The walk

We’ve had a most wonderful day and have walked up the Soller Valley into the foot hills of the highest mountains in the Tramuntana range. Loved, nearly, every minute of it but were pooped!
Set out for the bus just as it came on to rain! Got the 10.00 am to Soller and were there in 10 minutes. Still raining so we tried the church. Not open until 1.30 so we had a coffee in the square under the large umbrellas.
Took a stroll up to the station to take a look Jean Miro and Picasso exhibition which wasn’t open on Sunday. The rain had stopped when we emerged so we headed off on our walk at 11.00 am.
Out of the busy town just yards from the posh shopping street it was a different world. Very quiet houses and farms. Lots of lovely Wisteria in bloom and scented Jasmine climbing over the walls and then we began a gradual climb out of the valley to Biniaraix a delightful hamlet seen here in the blip taken with the wide angle on the phone. A massive Plane tree filling the tiny square  and two cafes. There were lots of hikers when we arrived but they were all moving on so we had a drink with the place almost to ourselves. We were opposite an arty place with odd upside down chairs hanging in the windows. It wasn’t open but was playing great music. I’m going to show my age now, there was Dave Brubeck and Nina Simone,  I could have stayed there all day!
The sun came through fully whilst we sat at our leisure there just before the start of the climb!
A seemingly endless switch back narrow road climbing up through, first masses of lemon and orange groves and then terraces of olive trees. We’ve seen plumes of smoke dotted about the hillsides and we could see them today burning piles of green olive branches. They prune them right back to those ancient dead looking trunks and new growth miraculously reappears.
All the way we could either see back to Soller or across the valley to Fornalutx. Our route climbed above Fornalutx so we eventually had to take a tortuous rock strewn path/steps down through the woods to get there. People who had come up this way told us we had come the best way around! Seemed a popular walk.

Arriving at around 2.00 pm ( the walk was supposed to take 3 hours!)
We found somewhere for lunch. It was lovely. She explained the menu was Tapas but the portions were between that of a starter and a main and recommended we had 3 and shared. We had Calamari with blue salt! and truffled fries with beautiful home made bread and olives. It was all freshly made and fabulous.

A wander down through Fornalutx to the return path to Soller showed us some delightful streets and houses. Back to another rough path through the hamlet of Binibassi which had a water course running through it like the Levadas in Madeira. Then we hit the tarmac and more citrus groves and we could see back across to Biniaraix. Outside one gate were a couple of boxes of oranges and an honesty jar. We bought one and shared it on the last stretch into Soller. It was so juicy!
5.00 pm when we got back and of course the church was shut again. We thought we’d get the tram to the port as it wouldn’t be busy at this time and the buses are quite a walk  only stopping on the outskirts of these tiny towns.
It wasn’t due till six so we headed back to the square and a drink in the evening sun. I decided to have an Orange Soller on Grace’s recommendation. Fresh orange juice with an orange sorbet in it. It was topped with whipped cream which I could have done without but it was very refreshing.

Back now and that’s enough for today but I’m so glad we did it and we still can! 
The book said ( Mallorca - Walk and Eat) 4.3 miles we’ve done nearly 26, 000 steps!
Having to do it on my phone. Will add extras if I can later.

Extras - the busy square Biniaraix when we arrived - now added to the blip, 1st  collage the walk going - 2nd collage coming back looking across to Biniaraix through the lemons.