GR 221 – day 5
Refugio Tossals Verds – Puig de Maria
Friday, 1st March 2024
37,2 km – total 145,1 km
The weather forecast was accurate; it rained hard and was very windy during the night. We had to move our sleeping setup and gear because they were getting wet. Just to be safe, we covered ourselves with a tarp to keep our sleeping bags from getting soaked. Around 11 PM, a strange guy showed up, sat on a bench for a while, and then went to sit in the bathroom. We slept until about 8:30 AM. Our Czech friend was just leaving. We were pretty slowly getting ready, and I was hoping the sun would come out before we started. My wish didn’t come true, and we set off before 10 AM. Today, we’ll reach the highest point of the trail, over 1200 meters above sea level.
Right away, we run into some goats. It’s not raining, but the trail has turned into a stream. I’m trying to keep my feet dry.
After an hour, we stop for a snack—baguette with cheese and salami. After eating, we pick up the pace. Around 1000 meters, the snow begins. There isn’t much, just some remnants of what fell during the night.
It’s foggy everywhere, so there are no views. When we reach the pass, the wind is strong, but we get a brief glimpse of the scenery for about a minute. It’s not pleasant up here, so we try to head down quickly.
Ugh, it’s a total mess—lots of water and mud. Finally, we reach a stone path, but it’s slippery because of the water. We practically run downhill.
We encounter quite a few people. It’s 3 PM by the time we’re down, but the thermometer still shows 6°C. We arrive at the village of Lluc. There’s a campsite and plenty of barbecue areas. It’s a holiday in Spain, so a lot of people are grilling. We don’t linger and continue on to the Son Amer refuge. We take a short break and eat some chocolate. Then, we pick up the pace, aiming to reach the town of Pollença before dark.
We’re not really enjoying this stretch. It’s a long descent through an ugly forest, followed by 7 more kilometers of flat terrain. It feels endless, and I’m just going on autopilot. Near the end, we see some cats, which give us a bit of a boost for the final kilometers. Finally, we reach Pollença. Most people finish the trail here. We grab a beer at a bar and then head to a kebab place for dinner. I order a falafel plate, and Jozef gets a kebab plate. They’re playing what seems like a playlist from 2018, as I recognize all the Spanish songs. I feel nostalgic.
Tonight, the sky is supposed to be clear at last. We head to sleep at Puig de Maria, a climb of almost 300 meters over 2.5 km, which we do in the dark. But it’s fine, as there’s a paved road almost all the way to the top. I use the red light on my headlamp, which reflects off the eyes of the goats that are also spending the night up there. At the top, there’s a church and nearby benches and barbecue spots. We find a nice flat spot, quickly set up, and fall asleep almost instantly.
