I've just accidentally discarded this almost complete posting, so please excuse the brevity!
This was one of the best day's walks we have had on Mallorca, a really brilliant day out.
The top two pictures were taken on the ascent through sun dappled forest past charcoal burners' sitjas and beehive shaped bread ovens to a col, Col de s'Estret, where we enjoyed a first lunch.
The charcoal burners left over 100 years ago, so it was quiet here - just a few Germans to chat with.
We then ignored a 'permit required' sign and took a 3.5 km excursion on a loop that included the third picture, of the Archduke's magnificent path, and drew us over Talaia Vella, a 871 metre summit topped with a shuttered rifugio, then past a trig point at 858 metres to a Mirador with a fine view down to Valldemossa some 400 metres below us.
The rest of this extra loop was through pleasant mixed woodland, full of chirpy chaffinches. Two young goats strolled past, intent on finding tasty foliage.
After a second lunch at the same bench, we continued along the Archduke's Path, hugging the crest of a rocky ridge, all the way to a 925 metre summit, one of several visited today, Puig Caragoli. Site of today's final picture. There were numerous folk on this section of path. A large bird of prey circled ominously overhead.
The descent to Deià isn't recommended in poor weather, and even in today's 'perfect' conditions the cloud came down for a while after we had got down.
We made the mistake of blindly following another group, instead of relying on our guide book's instructions. One of that group questioned where he was at the same time as I did. Having the map, and our exact position, on the phone was a great help. Sue and I retraced our steps to an obvious point where two cairns indicated the route over a band of rocks. Our friend from the other group was left to chase after his errant friends. We hope they got down ok.
After that it was relatively straightforward if you meticulously followed the cairns.
Weissbier o'clock was soon after 5pm and was most welcome, as were our salads and a bottle of house rosé at Pamboleria Can Javi a bit later.
Today's walk was a little over 17 km, taking us 7.5 hours. I reckon about 1100 metres ascent. Viewranger gives 5000 feet of ascent, but I think that's a bit high.
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