GR221 Camina Per Mallorca. Day 0

On October 21, Andy and I took an early morning flight from East Midlands Airport to Palma, Mallorca where we met Rafael who was to guide us along the GR221 he had also arranged all our accommodation and meals and over the week would instructed us in the history, culture, language, flora and fauna of the Serra de Tramuntana and generally work hard to get a disorderly group of three Brits and four Canucks (Canadians) across Mallorca. Please see Rafael's website at Walk Picos

Having taken our bags off us, he sent us off to sight see around Palma, telling us that he would meet  us and our, as yet unknown companions at the Placa de Espanya later in the day.

The actual meet up was somewhat bizarre, a scene from a spoof spy movie, as various individuals and couples  eyed the numerous other people standing around or meandering about the square, occasionally muttering the code word “Rafael” in the hope that a. they were in the right place and b. they had indeed met another member on the walk. All was quickly resolved and we took the bus to Porto Pollenca and a nice Mallorcan Hostel/Hotel where we had our first meal and drinks together.

Outlining the walk Rafael explained that tomorrow our cases would be taken away and we would not see them again till we reach Soller, in three days’ time. Naturally this caused some consternation among those not used to multiday walking. I explained that by using the system of keeping one set of ‘evening’ dry clothes in a waterproof bag and wearing the same ‘day’ clothes over several days it is possible to reduce the weight and bulk to be carried.

The next day a short bus ride took us to the nearby town of Pollenca and the start of the walk. The famed Pollenca market was in full swing, dazzling the senses with a fabulous variety of colours, smells and languages. Food for lunch and water was purchased and divvied amongst us. The first of what was to become a daily ritual.

The GR221 walk is usually described, and walked, from south to north i.e. Port d’ Andratx to Pollenca, we however are walking north to south, Pollenca to Estellencs. The main reason for this was to ensure a booking at the Tossals Verds Refuge and, as we have only six days here we are ending at Estellence.