GR221 Camina Per Mallorca. Day 2 - LLuc to Tossals Verds

Day two sees us off in to the mountains proper and we are excited and somewhat concerned about the long climb and precarious paths we had been warned about (slight exaggeration). However, the morning faffs had to be waited through plus an interesting visit to the Visitors Centre.

The route was almost straight into more Holm-Oak woodland, we climbed steadily crossing the MA-10 where we chatted with an English couple out walking then onwards zig-zagging up the terraced hillside eventually coming out onto an open rock face with the Voltes d’en Galileu rising above us. The views back to towards the  coast and yesterday’s walk are beautiful.

The Voltes d’en Galileu is a path constructed centuries ago to provide access for horses to the snow houses on the plain above. It has been restored by the dry stone wallers of the Consell de Mallorca, “The bridle path follows a series of tight bends to ascend a slope of almost 250 m up to the plain

where the Galileu snow house stands, and has the characteristic features of the bridle paths of the Sierra de Tramuntana: dry stone cobbles, escupidors (parapets), ratlletes (diagonal drainage

channels), etc.” The snow/ice was a valuable commodity used in the big houses, hotels etc. in the towns below

 Naturally this was a much easier climb than our imaginations predicted. The walk was steady, safe with the most stunning views. A short climb through grassland above led us to the first of several Snow Houses in this area. “All that remains of this-egg shaped snow house are the east facing walls. Nearby are the remains of the rectangular porxo de nevaters (snow harvesters’ hut). It was one of the first snow houses ever to be recorded, back in 1616, even though it was also one of the first to fall into disuse: it was already in ruins by the end of the 18th century.” The Snow Houses are well worth spending sometime at, if you have it, reflecting on their construction, how long they were in use for, the lives of the people who filled them, cut the blocks of ice and carried them down.

Climbing to a small pass, the Coll de ses Cases de Neu we drop into the top end of a long valley and on up to the Coll des Telegraf. More climbing takes us to the Coll des Pratt where we sit by the wall and have lunch. Great mountain views in all directions with lots of fast moving low cloud and sunshine.

From here it was a long downhill, well mainly downhill, walk through the Holm-Oak woods to reach a quiet clearing at the Font des Pratt a small stone structure over a spring. From here we head down the valley of the Torrent des Pratt to Refugi Tossals Verds where we are to stay the night.

During today walk the dynamics of who walked with who, who was at the front or back broke down much more than on day one and it seem that although Pete, Andy and I, the three Brits came together from time to time I also spent time talking with Bob, Mary, Phil and Sandy. Clearly the not very high barriers were coming down as we all settled into the pattern of walking. From Font des Pratt it became a bit of a charge to the finish, with Andy and I towards the back until Phil and Sandy caught up with us.

Tossals Verds is a Farmhouse converted into a Hostel, slightly similar to a YHA hostel, it is also a Donkey Sanctuary. Andy, Pete and I were in one bunk room with beds for eight, which for some reason was dubbed the Snorers Room and to which Sandy, apparently, was to be banished to. Fortunately she was saved from this by the arrival, possibly unannounced (not booked ahead), of four young German ladies. There was some kind of plan to move everyone around, mostly discussed in loud Spanish, rooms were opened, people moved and the Snorers Room gained four young German ladies.  During the night one lady got up and went into the non-snorers room – too much snoring for her to take apparently.

Thankfully everything went in a remarkably civilised and grown up manner, no smut, no surprises and everyone happy at breakfast.

Dinner was pork chops in a rich tomato sauce, Mallorca style with potatoes. We chatted with the German ladies who were from the Hartz Mountain area of Germany. They were part of a ‘Dragon Boat’ team on a four day hiking break.

Breakfast was the cold meat cheese and dry rough bread again.