Mallorca – Part 1

“It’s not about the journey, it’s about the people you meet along the way.”

I know what’s going to happen here…I’m going to run out of superlatives….you’ll all get bored about me banging on about amazing tarmac and stunning scenery, so if you decide not to read these posts then I will fully understand. I will try and make them mildly interesting for those who don’t live and breath cycling though.

Cyclists are drawn to Mallorca like kids to a sweet shop; it’s a cycling heaven. With year-round good weather (usually at least. Everyone keeps telling us how terrible it’s been the last month!), good roads and even better climbs, you couldn’t ask for more from a cycling destination. So I was very, very excited to finally be going!

After a dead easy journey, we arrived last night at our hotel. Our chosen accommodation is called L’Avenida, an adults only hotel in the pretty, North Mallorcan town of Soller. Situated on a quiet street only a few metres from the town square it really is a slice of heaven. With only 12 rooms it’s quiet enough to give you a sense of calm but with a service that goes above and beyond. The rooms are luxurious and comfortable with all small details thought about. Our’s opens on to the pool and boasts our own outdoor seating area in a pretty courtyard that seems to be constantly serenaded by birdsong no matter what the time of day. This little gem of a place is managed by Matthew, an ex pat who’s been manager here for 11 years and living out here for 16 years…..and I can see why! His warm, friendly welcome and ensuing chat was more than just general courtesy and him and his team seem to have a genuine passion for people.

We ventured in to the town for a drink in the square before walking ten minutes away from the centre to a tapas restaurant called Bar Molino, the wonderfully vibrant waitress kindly let us squeeze on a table in the corner despite not having a reservation. The cute little venue was alive with hubbub and from what we could tell it was all locals. As we walked in we followed some people who joined a table of about ten, it soon became apparent they were a surprise addition for one lady in particular as hugs, cries and general merriment rang out around us. It was a wonderful sight to see and created such an infectious mood. The food was equally as good, with us both opting for a seafood pasta dish accompanied by a delicious glass of local wine.

Whilst walking back to the hotel our path was blocked by an Easter procession, so we paused to take in the traditional costumes of penitents with tall, pointy hoods known as capriote to conceal the sinners identity. The solemnity and unwavering belief on the faces around us as they took in the religious scene was really quite humbling. They carried relics, crosses and a figure of Jesus as they headed to Sant Bartomeu Church, Soller’s imposing cathedral-like structure towering over the Plaza de la Constitucion de Soller. It dates back to 1236 but the current design began restoration after the original structure collapsed in 1688. However the facade wasn’t finished until 1946 and was designed by Gaudi’s understudy, Joan Rubio Bellver, who helped to create the wonderful mix of Gothic and Art Nouveau that we see today.

We woke the following morning after a great night’s sleep to enjoy a delicious alfresco breakfast. We then meandered through the Saturday market to the bike hire shop only a few minutes away. Kilometro Cero had been recommended by a cycling friend, Katie, who has a house just outside of Soller and she said Boris would look after us. She wasn’t wrong! Despite the shop being extremely busy with about twenty people picking up bikes, shoes, helmets and the related necessities, Boris greeted us with a huge a smile and a fist bump. We happily chatted to some of the other customers whilst waiting, one of who was called Roberto, a 78 year old American who was just about to set off on a 10 month long cycling trip around Europe. Not jealous at all! We stood mouths agape as he told us of his planned route from one country to the next, camping as he went, and could only imagine the adventures he had laying in store. We swapped email addresses to give him some Italian pointers and to hopefully see how he’s getting on. There was also another American collecting a bike, a lovely, friendly girl called Herma and her German partner Johannes who live in Cologne. We didn’t know it at the time but we would serendipitously bump in to them throughout the day and even end up sitting on the table next to them at dinner. All being cyclists and the men being in the same line of work it made for a very pleasant evening chatting away in the main square.

Boris’s passion for cycling is clear to see and his website sums it up perfectly; ‘Ride to feel free and happy.’ Originally from Paris, he’s been in Mallorca for six years and obviously enjoys making people’s cycling holidays. Luckily, the cycling tourism industry here is on the up again as he told he has 150 bikes, another bike hire place down the road has 250 and all are booked out this weekend. He’s going to need more bikes!

So equipped with two beautiful Specialized Tarmacs we were finally ready to hit the road. We’d already met so many friendly people, both locals and visitors alike, before a single turn of the pedals! Our first day’s route was one I took from Katie and was a 34 mile loop out along the coast road, south then up over Col de Soller before dropping back in to town. It was just stunning. The sun had risen enough to burn off the morning chill, leaving a wonderfully, warm Mediterranean heat that we’ve missed so much. The road climbed from the off, winding it’s way through olive groves and pass old farmhouses. A few kilometres later we neared the top of the first climb, marked by the tinkling of a bell attached to a rather scruffy looking sheep. Then we were sailing down the other side with the dark blue sea off to the right and the towering rock faces of the Tramuntana mountains to the left. We stopped for a coffee in the picturesque town of Deia before heading in land to Valdemossa. The highlight of the ride came towards the end when we climbed Col de Soller, a 5km climb with an average of 5%. Originally the only route to Soller, up and over the mountains, this road was just fantastic with 21 hairpins on the way up and 29 on the way down. However, now there’s a tunnel, it really only gets used by cyclists so it was a joy to ride. Whizzing back in to town after that descent left us on a high, if the rest of the week will be as good as this then we’re in for a treat!

Links:

Strava Route for Mallorca Day 1 – Click here.

Just Giving Page – Click here.