86 not out......and Menorca at its best

To celebrate my 86th birthday we were back on the beautiful island of Menorca. 

The Lord Nelson at San Tomas   (Click pictures top enlarge)

This time we chose a different resort, San Tomas, a little farther west from our usual stomping ground at Alcaufar - reason being we couldn't resist a greatly reduced package holiday at the recently renovated Lord Nelson hotel that afforded 4* luxury.  Thanks Tui...

Lord Nelson Hotel and beach

It was but yards away from a safe, sheen white beach with Lifeguards in attendance throughout the day.  Between the hotel and beach runs the island's circular trail, Cami de Cavalls, the way of horses, making it an ideal spot for runners.

Good for running

It's become something of a tradition to mark my birthdays with a run though I'm not sure how many more years this can continue.  Maybe future runs will have to be shorter, or flatter, which could get a bit boring. There was nothing boring about this year's run.

On Binnigaus beach

The first mile was along the Cami de Cavalls to the wonderful Binigaus beach, popular with sun worshippers, naturists and horse riders.  I'm not allowed sneaky photographs of naturists. Fully dressed riders are not quite the same, I know, but it was such a beautiful horse...

A little care required

We left the Cami de Cavalls at the end of the beach to turn Lt along Route 23, easy at first but soon calling for precise footwork as the terrain became increasingly rugged and exposed.

Time for an aria...

It was my sort of country, a route I'd pre-planned months before for my actual birthday and it was exactly how I'd imagined it to be.  Such terrain invokes bursts of song which I'm not sure my wonderful partner appreciates so I tend to stay well ahead of her, out of earshot!

At Cala Escorxada

After scrambling in and out of limestone coves with the sea lurking beneath us we eventually arrived at the remote and beautiful Cala Escorxada beach. 

Solitary gull

It was deserted except for a solitary gull and a lovely girl who'd somehow managed to get there before us.  "Only me" she said excitedly, before taking off all her clothes and laying naked in the sun for the duration of our three hour stay.  I could have joined her in my birthday suit (which has got a bit crumpled over the years), but needless to say I was dragged away to the other end of the beach.

For those happy to see the back of me.

We wallowed in hot sunshine, ate our well earned sandwiches (bread and meat stolen from the hotel at breakfast), gazed at awesome seascapes and jagged coastlines before psyching up strength for the return journey.  With a final "Adios" to the beauty on the beach we set off up the rocks.

The rocky journey home

We passed a few late starters, mainly Germans, making their way towards the beach, and another party who'd seemingly attempted one of the rocky sections but found it a bit too much. 

A refreshing swim

We danced by, dropped into a cove, climbed to a rocky highway teetering on the seas edge, then through a scrubby woodland to a more level trail leading back to Binigaus - and Lord Nelson where I couldn't wait to plunge into the pool.

On the Cami de Cavalls to Binigaus

The guide book mentions a cave of cathedral-like proportions - Cova des Coloms - some way to the north of us.  We set off in search of it.

Lots of these, whatever they are!

Initially, the route is same as that to Escorxada but veers Rt instead of Lt beyond Binigaus, continuing a short distance along the Cami de Cavalls  before leaving it in favour of a lush valley filled with flowers and birdsong.

Nightingale

What thrilled us most was the constant singing of nightingales, with the odd hoopoe joining in, all the way along this colourful valley.  They literally stopped us in our tracks. The sound is so beautiful. They're shy birds, seldom seen, but we managed to get a glimpse of one and take a rough picture of it.

Cova des Coloms

Along the way we met a couple who said the cave was closed, but we soldiered on if only to listen to the birds.  They'd obviously gone to the wrong cave for it would be virtually impossible to close the Cova des Coloms.  Such is its huge size.

The vast interior.

A lady was trying to photograph birds nesting on high ledges.  Another couple with torches were intent on exploring its nether regions.  I'm told bats can be heard squeaking as darkness falls.

Down for an evening swim, the pool area almost deserted - unusually

We returned to the Lord Nelson where most sunbeds around the pool were occupied - as usual. It annoyed us that folk were reserving sunbeds with their towels as early as 7am.  Our only chance of getting a sunbed after our morning run was to reluctantly do the same as others.

Cova des Moro with roof still intact since the Iron Age

We did a few other things.  Ancient burial chambers and Talayots were high on the list, the most impressive one being Cova des Moro at Son Mercer de Baix.  I only agreed to accompany my wonderful partner if we ran the 7½ miles from Ferreries rather than walk it!  We did, and had time for a cappuccino before catching the bus back.

The central well in the Convent at Ciutadella.

Ciutadella, Menorca's past capital with its magnificent Cathedral and Convent came under scrutiny. The latter contained a museum of old artifacts, ancient tools and machinery, stuffed animals and birds.  I like birds!

The Marina at Ciutadella

What we didn't like was a cafe on the waterfront where two cappuccinos cost the earth and were hardly worth drinking, cold and hardly enough to wet the throat.  We wont go there again.
A foray into Mahon, mainly to buy new sandals, was all over and done without a single photograph being taken.  But we did find an excellent watering spot for future reference, i.e. in September.

Cala Galdana

Highlight of our holiday, for me, was a wonderful run along the coast from Cala Galdana to San Tomas, a challenging 7 miles of unimaginable beauty with an undulating 1,316ft of ascent.  A couple who'd been to Cala Galdana the previous day were unimpressed but we thought it rather nice and would certainly go again.

A busy beach leaving Cala Galdana

Our actual running time was 2hrs 23mins but with time lost consulting the guide book initially, photographic stops and 20 minute lunch stop the total time was 3hrs 14mins.  We were admonished for running.  "Slow down" shouted a plodding German with trekking poles.  I told him we'd a long way to go.  Besides, I didn't get to 86 by slowing down!

Brief stop above the beach to consult the guide book

We descended a flight of wooden steps, crossed a beautiful beach and climbed steeply into woodland at the other side where we'd a brief stop to consult the guide book and admire the view.

Scrambling down to the beach at Cala Treboluger where there's often a river to cross

From here the going got decidedly rough as the trail rose and fell, rose and fell again over some of the rockiest terrain I've ever encountered. It wasn't long before the music began to flow.  I was loving it.   Onwards, to strains of Wild Mountain Thyme and Allelujahs until I turned a corner into a view that literally took my breath away.

Breathtaking approach to Cala Fustam

It was the little bay of Cala Fustam surrounded by rocks and trees, all presented in glorious technicolour. A solitary hiker sat on the beach and got commandeered into taking a photograph of a couple on horseback paddling in the water.

Running for home after lunch at Escorxada

The horses left before us taking an easy trail to Cala Escorxada but we passed them before they reached it and found a place on the rocks to devour our lunch.  Co-incidentally, a naked girl was lying in the sun in almost the exact spot where the one had lain on my birthday. The rest of the beach was deserted.

Almost home. Just another two miles..

Then the run for home over familiar rocks and dirt tracks, enjoying our steady rhythm over challenging terrain. I bless the day I became a runner, closer to nature, nearer to God.

A bit of pruning

One of the things that shook us a little on arrival at our hotel was the demand for 72 Euros in respect of Tourist Tax.  I believe we paid only 14 Euros at Xuroy in Alcaufar but that's only 1* as opposed to Lord Nelson's 4*.

And there are flowers everywhere

But everywhere around San Tomas is clean and tidy, hedges clipped and trees pruned with not a hint of litter on beaches or walkways.  Hours are spent cleaning the pool and surrounds each morning.  So we supposed that was where our Tourist tax was being spent.  Cala Galdana was immaculate too.

Free ranging horses...

We ran to Son Bou on one or two occasions, passing free ranging pigs and horses that gave us no bother at all.  Except one or two were anxious to get through a gateway with us bent on greener pastures.

...and pigs en route to Son Bou

Pigs roaming around and wallowing in the swamp must be the most photographed in the world.  They've become tired of posing!

Goats (one hoppled) with Talayot in background 

There were goats too, friendly little fellows, or ladies, that came to say hello to us as we passed by.

Cheerio everyone, I'm going for a rest......

Of course, we did a lot more things but I'm afraid cramp is threatening my typing finger(s).  Folk will just have to visit Menorca themselves to catch up on all the things I've missed out.
Bon Voyage