Incidentally this is blog number 900!
Every time I mentioned to friends that we had booked a cycling holiday in Mallorca, their reaction was "It's a bit hilly there, isn't it?" 😕 But unlike the majority of cyclist who head straight for the Northeast where the mountains are, (as well as professional teams training), we were starting just a few miles inland from Palma in the south. Over the course of the week, our routes would meander towards the northeast. Just incase it was a bit more hilly than we expected, we opted for ebikes, since it could also be hot.... and we were here to relax. 😁 We booked a self guided tour using Headwater Holidays, who booked all hotels, and took care of our luggage transfers between hotels.
A friend had recommended an app called Find Penguins, which tracks your route, by the addition of manually adding "footprints" as you travel, so I tried this each day adding 2 or 3 locations ie cake and lunch stops.😜 Obviously we didn't ride in straight lines, but it gives a basic overall idea of where were were. It relies on tracking your phone so is quite heavy on data, so I wont use it as regular thing, since it cost me £10 for the week on top of my normal phone costs.
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| The map according my Find Penguins footprints. |
Our first two nights were at an Agritourismo called Es Torrent, nr Campos. Very nice accommodation, and landscaping. Breakfast taken outdoors, and evening meal indoors, since it cooled off a little by 7pm. A lack of ambiance at dinner, since most other guests drove out to nearby restaurants, but our food was very nice, so we were happy.
A few photos from Es Torrent accommodation
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| Lemon trees |
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| Artichokes |
DAY TWO May 8th CAMPOS to Es Trenc Beach (figure of 8 return loop)
It turned out that our bikes had been delivered the day before, but we didn't know this, so were hanging around a little until we noticed our names on 2 bikes!! So, we set out about 10ish, heading through Campos and to the southern coast.
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| Setting off, at last from our Agritourismo. |
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Enroute to Campos town. Quiet roads, but quite windy.
( took some video here for my film, with the crops blowing around) |
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My trusty steed for the week. A bit clunky but it would prove to be
a good decision, and that basket was very handy. 😊 |
The information from the tour company suggested there was nowhere to stop enroute to the coast, but with the help of Google, we found a cafe, which had a courtyard garden, and at least on google looked nice..... it was. (Infact so good, we came back here for lunch later. )
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| Campos coffee stop. |
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| In the courtyard of the cafe. |
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From Campos, our roads and lanes were all very pretty with wildflowers alongside
drystone walling, and the odd cyclist passing! |
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| We didn't stay long, just had an ice cream, then carried on with our journey. |
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| Es Trenc Beach |
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Passing the Salt Pans for the second time, as we started our return circular route.
We had hoped to see Flamingo here, but none today. |
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Our first proper windmill sighting. There are around 3000 on the island.
(hence the wind!!)
Many for underground water extraction, as well as mill grinding. |
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| Anthemis growing in the wall cracks. |
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| And the obligatory Fennel. |
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| Very tasty lunch back at the courtyard cafe in Campos. |
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| Lemon tree at the cafe. |
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| We did it! Day 1 in the bag. Not at all challenging, which was the plan. |
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| Time for a bit of relaxing...... |
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| Then dinner at the Agritourismo. 3 courses. All delicious. |
DAY THREE May 9th CAMPOS to ALGEIDA via Sa Rapita & Llucmajor
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You may notice the Elevation is a bit different today towards the end!
That was our choice. |
We moved to our second hotel today further inland at Alguida, but first our route headed south to a coastal town called Sa Rapita.
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| Good cycle path along the rocky coast of Sa Rapita. |
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I spotted that rock as a ideal seat for a piece to camera for my holiday film,
otherwise known as a "bla bla bla" 😂
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| Bla bla, with Lav Mic on me, and camera set on the foreground rock. |
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| No coastal view, but it was fine for a quick cuppa. |
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| A fair number of photo stops along our journey towards Llucmajor |
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| Typical scene. |
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| Hotting up, and not much shade. |
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| John decided to do a photo theme of "Gates of Mallorca". |
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We saw quite a number of tractors on our journey,
cutting and collect the hay. |
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| Searching for a snack lunch in Llucmajor. |
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lol!!! Ham & Cheese toasty!
Not quite what we had in mind, but it was a 10Euro lunch, inc 2 beeers. |
We decided to add a few more miles to our route, since it was only 2.30ish when we reached Algeida. (The route continued to an alternative hotel, but even though we weren't staying there, we fancied taking a look at the route, which was at the top of a mountain. Well, we had plenty of power left, so why not.)
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Our extended route beyond Algeida had some lovely winding
lanes with tree cover. But was also heading uphill. |
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This was quite unexpected to see the rape field. The only one we saw all week.
Our destination is up that hill, to Cura. |
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| EEek. Meeting a coach on our first of several hair pins up the mountain. |
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| Quite a roar as this lot passed us. |
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| Right hand hairpin. |
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| Here comes another one. |
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With 1.5 miles to go to the top, John announces his battery
is down to it's last bar.😖
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| Getting our priorities right. |
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Santuari deCura. This should have been an incredibly peaceful place.
BUT a school trip was here at the same time. 😡 |
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We spent half an hour or so taking photos, then
time to whizz back down the hill. 😎, with caution. John's power died
with about a mile to go to or hotel... but by that time all flat. Phew. |
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This unassuming door was like the entrance to a Tardis. No one was there to let us in,
but we managed an international call, then a secret code was shared to open the key safe.😏
Beautiful accommodation. |
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| Petit Alguida hotel courtyard area. |
Algeida town is also pretty with the honey coloured local stone, and as we walked out for dinner, the Windmill was looking particularly good in the low evening sun.
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| We walked a few minutes to a restaurant called The Four Winds. |
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Another excellent meal. But huge!
No pudding tonight. |
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| This open BBQ was just behind us, and threw off quite a heat. |
DAY FOUR May 10th ALGAIDA to MONTUIRI & Sinieu (loop)
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| We called this the Dinasaur loop. 😆 |
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| Montuiri in the distrance. |
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| Montuiri, typical of the towns in this area. |
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| With all these cyclists around, there MUST be a cafe closeby. |
It was up some stairs in a building behind us..... and up more stairs to a terrace.
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| Orange cake. Yum. |
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View to our right, and we watched loads of swifts/swallows
flying up to this building to feed their young. So fast
so I tried some slo mo filming. |
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You can feel the heat as we came back to our bikes. 32degrees now.
Time to keep moving. |
Mountuiri is known as a town "surrounded by windmills", but we were rather disappointed that only 1 of them had sails. Not quite like the google image of the town!
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We had climbed to the town,
and now this stupidly steep descent. Brake!!!
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| A surprising splash of red and time for some more photos. |
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| Another bla bla bla spot. |
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John took the GoPro on his handlebars for a couple of miles.
There is a plane to my left, one of endless flights
coming into Palma especially over the weekend. |
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| Arriving in Mediaval Sineu. |
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SINEU centre. Looks hopeful for lunch. John ordered and paid for 2 beers
in the first cafe only to find they had no food! So we drank it, and moved a
few feet to the next cafe. |
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A light snack! I had the Tapas which included bits you don't want to know about,
but which John consumed. |
A little bit of backtracking on a different loop, to once more pass the poppy fields in the opposite direction, and back for nice swim the refreshing pool.
And in the evening, a little wander in to the town (not far). We had hoped for Paella, but it needed 24 hours notice. We had booked for 7.30, and got there a few minutes early, only to be told the kitchen doesn't open till 7.30! We managed with Bread, olives, and wine for starters.
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| Restaurant in Algaida. |
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| I had Tuna |
We went back to pick up our cameras, to try a night shot with the windmill. The sunset was bland.
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| Tiny sickle moon amongst the sails. |
DAY FIVE May 11th ALGAIDA TO SELVA via St. Maria
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Lots of variety for breakfast at our Hotel before we leave.
(that plate is to share btw!) |
Saturday, and loads of cycle groups out today and endless overhead flights landing too. (but not noisy). Beautiful soft light to start the day.
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| Interesting spot for a ....... |
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| ...... bla bla bla |
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| Mountains getting closer. |
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| Our chosen drink stop in St Maria, next to the massive church . |
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| Home made iced tea, and the best Flat White John had all week |
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| Our Turkish host. So friendly. |
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| St Maria Church |
We got a bit lost in the one way system trying to get back to our route, but eventually escaped St Maria, continuing our route towards Selva., via Losetta.
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Losetta was a more modern town, but we found a square with a good cafe
and lots more cyclists too. |
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I ordered a salad which looks just like John's Pizza
and I'm not a big fan of tomatoes.😕 |
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| Selva about a mile away... UP hill. |
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| Scorchio. |
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This was when we were so glad we had ebikes.
Every town was on a steep hill. |
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| Tiny symbol and sign Can Cota, our hotel, which we passed initially. |
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Views from tonight's restaurant in the town, facing the opposite direction to our hotel view.
Shooting straight into the sun was not easy, but we both liked the little ridge of trees on the left. |
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| lol. his and her wine glasses. |
And a few shots from around Selva.
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| Front our out Hotel Can Cota. |
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| John on the breakfast patio under the Lemon Tree. |
DAY SIX May 12th SELVA LOOP TO Llubi, Buger and Campanet. |
| Sunrise from our bathroom window in Selva. |
Today, a loop once more, initially heading south wiggling our way towards Llubi.
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As we left our hotel, the advice was to WALK the bike over the cobbles.
No way were were riding that! |
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| That sky looking worryingly dark just a few minutes after we set out! |
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| Todays bla bla bla spot, with a few drops of rain in the air. |
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Sunday morning traffic jam in a tiny lane! Were they all going to church?
The horse got spooked and galloped off in the other direction. |
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| And then we met the horse heading back this way again. |
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| motoring downhill............ |
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| .......... and they're gone. |
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| Mustn't forget to go back for the camera! |
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| Looking for a cafe in Llubi |
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Llubi square. Morning tea and cake time.
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Beautiful trees providing shade
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| Crop fields in abundance |
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| Thistle seed heads, which would have looked amazing in April, |
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We passed through Campanet where there was some kind of festival going on
lots of stalls etc. But too hot and busy, so we just walked our bikes through. |
We headed back towards Selva, where we stopped for lunch just before we climbed the hill to the hotel. It was quite a smart restaurant, so we felt slightly casual in our sweaty cycling gear. 😂
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| Time to relax. |
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Before dinner at a Tapas Fusion restaurant next door to the one where we had lunch.
All very tasty, before we had WALK up the hill to the hotel. |
DAY SEVEN May 13th SELVA to POLLENCA via Alcuida
A pretty easy day starting with mostly downhill 😊
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| Just after leaving Selva, signs to Inca. Are we lost? 😂 |
Today, we headed to the MUCH busier north coast, where hundreds of cyclists in various size groups passed us in both directions, starting quite early on journey on more open main roads. Big difference to the rest of the week which was very quiet on the whole.
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As dozens of cyclists shot passed us in both directions,
I spotted windmill to our left, so a detour for us. |
The roads eventually got narrower, but no less busy at all!
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We joined this main road, but at least our direction
was downhill a couple of miles before we turned in to quieter roads again. |
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| Rentacrowd! |
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| Vineyards with those unusual mountain peaks in the distance. |
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| Coast to coast! John wearing his Wokingham Cycling club shirt for a photo. |
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And opposite this beach, a restaurant for lunch.
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We battled into the wind after lunch heading back out of Alcuida,
heading now for Pollenca. The coastal cyclepath wider than the road, since believe it or not
people riding two abreast overtake here! |
We had to check in at a sister hotel just a couple of hundred yards away, where we also left the bikes. (Our cases already delivered to our hotel Juma.) John then went back a few minutes later to get his own saddle from his bike, which was seconds away from being removed. Phew.
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Final meal of our holiday. Very pleasant sitting outdoors
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Seafood Paella for two. Yum.
A brilliant week, with average temperatures daytime of just over 30 most days, but not too hot with the movement of the bikes. 187 miles in total, at a very relaxing pace. Just what we ordered!
