A walk up Talaia d’Alcudia, Mallorca

I forget that it’s market day and we’re stuck in traffic crawling through the ancient walled town of Alcudia on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. To pass the time the taxi driver puts his AC/DC playlist on, Highway to Hell is the first song and I’m hoping it isn’t an omen for my planned walk today. Eventually he drops me just outside Campament de la Victoria which is the start point of my walk up Talaia d’Alcudia, the highest mountain on the Alcudia peninsula. As the cab pulls away the sunshine on my face and the silence in my ears are both equally welcome.

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October’s are getting warmer in Mallorca and today is touching 30°c. Thankfully there is some cloud cover to break up the full glare of the sun. Campament de la Victoria, or Victory Camp is a young people’s outdoor centre but it’s pretty deserted as I make my way through the campsite and out onto the trail that leads steadily upwards to Coll de na Benet.

The path follows the route of the Torrent des Fontanelles but as usual in the summer months the river is nowhere to be seen and the ground is as hard and dry as a bone.

So I’m a little surprised as I near the head of the col to come across a small rock pool filled to the brim with water, a gnarly old tree growing right next to it. I doubt the pool is natural and there seems to be a small wall at one end but the tree is certainly natural and looks like it’s been taking advantage of this ready source of water for many years.

From the top of the col it’s a fairly steep and rough drop off down to a confluence of dry river beds where a sign warns of the dangers of crossing when the river is in flood, an event that can only be imagined on a day like today.

The trail continues through garrigue scrubland along a narrow and attractive gorge with pleasant walking through sun dappled pines and dwarf fan palms all to a background of birdsong.

Eventually the wide track of the Cami de sa Muntanya is joined. It’s easy walking along the gravel track which links a car park to the secluded and pretty beach of Platja des Coll Baix and I make the most of it because I know that the hard work of the day is about to start.

Arriving at Collet des Coll Baix there are a couple of picnic benches and a small refuge, the Refugi del Coll Baix although this was padlocked. I take a break, have something to eat and drink in the welcome shadows of the pines and watch the comings and goings of cyclists, hikers and families who are heading down to the beach.

Suitably refreshed, I’m ready to tackle the zig zag path that heads steeply uphill towards a secondary summit, Puig del Boc. My efforts are quickly rewarded as with each step the deep blue Mediterranean Sea is gradually revealed, stretching out to the horizon with little white confetti sails dotted here and there on its surface.

About half way up the beach of Platja des Coll Baix comes into view, far below me now and tucked into a little cove surrounded by cliffs. I’m pretty hot and sweaty and the clear waters of the cove look fresh and inviting.

Onward and upwards and before long I round a corner and get a clear view of my objective for the first time since the start of the walk. It’s a shapely, attractive summit with a well defined top dropping off on all sides with connecting ridges radiating out like spokes from a central hub.

The path avoids the top of Puig del Boc and instead traverses around it before dropping down to another small col, Coll de s’Engolidor.

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It wouldn’t be Mallorca if there weren’t some route finding problems and although the summit can be clearly seen the path from the col becomes lost in the rough limestone karst landscape and scrub. Even the tiny little cairns, often a feature in these hills are conspicuous by their absence.

Eventually I come across a handy finger post, pick up the trail again and after a bit more effort I’m standing on top of Talaia d’Alcudia. Well, if you want to be pedantic not quite the top as a couple are enjoying lunch on the stone watchtower and I don’t want to disturb them.

There’s a lot of summit furniture. The round watchtower dates from the 16th century when fires would be lit to warn of impending invasion from the sea. It has a metal pole sticking out of it which is obviously a newer addition. There’s the remains of what was quite a substantial stone building and more recently, looking like a green Tardis is a weather station, secured against the elements by steel cables.

It’s the views however that draw the eye. Most of my walking has been on the opposite side of the bay so it’s interesting to be able to look across the Badia de Pollença and see the whole length of the bony finger that is the Formentor peninsula stretching out into the vast blue expanse of the Mediterranean.

I can also see from this perspective just how sheltered Port de Pollença is and why there are always so many boats moored up there. Beyond the Port are the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana, now a World Heritage Site and in the other direction the Bay of Alcúdia is seen to good effect.

I sit in the warmth and sunshine to finish off my lunch and immediately attract a couple of mountain goats looking for human food, which would not be healthy for them. Their soulless eyes unnerve me so they get short shrift and move on to other humans where they have more luck.

Leaving the top the path heads towards the Pas de Aritja before turning sharp left and dropping down steeply on a path which is protected on one side by a rather elaborate wooden fence.

The steep zig zags don’t last long and the sharp drop has the desired effect of losing height quickly to join another broad, if rocky track, the Cami de la Talaia which leads to the 15th century former convent of Ermita de la Victoria.

The hermitage is in a lovely location. Set among the trees high above the Badia de Pollença it’s quiet and peaceful and there are few cars in the car park. I get myself a cold Coke from the the little snack bar/hatch and sit for a while in the shady plaza in front of the old church gazing out across the bay.

Leaving the hermitage there is an option to walk down the coast road back to the start but I choose the footpath which winds its way down through woods and grassland back to the campsite which is as deserted as it was when I set off.

To download a GPX file of this walk and see a route map with geolocated pictures click ‘Learn more’ below