The Serra de Tramuntana is a hiker’s paradise. But it took many years of cycling before I started swapping pedals for boots from time to time. Actually, I discovered my passion for hiking on a trip to La Gomera. I was fascinated by the barrancos, the steep ravines that run from the mountaintops all the way down to the Atlantic Ocean. On the circular route around the Puig de Tossal Verds the Torrent d’Almadrá very much reminds me of them.

The Tramuntana tour with its panoramic views, narrow paths and blue lakes is no less spectacular. Starting from Cúber Lake or Gorg Blau you soon leave the trees behind and enter a rocky world inhabited by goats, accessible only by foot or with donkeys. The remnants of a small plane remind you of Ikarus who crashed when he came too close to the sun.

For me, hiking is pure joy and a deep harmony with the surrounding nature. I feel great and small at the same time. Ready to climb steep and narrow trails. And humble, facing the majestic mountaintops around me. As much as I love to walk for hours without meeting anybody I am always looking forward to reach the Refugi de Tossal Verds. For GR 221 hikers it’s a wonderful place to stay overnight, but you may also just pause for a snack and a cool drink. Sitting on the terrace I marvel at the Puig d’Alaró and swap stories with other wanderers coming from Lluc, Orient or Sóller.

Going full circle you follow the water pipe on your way back. The water is collected and stored in the high mountains, a vital source of life for the island just like the Mediterranean Sea.