Caminos antiguos compartidos con ovejas
My latest trip to Soller was again inspiring.
Annie and I walked from Soller to Deia. We started the steep climb up from the Town up through the Olive farms and terraces with superb views back across the valley. We only intended to walk half way to the refuge then catch the bus back but walking in these hills is adictive and we continued on. Annie loved seeing Ca Xoc again and remembering our stay there some years ago and had to pose for a picture in front of their huge old olive tree. We continued on and once we had passed the half way stop there was only forwards. Not getting refreshment at the brow was a disappointment but we were amused and puzzled as a couple who passed us going down into Soller were sitting there before us. Now how did they do that?
We went through the Oak woods that hug the coastal path with the pine and around three-quarters of the way we found a little outbuilding offering fresh orange juice. We of course stopped and met Mambo the dog and his big brother.
Just as we set off a small herd of mountain goats ran across the path in front of us and up the hill into the protection of the woods. No sooner had i got the phone out to take a picture they were gone and all that was visible was one brown bum disappearing into a thicket.
As we got closer to Deia Annie's requests on the time and distance became more frequent but at least she could see Cala Deia so believed it close even if the signs told a a different story!
Finally, we hit the where the road and where the R221 crosses and we had to walk along the road. Thankfully this was off season so there was little traffic and we elected to continue to enter Deia via the road and not go down into the valley and towards the Cala.
Just as we were passing Robert Graves house we saw a family of sheep who appeared to be intrigued by our presence, or at least father and mother were! Hence my latest painting.
Finally we entered Deia which appeared closed for off season but we went to our favourite tapas bar to grab some refreshment before catching the bus back to Soller.
Now that bus ride is not for the fainthearted as it twists and turns along the coast, one side a wall of rock and the other a drop one would not like to experience and a bus that has to swing around the bends and demands all before it reverse to let it pass. The only way to do this dare devil road is the bus and in summer there are coaches, cyclists also fighting for safe passage.
