SeaHelp News

Mallorca: Hiking along the dry stone walls

Why not swap your boots for hiking boots? The 138-kilometre-long dry stone wall route GR221 (plus around 105 kilometres of variants), which has been planned since 2000, has now been officially recognised as a long-distance hiking trail on Mallorca – a good opportunity to get to know the island of Mallorca from its natural, authentic side.

The long-distance hiking trail GR 221 (Catalan: Gran Recorregut 221, Spanish: Gran Recorrido 221) on the Spanish Balearic island of Mallorca connects the two Mallorcan towns of Es Capdellà in the southwest and Port de Pollença in the northeast along the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range. The approximately 138-kilometer-long route (plus about 105 kilometers of variants), which has been planned since the fall of 2000, is considered rather demanding because it runs for long stretches through alpine terrain and far from populated areas as a trekking route.

What makes it special: the hiking trail is also known as the Dry Stone Wall Route, which is why it is called Ruta de Pedra en Sec (“Route of Dry Stone [Walls]”) in the regional official language Catalan. The Spanish/Castilian name for this route is Ruta de Piedra en Seco (see the cultural heritage of the dry stone walls in Croatia, for example, see our news).

 

GR 221 hiking trail on Mallorca - Ruta de Pedra en Sec from Soller to Lluc
Ruta de Pedra en Sec from Soller to Lluc. Here a typical dry stone wall.© Edda Dupree | Adobe Stock

 

After almost 25 years, the GR 221 in Mallorca has been recognized as a long-distance hiking trail

After almost a quarter of a century in the planning, the GR 221 on Mallorca has finally been “officially recognized as a long-distance hiking trail (GR) at all stages of the main axis,” writes mallorcazeitung.es in a report dated October 26. This was announced by the island council of Mallorca at an official presentation at the hostel of Son Amer in the municipality of Escorca on Saturday (26.10).

 

GR 221 hiking trail in Mallorca - Son Amer accommodation Lluc
Son Amer hostel in the municipality of Escorca© Tolo | Adobe Stock

 

The so-called marking phase was largely completed by 2023. Not all sections of the route have been definitively determined, as part of the route passes through private land and the legal situation still requires clarification. The stages are equipped with trail markers such as signs, posts and information boards.

After the island council approved the route, it now consists of a total of ten stages of varying lengths, based on the currently available mountain huts and accommodation: Start (1st stage): Es Capdellá – Estellencs (16 km), 2nd stage: Estellencs – Esporles (14 km), 3rd stage: Esporles – Valldemossa (10 km), 4th stage: Valldemossa – Deià (13 km ), 5th stage: Deià – Refugi de Muleta (Port de Sóller, 10 km), 6th stage: Refugi de Muleta (Port de Sóller) – Sóller (7.5 km), 7th stage: Sóller – Refugi de Tossals Verds (19 km ), 8th stage: Refugi de Tosssals Verds – Refugi de Son Amer, Lluc (16 km), 9th stage: Refugi de Son Amer, Lluc – Pollença (17 km), 10th and final stage: Pollença – Port de Pollença (7 km).

 

GR 221 hiking trail on Mallorca - La Trapa Monastery with Sa Dragonera island
Hiking trail near the monastery La Trapa with the island Sa Dragonera in the background.© Jan | Adobe Stock

 

In addition to the main route shown, there are several variants and access routes. Depending on the variant you choose, the total distance is between 130 and 150 kilometers.

 

GR 221 hiking trail on Mallorca – Barranco de Biniaraix gorge near Soller
Hiking trail through the gorge of Barranco de Biniaraix near Soller – panorama with a view of Soller and Biniaraix.© Frank Lambert | Adobe Stock

 

The GR 221 is a hut-to-hut hiking trail. If you want, you can spend the night in the designated shelters for a small fee.

Practical: the GR 221 is a so-called hut hiking trail, which connects some remote shelters with each other. These huts (Catalan Refugis, Spanish / Castilian Refugios) are run by different organizations, some of which offer managed huts for a small fee a place to sleep (as of 2024: from 14 euros) and simple meals (as of 2024: from 9.50 euros).

Tip: Hikers who want to stay overnight in the huts should definitely register in advance on the website of the Island Council. The following shelters are currently in operation as accommodation on the GR 221: Refugi de Finca Galatzó (Capdellà), Refugi de Can Boi (Deià), Refugi de Muleta (Port de Sóller), Refugi de Tossals Verds (Escorca), Refugi de Son Amer (Lluc), Refugi del Pont Romà (Pollença).

Planned or under construction: Refugi de sa Coma d’en Vidal (Estellencs; for groups only!), Refugi de Planícia (Banyalbufar) and Refugi de Raixa (Bunyola). On the side routes to the GR 221 are the two refuges Refugi de Ses Fontanelles (Andratx / Estellencs) and Refugi del Castell d’Alaró (Alaró).

Together with the Balearic mountaineering umbrella organization FBME, it has been achieved that the “eight completed stages of the 137-kilometer route have now been homologated,” the MZ article continues. The remaining sections should follow soon.

SeaHelp Service
Für tagesaktuelle Kraftstoffpreise
bitte hier klicken!
SeaHelp Service

Push Service & Newsletter

Advertising

SeaHelp Neueste Artikel

SeaHelp

Coronavirus Current

[ulc id="30297" taxs="576" posts_per_page="-1" order_by="title" order="ASC" cols="1" layout_style="minimal"]
SeaHelp News

Related Posts