Walking Route Updates

The world is continually changing so it should be no surprise that once we've finished researching a route, written up the walk descriptions, designed the book ready to print, waited for the printers to deliver, and then finally a new Walk! book arrives; it is almost inevitable that someone has changed something. Updates to the routes in Walk! books are thankfully few because our authors are encouraged to use established routes meaning that our routes stay current longer, unlike some walking writers who seem determined to trespass on private ground.
Updates are incorporated into new editions of our Walk! books. Between editions we keep our client family updated through our eNews and Newsletters plus posting the Walking Route Updates here on our website.

Updates current at October 2008; Tenerife, Menorca, Sierra de Aracena, South Downs, Mallorca North & Mountains.
GPS users see 'Solving Track Truncated reports when loading Track Files from PNFs CD'.

Tenerife    back to Walk! Tenerife

Walks 33 & 34 Paisaje Lunar:- Precis of Colin's experience
Following your email reply regarding the track barrier we followed a car down the track for the 6.5km and parked up. When we returned (thoroughly enjoyed the walk) to our car we saw a green piece of paper stuck under our windscreen wiper and on all the other cars there, about 10 in total.
The form was all in Spanish. Our receptionist said it was 'Parking Penalty Notice' issued by the 'Environmental Police(!)' and the local police said the notice had the same authority as if they had issued it and the process would be for the actual penalty notice to be sent to the registered car owner. I would guess all the cars there were hire cars. Again the receptionist did try to ring 922 47 62 00 'Consejeria De Medio Ambiente' but they had gone home for the weekend.
We decided that there was nothing we could do so left it until we returned the car. The car hire (Orlando) guy had not seen the form before and was really interested in taking any details from me. He just went on about 'mad policemen'.
So, we thought we would alert you to the problem which could/would affect other avid followers of your guide books. It might be worth you investigating and putting out an alert through your Newsletter/website.
DWG temporary solution;
You can continue along the track and down to cross the black picon Barranco de las Aguas. At the next junction turn left up to the Camping Madre Agua where there is an official, if small, car park. This is part of Walk 33's route so you simply start in a separate place and should be safe from the Medio Ambiente police!
In 'Bumping Round Tenerife' I will be giving the detailed walk description for a new route from the Parador - Guajara Pass - Paisaje Lunar - Vilaflor using the Titsa bus service for access; allow 6 hours for a great day out but don't miss the 18.15 bus from Vilaflor - its the last one! 'Bumping Round Tenerife' published by Instant-Books approx November 2007.

Walk 39 Cruz del Carmen Circular
A slight misprint on page 154 where we should be returning to waypoint 10, not 12 as in the text. Its very obvious on the ground and map, but our apologies for the misprint.

Walk 42 Ensillada Recreation Area - Chamorga
If you are looking for a circular alternative based on Chamorga then you can park on the roadside, at the start of the village by the ermita, to take the trail on the south side of the watercourse which after the cultivated plots climbs steeply up through the trees to join our main route on the saddle at waypoint 14. Its a stiff climb but thanks to Alan Lakin we now know that the trail is on the south of the watercourse, approximately where the red P symbol is on the map, and not on the north as shown on our map!

Menorca   back to Walk! Menorca
November 2008 Latest Updates

Ros and myself are just back from staying at the Sol Gavilanes in Cala Galdana as our base for researching the latest Menorca updates; not a bad choice of hotel for value.

Major Changes to Walk! Menorca current edition:-

Walk 12 the extended Mao industrial estate has disrupted the end of Walk 12 and start of Walk 13. You can still return across the industrial estate to our start point but we would suggest that you change this into a linear walk to the basilica and back. There's a newly opened Taliot near the start, where the 12 is on the map, plus the option to start by following alongside the ME-12 to go right on the camino rural, signed cycling route.

Walk 13 the industrial estate has eliminated the lane at the start through to waypoint 3. We suggest an alternative start of parking at the basilica for the full walk or Talati de Dalt waypoint 6 for a shorter alternative.

Walk 16 Torre Blanca. With the building work at the Torre Blanca farm and our original return route being on private (uncontested) land we've decided to make this into an out and back route so dropping waypoints 20 to 29.

Walk 22. This long country lanes route now has to cross the new Ciutadella Ronda. No problems. As you approach the Ronda roundabout go down the lane on your left to take the first pedestrian tunnel under the Ronda, emerging on the Ciutadella side to rejoin our normal route. Son Quim cheese factory now includes a cafe making for a pleasant stopping point before finishing in Ciutadella.

Walk 25 Forts Ancient & Modern, and Walk 28 Migjorn Gran to Sant Tomas. Both these routes have suffered from closures along their route and should not be attempted; they are being dropped from the new Walk! Menorca which has plenty of new walking to replace them.

Walk 32 Alaior Circular. The 'drove' route, waypoints 2 to 3, has fallen into disuse and overgrown necessitating road walking up the tarmac. We will be suggesting a short alternative to park on the wide entrance at waypoint 1 and walk through the camp and valley to the quarry, waypoint 12, and return. You'll miss the beautiful path, waypoints 7 to 9, but you also cut out quite a big chunk of road walking without missing the main events.

Walk 33 Son Mercer has a sign that this is a Saturday only route but we have satisfactory reports of weekday use of the route but best to stay safe and check the notice at the start of the lane, waypoint 5, before deciding which day to walk this route.

Walk 37 Cala Pregonda. The car access is now closed off before the cafe, waypoint 19, for parking along the very broad dirt road and there is no longer any public parking near the beach; hardly much of a handicap.

Walk 38 Binimel-La. Our original start point, waypoint 1, is being discouraged so use the alternative start (Wp.Alt1) for this route which will become our official route in the new Walk! Menorca.

See our DWG eNews for information about the new Walk! Menorca book and Menorca Tour & Trail Map that will be published in 2009.

Walk 9 Coastal Discovery
How pleasing to report the opening of new walking paths though here the new path causes a little confusion as it parallels our route on the seaward side and is officially signed. Basically you can follow the Walk! Menorca route or the 'official' route, or even walk a sort of circular/oblong route for 'there and back'; both routes are very straightforward.

Walk 21 Cala Macarella is becoming one of Menorca's most popular walking routes thanks to more signing and wayposts, including short diversions to mirador viewpoints at the top of the cliffs. For our three start alternatives they all come together at the 'fire warning' sign, but this is facing away from you so you'll see the blank back of the sign first.
On the Short and Energetic start the fallen tree has been cleared

Walk 37 Cala Pregonda
Binimel La and its beach area have been reorganised so that parking is now only available on the massively wide dirt track, hardly a hardship, and no vehicle access to the old parking area.
The crude gate at waypoint 4 has now been replaced by stone-built steps giving access through the wall.

Sierra de Aracena   back to Sierra de Aracena

Walk 9 Alajares - Linares de la Sierra
Now re-routed to be a Alajares - Madroñeros - Alajares circular.
Our original route has been blocked off just before Wp. 20, so no chance of crossing the noisome stream or of continuing up the bramble tunnel towards Linares. The authorities have signed a new route, following our wpts. 9 to 19 then swinging left (NW) to follow the track shown on the map to eventually rejoin our outward route at Wp. 9. Thanks to Keith M for the update.

Meson Arrieros in Linares de la Sierra is a great restaurant according to James H, who also recommends Finca Buenvino as the place to stay though at the pricey end of the market. Hostal Venecia in Galaroza was found to be derelict by Dave K in November 2006 along with Aurora Pension in Jabugo. Note this is in November outside of the normal hiking season so these might be seasonal closures. In all cases do phone ahead for accommodation when hiking from place to place, even if only to check they are open.
Liz H recommends using the local buses, timetables available on the Autocares Casal web site, for making longer linear routes such as Alajar to Almonaster and Alajar to Aracena. Service is rather infrequent but timely and useful

Alan L combined Walks 6 and 7 by turning right at Wp.10 on Walk 6, though I think Alan means Wp.9 according to the map, to take the track over the Sierra de Picachanes: spectacular views before dropping down to join Walk 7 at Wp.10. You can use this track to make both Walks 6 & 7 into circular routes from either direction.
Alan also recommends a 'delightful' route from Navahermosa to Valdelarco following the dirt track shown on the map. Plenty of car parking at Talenque recreation area and a bar at Valdelarco, plus you could turn this into a longer circular using the tracks shown on the map.

Walk! the South Downs   back to Walk! the South Downs
thanks to Roy and Sue for this one.
We think that your Guide book on the South Downs is excellent. Walk 31 is supposed to start at the Newburgh Arms Pub, The pub closed and is now a private house. As a first time visitor to the village, it would be difficult to see where the Pub was located. Another problem at the start of the walk is that at the other side of the play park, the left turn up the tree lined farm track, has been cut off by the farmer with an electric fence [this may have been because the field was full of new born lambs]. However we restarted the walk by going up Mill Lane & joining the wood as indicated.

Walk! Mallorca North & Mountains back to Mallorca

Walks 1, 7 & 8 for anyone walking near Can Prohom.
For once we have a new path from off the C-710 just north on Can Prohom running from Son Bleda via Sa Bleda and Son Sales to meet the path that runs along from the abandoned Rocamar Hotel SSE to the car access over the tram lines and then just past that point the new path joins. A good path for mixing with current routes to produce alternative routes, especially if you are based in Puerto Soller.
Thanks for the gps track file which gives the start point on the C-710 as 39 46.417N
2 40.634E and joining the Rocamar path at 39 46.930N 2 41.927E.

Walk 6 Waypoint 13 error
Proof reading waypoint lists is a task we and our authors dread. Somewhere in all those columns of figures there just might be an error but it is all too easy to miss. Exactly the case with waypoint 13 which should read 2.38.0334 E and not 2.37.0334 as in the book. Thanks Ian & Elly A.

Massanella currently Walk 27
Thanks to Simon B for reporting that a newly engineered path ascending Massanella from Lluc with approx start point 2.52E, 39.49N; part of the GR 21 works. This would avoid the current 'pay' entrance and Charles' rather devious ' non pay' alternative.
When we move on to the next edition we hope to have the GR 21 as a long distance route all the way from Andraitx - Soller - Lluc - Pollenca.

Walk 32 Binifaldo - Pollensa thanks to David G and Ian & Elly A.
Whew at last!
A new walking path has been opened that cuts out most of the long road section as we approach Soller. When we reach the main road at K 5.3, now renumbered to MA-10, at Las Creus cross the bridge and immediately take the waymarked track to the right. The shady path is a welcome contrast compared to the previous road walking though we do touch the main road again at K 4.9 where we follow a new signpost down the Cami de Can towards Llobera a la Torreta. A stile precedes a short stretch running along the top of a broad stone wall, then its back alongside the stream including an unusual 'tree branch' ladder opposite Can Serra. We come back onto the main road at K 3.5 to walk along to waypoint 6 where our usual route leaves the main road behind for its entrance to Soller.
Plans are in hand for cutting out even this piece of road walking with a new path alongside the torrent which then links up with our route at the track junction just after waypoint 6.

Walk 34 L'Havanor thanks to Allan B
There is a notice board erected beside the path immediately after the lower dam stating that the access restrictions are now from 1 February to 30 June; it appears that some walking groups are ignoring this restriction which could endanger the route as local public opinion is very much for the Black Vulture.