Picture the scene, it's 5:30am and the alarm has just gone off. It's dark outside. I've just attempted to get out of bed and there was zero response from the legs and the shoulders feel like they are being pinned down with two bags of coal. I see Elvis heading towards the bathroom walking like an Aunt Sally.
Elvis has everything packed and ready to go from the night before. We get ready and everything is aching. The back packs are like instruments of torture - the feet are still sore. We know where to pick the Cami up because we did a 'reccy' the night before. We are planning on being on the trail one hour earlier than yesterday so we can avoid the heat as much as possible. So we step out of the apartment at precisely 5:55am, and look what we see. Suddenly, it all seemed worthwhile.
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| 10th June 2016, 5:55am - Day2 - Start of Stage 9 |
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10th June 2016, 5:58am - Day2 - Start of Stage 9
Looking back into the port of Cala Morrell with the morning sun just coming through. The start of the walk went past an old cave system, which was used as a necropolis. We didn't visit as we had developed a 'Cami' strategy by this point. Because of the heat and the length of the walks, we would mostly ignore any nearby attractions or any short trips suggested in the book and save them for another time, leaving us to concentrate on the walk. |
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| 10th June 2016, 6:00am - Day2 - Start of Stage 9 |
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| 10th June 2016, 6:01am - Day2 - Start of Stage 9 |
Looking back down onto Cal Morrell from up on the hill we had just climbed.
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| 10th June 2016, 6:10am - Day2 - Start of Stage 9 |
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| 10th June 2016, 6:14am - Day2 - Stage 9 |
Back into the open countryside again. It was a lovely cool start to the day and we began along the coast before turning inland for a few kilometres.
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| 10th June 2016, 6:28am - Day2 - Stage 9 |
This is a dry stone marvel! A 'Barraca de bestiar' or as we would know it a very posh cattle hut. Some of these are very ancient structures, although this one looks more modern.
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| 10th June 2016, 6:57am - Day2 - Stage 9 |
More gorgeous countryside, and a dedicated walker in the midst of it all. But I took this picture to show off something else Menorca is famous for. Just in front of Suzanne is a Menorcan gate, you see them all over the island. They're always made from the whole branches and curved in that way. You often see fences and barriers made in the same way.
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| 10th June 2016, 7:48am - Day2 - The end of Stage 9 |
A lighthouse and a mound of stones with a cross in the foreground - is there any connection? You bet there is! This is the end of stage 9, a place called Punta Nati. The cross is to remember the 156 people who were killed at this point sailing in the French steam ship called General Chanzy on the 10th Feb 1910. The lighthouse was opened in 1913 in an attempt to prevent any further ship wrecks.
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| 10th June 2016, 8:27am - Day2 - Start of Stage 10 |
One stage down and only one more to go today! 9km done and only 10km remaining. Compared to yesterday this is much easier and by this point we're feeling that we may find the day a lot easier. However blisters are developing and if you look closely you will see that Keith has committed fashion suicide. SOCKS and SANDALS - only the English would do such a thing!!
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| Capparis spinosa as nobody knows it! Ever had capers? This is the flower of the caper bush. |
We came across a local in the countryside picking berries from the above plant - at first we weren't sure but a quick look in his bag and a check with the book confirmed that he was harvesting wild caper berries. Mmmmm!! The mind instantly wandered to bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon and capers.
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| Barraca de bestiar (Cattle Hut) |
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| Inside the cattle hut |
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| 10th June 2016, 9:27am - Day2 - Stage 10 |
Back to the coast again and across some very tough terrain for the feet - very rocky and uneven. The blisters feel like they are developing blisters. The scenery is quite featureless and has been the same for quite a long while, but having the sea close by always keeps it interesting.
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| 10th June 2016, 9:38am - Day2 - Stage 10 |
Very hard and rocky path is tough on the feet - the coastline is still gorgeous though. It's starting to get quite hot again and strangely very still - the odd time we have had a breeze from the sea it has been incredibly refreshing - unfortunately there hasn't been much of it! Up to this point we haven't seen any bars, restaurants or anything resembling a town or village.
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| 10th June 2016, 10:11am - Day2 - Stage 10. At Pont d'en Gil |
That is Pont d'en Gil behind us (pont means bridge). Then below, that's me (Keith) on the top of it - slightly misaligned but it's hard to tell when you're on top and Elvis is shouting instructions from 200 yards away!
Pont d'en Gil marks the end of the wild nature path and the start of urbanisation - an excellent chance to stop off (shortly after this) at a holiday resort bar for a sit down and a couple of ice creams. Not very far to go from here to the end. We learned something very useful at this point. The familiar cami 'posts' which mark the way of the route disappear once you enter urban areas and are replaced by a white and red band on lamp posts or road signs - fortunately we worked this out before we got lost!
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| 10th June 2016, 10:46am - Day2 - Stage 10 |
This is Cala en Blanes and it was tempting to stop for a swim and a 'refreshment' but we could sense the final stage of todays walk and the thought of been in Ciutadella was a more rewarding thought. So, straight past all the swimmers and sunbathers - but this one is worthy of a revisit sometime.
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| 10th June 2016, 11:55am - Day2 - near the end of Stage 10 |
The last leg on the old coastal road. In the distance is the port of Cuitadella (see the large ferry on the right) and our final destination for the day. The walk into the city centre seemed to take forever. We eventually arrived at Hotel Patricia at 12:45pm - straight into the bath - a full wash laid out on the sunbeds, a little siesta then out for coffee and cake and later a beautiful pizza at a place recommended by JSSS. What a fantastic day. Trouble is - at this point I hadn't realised I had left my hat in one of the bars........ I did the next morning though.....!!
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