card folder, with a five-language key. For details see www.editorialalpina.com.
The Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN) publishes maps of Mallorca at scales of 1:50,000 and 1:25,000. These are part of the Mapa Topográfico Nacional (MTN) series. Be sure to check the style and quality of these maps if tempted to make a purchase, as they don’t show the course of the GR221, nor do they show many of the paths and tracks that form the route. For details see www.cnig.es.
Maps can be ordered in advance from British suppliers such as Stanfords (12–14 Long Acre, London WC2E 9BR, tel 020 7836 1321, www.stanfords.co.uk); The Map Shop (15 High Street, Upton-upon-Severn WR8 0HJ, tel 01684 593146, www.themapshop.co.uk);