2023 Day 2
Can Picafort to Port De Soller (Both routes at bottom of page)
Tick boxes for today: Andy/Dennis - Sa Colabra. Me - Climb to the Watch tower on the way to the lighthouse, John - chillaxing at the pinetree walk/visit to Biniaraix
As we were room only we headed onto the promenade to order our breakfasts overlooking the sea and watched a group of people doing their exercises on the beach.
This was going to be a long day for both parties.
I’d plotted a route for Andy and Dennis where they joined us along to Alcudia then they would take a left along some great country lanes skirting Pollenca old town (which John and I had done last year) before arriving at the foot of Col De Femenia climb (Cat 2/7.6km/6%) and onwards to the arches before stopping at the café at the arches where you turn off the ma-10 onto ma-2141. They arranged to leave their seatpacks there, climbed to the top of Col Del Reis (Cat 4/2.5km/6.4%) before descending like demons (especially Dennis) down to Sa Colabra. A quick moment to recoup then climbed back up Col Dels Reis (Cat 1/9.5km/7%) before collecting their bags and heading on the ma-10 to our overnight in port de Soller. They managed to get the drinks in the last of the sun on the bay.
John and I had a different day. I was wanting to tick off a climb none of us had done before , up to the La Talala de Albercutx Watchtower (16th century) on the way to the lighthouse from Puerto Pollenca. So John and I continued along the sea front where the plan was for John to keep my bag whilst I did the 2 climbs. Once we arrived at the roundabout on the ma-10 John decided to return so he could while away the time at the pinetree walk (without my bag) but not before he fell in a heap off his bike on the main road whilst stationary and he wasn’t even clipped in!! Sorry, I couldn’t get my phone out quick enough to take a photo.
Anyway off I set away up the Coll de sa Crueta (Cat 3/3.7km/5%) great climb up towards the mirrador (viewing point) which I’ve stopped at a few times but wouldn’t do today as it was heaving with buses, cars, cyclists. Instead I took the right hand turn (which most cyclists miss as they are normally heading straight to the lighthouse) This is a fairly rough surfaced climb and it’s a dead end. I think it’s harder than the Crueta climb, or maybe that’s because I’d just climbed that (and I still had 3kg of luggage. Once at the top there were very few cyclists but it’s definitely worth the climb for the views. I walked up the last few steps up to the watchtower and considered climbing up into it but a local showed one of the metal handrails at the top was completely loose so I took some photos and also at the abandoned buildings where I’d left my bike before heading back down the track and back down the Crueta meeting up with John at Lidl. (Box ticked for me).
Off we set up the Coll De Femenia and onwards to Lluc monastery where we had a quick stop for pie and cake then onwards passing the arches which marks the turn off towards Sa Colabra. We continued straight and headed thru the tunnel emerging at Gorg Blau (Blue Reservoir) and on past the Cubar reservoir and up thru the Mannaber tunnel. We knew from experience, from there we would be freewheeling most of the way to our accommodation . We could’ve gone straight down the ma-10 main road but we (John) wanted to visit Biniaraix so as we descended we took the road off to Fornalutx and had a wander around Biniaraix looking at the wash plant (for clothes).
On the bikes and back down towards our accommodation (Hotel Citric Soller) in the bay of Port de Soller where Andy and Dennis were already enjoying an alfresco beer. It would be rude not to practice our Spanish again “Cuatro cervazas grandes por favor“.
Can Picafort to Port De Soller (Both routes at bottom of page)
Tick boxes for today: Andy/Dennis - Sa Colabra. Me - Climb to the Watch tower on the way to the lighthouse, John - chillaxing at the pinetree walk/visit to Biniaraix
As we were room only we headed onto the promenade to order our breakfasts overlooking the sea and watched a group of people doing their exercises on the beach.
This was going to be a long day for both parties.
I’d plotted a route for Andy and Dennis where they joined us along to Alcudia then they would take a left along some great country lanes skirting Pollenca old town (which John and I had done last year) before arriving at the foot of Col De Femenia climb (Cat 2/7.6km/6%) and onwards to the arches before stopping at the café at the arches where you turn off the ma-10 onto ma-2141. They arranged to leave their seatpacks there, climbed to the top of Col Del Reis (Cat 4/2.5km/6.4%) before descending like demons (especially Dennis) down to Sa Colabra. A quick moment to recoup then climbed back up Col Dels Reis (Cat 1/9.5km/7%) before collecting their bags and heading on the ma-10 to our overnight in port de Soller. They managed to get the drinks in the last of the sun on the bay.
John and I had a different day. I was wanting to tick off a climb none of us had done before , up to the La Talala de Albercutx Watchtower (16th century) on the way to the lighthouse from Puerto Pollenca. So John and I continued along the sea front where the plan was for John to keep my bag whilst I did the 2 climbs. Once we arrived at the roundabout on the ma-10 John decided to return so he could while away the time at the pinetree walk (without my bag) but not before he fell in a heap off his bike on the main road whilst stationary and he wasn’t even clipped in!! Sorry, I couldn’t get my phone out quick enough to take a photo.
Anyway off I set away up the Coll de sa Crueta (Cat 3/3.7km/5%) great climb up towards the mirrador (viewing point) which I’ve stopped at a few times but wouldn’t do today as it was heaving with buses, cars, cyclists. Instead I took the right hand turn (which most cyclists miss as they are normally heading straight to the lighthouse) This is a fairly rough surfaced climb and it’s a dead end. I think it’s harder than the Crueta climb, or maybe that’s because I’d just climbed that (and I still had 3kg of luggage. Once at the top there were very few cyclists but it’s definitely worth the climb for the views. I walked up the last few steps up to the watchtower and considered climbing up into it but a local showed one of the metal handrails at the top was completely loose so I took some photos and also at the abandoned buildings where I’d left my bike before heading back down the track and back down the Crueta meeting up with John at Lidl. (Box ticked for me).
Off we set up the Coll De Femenia and onwards to Lluc monastery where we had a quick stop for pie and cake then onwards passing the arches which marks the turn off towards Sa Colabra. We continued straight and headed thru the tunnel emerging at Gorg Blau (Blue Reservoir) and on past the Cubar reservoir and up thru the Mannaber tunnel. We knew from experience, from there we would be freewheeling most of the way to our accommodation . We could’ve gone straight down the ma-10 main road but we (John) wanted to visit Biniaraix so as we descended we took the road off to Fornalutx and had a wander around Biniaraix looking at the wash plant (for clothes).
On the bikes and back down towards our accommodation (Hotel Citric Soller) in the bay of Port de Soller where Andy and Dennis were already enjoying an alfresco beer. It would be rude not to practice our Spanish again “Cuatro cervazas grandes por favor“.
