Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Day two in Mallorca - Hiking the 'Path of the Dry Stone Waller'

Ken Hymas was the hero of yesterday's walk from Deià to Soller along GR-211.Eighty one years young, Ken hiked over 8 miles of rough trail as we followed the GR-221 (also called the "Path of the Dry Stone") that winds its way around this steep rocky section of ancient olive groves and ancient terraced land. 

We stopped just outside our hotel in the early morning and bought some fruit and postcards first.

The colours of the walls and the flowers are sometimes quite breathtaking.

There are plenty of walls to see all along the way.
There are places where the walls are in great need of repair.
The erosion caused by heavy periods of rainfall eventually cause sections to collapse, especially if stones become loose and the walls are not maintained properly.

Just as you get nearer to Soller you have follow a narrow road and have to lookout for cars. Side view mirrors on dry stone walls help.


Some of us went a little further from Soller past Biniaraix to see an even more complex network of dry stone walls, as the trail lead higher and higher inland to the east.

Our guides Pablo and Arturo would have liked us to go on even further up the trail but we had to meet up with the others and catch the last bus back to Deià.