Majorca, part four, Sa Calobra

PART FOUR

SA CALOBRA- THE LONG 

AND WINDING ROAD!

If you look on Google earth, THIS is what the road down to Sa Calobra looks like! To be honest, I was really looking forward to driving it. You can see, at one point the road has to loop and go UNDER itself because of the steep terrain. 

As we started our descent, this is what we could see below us. EXCITING!

Above us, just as moving stuff. 

These sharp and extreme ridges were a feature of this island.

At one point, we parked up and I left the car to climb up to the ridge above us to get a photograph or two. This is looking back down to the car.

Near the bottom, the road goes through  what looks like a natural gorge. Whether it's been expanded with the help of dynamite, I don't know, but it's quite a feature.

The fabulously beautiful cove of Sa Calobra. Today, the water was like a mill pond, and such a lovely blue hue to it.

Click on this picture to see a panorama of the bay.

When we got to the bottom, there was ONLY one place to park, the car park (gated). I thought it might be a bit dearer than normal, but it would cost TWENTY EUROS to park here all day. We had just over an hour, and that cost 5 euros.

Or, you could leave your car at Soller, and get this boat.

Click on this picture to enlarge it too, and is it just me, or does that rock face have a LOT of tormented souls screaming out of it?

Well, WE certainly didn't feel tormented - this was one hell of a relaxing and tranquil place. It looks like it's had a LOT of money spent on it. Maybe they got an EU grant or two, I don't know, but for such a tiny place, they really have gone to town with paved walkways, tunnels, harbour improvements, etc etc. I would think out of season, the place literally closes down, as only visitors would make the long trek down here.

You can see what I mean here, beautiful but expensive, I would think.

Two long tunnels had been blasted out of the rock, and they were even lit with these ambient, green lights and footlights.

In the first one, they blasted a 'window' so you can look out over the bay. here I am, waving.

Pass me that carabiner, Sue...........

At the end of the second tunnel, there is a 'secret beach'. You can't see it from here, but it's off to the right.

Another window.

The end of the second tunnel, and the area above the 'secret beach'.

Problem was, where the steps down to it ended, the floodwaters had not receded. There was only one thing to do - shoes off and paddle!

This is the secret little cove. We now wished we'd brought our trunks, as the water looked so inviting. Plenty were taking advantage though.

On the way back, we noticed this walkway to nowhere! It stopped where you see it. I have NO idea why they would do this, unless the original plan was to go round the rocks and not through them?

We had a walk back to get a coffee and explore the bay a bit more. We saw this strange bottle in the wall idea. It's an empty bottle of Scotch.

Looking back to Sa Calobra from the opposite side of the cove to the tunnels. All the small buildings that were used as businesses, cafes etc were very tastefully done, almost like huts with the ubiquitous red roof tiles.

Then, it was time to move on. Still more island exploring to do while it was light. We started the long, twisting climb back out of the valley, and we got some better pictures of the road through the gorge.

Believe it or not, they actually DO bring coaches down here!

Now it was time to head back. We had plans tonight, as it was such a lovely and clear evening coming on. We also had plans to explore this part of the island further in the coming days, but first, home and one of the best sunsets I've ever seen. Watch this space!