Port d’Alcudia - Talaia d'Alcudia - Refugi Coll Baix - Port d’Alcudia (Victoria Peninsula)

Port d’Alcudia - Cami de s’Alou - Barrera des Coll Baix - Coll de na Benet - Talaia d'Alcudia - Coll de s’Engolidor - Refugi Coll Baix - Platja d'Alcanada - Cala Poncet - Platja d’Alcudia - Port d’Alcudia (Victoria Peninsula).

Very nice walk on the Victoria Peninsula.
From Port d’Alcudia (bus stop) walk on small roads out in the countryside along the Cami de s’Alou (1.3-3.4 km), passing rural stone houses and farms. And almond and olive trees, as well as colorful orange and lemon trees.
After 3.9 km at a Camina per Mallorca information point at Barrera des Coll Baix the track leaves the road and continues on a marked path up into the mountains. After approx. 4.1 km follow the Campament de la VIctoria / Ermita de la Victoria signpost. Soon the view opens over mountains and the Mediterranean sea in two directions, the Bay of Alcudia and the Bay of Pollenca. The vegetation consists of pines and wild olive trees at the beginning of the climb and dwarf palms and bushes further up. Up on the first peak the views are beautiful.
At an intersection at Coll de na Benet after 6.1 km hiking trails are signposted in three directions (one being this track). Take the fourth and sign-free direction, which means straight ahead. The path is small and leads uphill. The path continue higher with even more spectacular panorama views and the ever-present goats. The last approximately 1.5 km up to the top is a poorly marked trail. However, there are small cairns and some small painted red dots that show the way. In addition, one always sees the top. The last part of the climb is relatively steep and rocky. With some support of the hands the last steep 5-10 meters one reaches the top of Talaia d'Alcudia (446 m) after 7.6 km, the highest peak of the Victoria Peninsula. From the top there are beautiful views of Alcudia's long beach, the Tramuntana mountain range, the bay of Pollenca and the spectacular peninsula of Formentor. With a clear view, the neighboring island of Menorca can be seen in the distance.

The descent takes place on the other side of the mountain. After 7.7 km (0.1 km from the top) one arrives at a signposted intersection and there turn right in the direction of Collet des Coll Baix – Refugi passing Col de s’Engolidor after 8.5 km. Even the descent offers wonderful views. After 9.0 km the path reaches Coll Baix with the paradise beach Platja del Coll Baix below and after 10.1 km the Refugi des Coll Baix.
From here a detour to the spectacular virgin beach Platja del Coll Baix is possible (not included in this walk). The beach is made of small pebbles and sand. Continue along the narrow gravel road and at a blocked-up small house after 11.2 km turn left into the forest. After an uphill climb through the forest, there is a glimpse of the sea between the pines. Follow the path through the bushland to the edge of the cliff. Turn right at the coast above a small ladder after 12.0 km and continue along the coast with nice sea views across the Alcudia Bay to the Llevant peninsula. After 13.0 km one reaches a small beach/cala with the first of many possibilities to take a swim. The trail here forms part of a ornithological trail. After 14.5 km the path reaches Platja d’Aucanada where a paved promenade starts. Follow the promenade along the sea below the villas with all kinds of colorful flowers and continue along the sea back to Port d'Alcudia (bus stop) passing small bays with additional possibilities for a refreshing swim.

Skip the detour close to the Alcudia utility plant after 16.3 km and the walk is then approximately 18 km.
Do not take this walk if rain/wet as the ground gets slippery.

Talaia d'Alcudia:
On top of La Talaia mountain, 446 meters high and dominating the two bays that surround the municipality, are the remains of the Watchtower of La Victòria, whose construction began in 1567 with the aim of reinforcing surveillance over the part of the bay that was not visible from the watchtower of Penya Roja, further forward. The tower was finally demolished in 1936, after a long period of neglect. The construction was part of the set of towers and watchtowers arranged at strategic points along the coast to monitor the coast and transmit danger warnings by means of smoke signals during the day and fire signals during the night. The strategy allowed news to be communicated quickly, until it reached the command center in Palma.
This system was perfected at the end of the 16th century by Joan Binimelis, Mallorcan priest, mathematician and astronomer, and was similar to what was established on other Mediterranean coasts to deal with the Turkish threat.
From the Watchtower, messages were also transmitted to the city of Alcúdia, by means of flags that flew at the top of a pole.
The tower had a circular plan, with a single room on which the roof was located, defended with a wall on a corbel. The access door was at a certain height and was accessed by a wooden ladder and rope, which were withdrawn in case of danger. Above the door, and to complete the defense, a window with a shutter opened.
It was guarded by two lookouts who only had light weapons, as their mission was not defensive.
The mountain of Talaia is an emblematic place for the people of Alcudia.
A little further down there are two huts where soldiers took refuge during the Civil War.

Victoria peninsula:
This peninsula is currently one of Mallorca’s main natural spaces, characterized by the intense contrast between extensive pine groves and the mountainsides covered with vegetation moulded by centuries of intense exploitation, fires and livestock grazing pressure. This circumstance jointly with the mountainous nature of the enclave, the omnipresence of the sea and its outstanding position between the Alcúdia and Pollença bays have made this scenic landscape into a major attraction for excursions.

Goat:
The Balearean Boc (Boc Balear) (Capra hircus var. majorcan) also known as the Majorcan wild goat, is the only big game species that exists in the Balearic Islands. The goat is found in arid mountainous areas where they graze and browse grasses, bushes, and lichens. They are well adapted to their habitat, which consist of steep, rocky mountains and canyons. Balearean bocs naturally occur exclusively in the Balearic Islands, and in no other area in the globe. It was introduced from the west of Asia during the pre-Talayotic period more than 4000 years ago and has been mixed with the native Balearic goat, producing an overpopulation. It usualy measures about 1.25 m long and weighs between 40 and 50 kilos. Horns are always present in both sex and well developed in the males, where they open out and are long and spiraled. The female horns are in the shape of an arch and smaller and parallel rather than spiral shaped. They stand out for their maroon color, red streaked with black in different areas of their body. A black antero-posterior dorsal strip, several centimeters in thickness, runs down the base of the tail. The marks on the face are also black, as are the inner parts of the legs, hooves and belly. Only the bucks have a black beard that grows whit the age. Young goats tend to move in herds. As they grow, males tend to be more solitary and erratic.

Public transportation:
From Palma take bus 302 Can Picafort to Port d’Alcudia and return from Port d’Alcudia with the same bus 302 Palma.