Trekking in Mallorca. Paddy Dillon

removed. The hot charcoal was extracted with a shovel and rake, and an average burn could produce around 2800 kilos (2¾ tons) of produce. Once cool, the charcoal pieces were graded, loaded onto mules and taken to towns and villages for sale. Bark from the oak trees was also collected and used for tanning.

      Lime burning

      Limekilns are seen throughout the woodlands in the mountains. They are quite different from those seen in Britain, as they lack a draw-hole at the bottom, and are simply deep, stone-lined pits. Great heat was needed to split the calcium carbonate (CaCO³) into calcium oxide (CaO) and carbon dioxide (CO²), so a plentiful supply of wood was necessary. Although a vast amount of limestone is available, the stones used to produce lime were always chosen very carefully, and were referred to as pedra viva or ‘living stones’.

      At the base of the pit, a dome was built of large stones with gaps left between them for aeration. Above the dome, more stones were built up, and the spaces around the sides of the kiln were filled with the actual stones that were to be converted into lime. The interior was filled with wood and the top of the kiln was covered with earth. The fire was lit and kept burning for up to two weeks, with more wood added continually. Huge quantities of wood were needed – up to 155,000 kilos (150 tons) – leading to devastation of the forests and producing as little as 10,000 kilos (10 tons) of lime. It was very hard work and it brought little financial reward. According to an old proverb, ‘qui fa calç, va descalç’, or ‘he who makes lime goes barefoot’. Lime was used for the annual whitewashing of houses and also for making mortar.

Plants and wildlife

      Trees, shrubs and flowers

      Trees on Mallorca come in four main types – pines, oaks, olives and palms – but there are also several minor types. Overall, the forests and woodlands are green and leafy throughout the year owing to the predominance of evergreen species. Abundant Aleppo pines can grow almost anywhere from sea level to 1000m (3280ft). They usually grow tall and straight, but can be twisted in exposed locations. Holm oaks are the commonest of the evergreen oaks. They grow in dense woodlands and were exploited for the production of charcoal. Olives may have grown wild on Mallorca before being cultivated. Some of the thickest and most gnarled specimens are over 1000 years old. Dwarf fan palms grow mostly at lower elevations, but are abundant around the start of the GR221.

      Rock rose – one of many varieties of cistus found among the scrub

      Other common trees include the strawberry tree, with its strange edible fruit, and the carob which produces distinctive pods that are high in sugar and contain tooth-breaking seeds. Citrus fruits, oranges and lemons, are picked around January and are most abundant around Sóller. Almond trees blossom pink and white around February, and were first planted on a large scale in 1765.

      Woody shrubs include various species of broom, including some that bristle with thorns, blazing with yellow flowers in March and April. The resin-scented lentisk grows almost anywhere, and aromatic rosemary is also common. Heather tends to form feathery clumps and some species are like small trees.

      Plants such as amaryllis and asphodels thrive in rocky, barren places, but many other flowering plants manage to eke out an existence. There are Mallorcan varieties of St John’s Wort, for example, and several species of cistus. Two species of spiny plants, despite being quite separate, are both referred to as coixinets de monja or ‘nuns’ sewing cushions’. Another spiny plant is smilax, known locally as aritja, giving rise to the placename aritges. Shrubby euphorbias, or spurges, contain a milky, latex sap, and some bushy species are referred to as tree spurges. Delightful little flowers include tiny crocuses and cyclamens, sometimes appearing to grow from bare rock, but actually rooted in tiny crevices.

      Pines are common along the route, but many suffer from fire damage

      Most open mountainsides, as well as sunny spots inside woods and forests, may be covered with a tall pampas-like grass, Ampelodesmus mauritanica, which is best referred to by its common name of càrritx. It looks innocuous from a distance but can prove troublesome on closer acquaintance. Avoid stepping on its long fronds with one foot, which can form a loop, tripping walkers as they bring their next foot forward. Get into the habit of high-stepping past càrritx to avoid tripping.

      Animals

      Sheep grazing among old orchards on the descent to Son Fortuny (Alternative start C)

      Whatever large mammals once roamed Mallorca, only feral goats remain, along with domesticated sheep, a few cattle and fewer pigs. Bells draw attention to farm stock foraging on the mountainsides. Signs reading ‘Big Game Hunting’ might seem alarming, but they refer to the hunting of feral goats, which is permitted on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from October to February. Hunters are unlikely to shoot across popular paths, but walkers should be aware of their presence. In the unlikely event that you find yourself too close to a shooting party, yell loudly in any language!

      Most of the mammals native to the island are small, including pine martens, weasels, hedgehogs, bats, hares, rabbits and rodents, and many of them are hunted by birds of prey. Snakes are only rarely spotted and should cause no concern to walkers. Geckos are unlikely to be seen, except by those keeping a keen watch. Frogs and toads may be common in well-watered areas, and they are notable near the large reservoirs at Cúber and Gorg Blau. Snails can be easy to spot because of their distictive shells. Insect life includes abundant butterflies in spring and summer, and even more species of moths. In the hot summer months cicadas and grasshoppers chirp and whir in the vegetation.

      A notable ‘pest’ insect is the pine processionary moth. The female lays up to 200 eggs, which hatch into voracious caterpillars that can cause great damage to trees. They live in dense, spherical webs and move to new foraging areas by marching nose-to-tail, thus giving rise to their name. Don’t handle them, as they are covered in hairs that can irritate the skin. They are constantly monitored and controlled using pheromone traps.

      Bird watching

      Serious bird watchers should get in touch with the local experts, the Grup Ornitològic Balear (GOB), www.gobmallorca.com. GOB has long been involved in renovating an old building as a refugi at La Trapa, above Sant Elm. Unfortunately, construction has stalled and its future is in doubt. Other Mallorcans have a passion for hunting birds, especially thrushes, which cause a lot of damage to olive groves. Shooting and netting take place from the end of August to the end of January, but this should not inconvenience walkers as it usually occurs in the evenings. Most species of birds are protected.

      The black vulture is unmistakeable when seen above remote mountains. Numbers dropped alarmingly in the last century and a programme was set up to assist their recovery. This involves minimising disturbance, leaving carrion out for them, setting up breeding programmes and introducing black vultures from other areas. The breeding season is exceptionally long, extending from January through to July. One stretch of the GR221 was planned to climb above Valldemossa, through an area frequented by black vultures. Permits are now required to walk in that area, so the projected course of the GR221 has been shifted onto other paths. Black vultures are more usually seen over the Serra de Tramuntana between Sóller and Pollença.

      Raptors include red kites, peregrines, kestrels and booted eagles. Harriers are occasional visitors, while ospreys may be seen at the large reservoirs at Cúber and Gorg Blau. Eleanora’s falcon breeds along the northern coastal cliffs.

      Hoopoes are eagerly spotted in many places, while large flocks of crag martins are notable in the mountains in winter. Alpine accentors also frequent the highest mountains in winter. The blue rock thrush keeps itself out of sight, while swifts breed safely on cliffs. During the winter there is a big influx of birds from northern Europe, including starlings, thrushes, finches, waders and wildfowl. Woodlands support blackcaps, black redstarts, crossbills and goldfinches.