Camí de Cavalls. Stage 17:
Cala en Porter – Binissafúller
Stage 17 of the Camí de Cavalls runs almost entirely through the interior, crossing ravines along the southern coast, alternating with the typical Menorcan mosaic landscape of croplands, pastures and small wild olive groves.
This part of the Camí dels Cavalls begins on the beach at Cala en Porter and crosses through the residential area that lies behind it. Once out of this built-up area, the path takes you down into the gulley of Barranc de Calescoves and close to the water’s edge, and then up and out of the cove through welcome shade in the summer. Leaving Calescoves behind, you now walk for more or less an hour through fields and pastures before dropping down again into the gully of Barranc de Cala es Canutells. Despite its small size, there is a small stand of elms in the wetland at the mouth of this stream. Leaving this gully, you come to a picnic site in the pine and wild olive woods that provide much-needed shade in summer. From here on and after passing through the Canutells residential area, there is a stretch of 1.75 km of road. At this point, you leave the gully-ridden southern coast of Menorca and enter into the eastern part of the island, dominated by a combination of small fields, pastures and large clumps of wild olive. For 15 minutes you pass through the fields near S’Argossam and then cross the road to Binidalí. From here, a dry-stone-wall-lined path takes you through an area of scattered houses and into the gully of Barranc de Biniparratx. Finally, after crossing the road to Biniparratx, you reach the end of the stage about 500 m from the beach at Binissafúller.
Distance: 11.8 km • Difficulty: Easy • Estimated walking time: 4 h
Be sure to shut all gates after you since they are used to control the cattle.
Shorter alternative avoiding roads
If you want to avoid walking along roads, you can just walk the stretch between Cala en Porter and Es Canutells and leave out the section between Es Canutells and Binissafúller. If you have a car you can also avoid having to walk through the residential areas at both ends of this alternative version. From Cala en Porter, you can take the path from the top of Carrer Travessia de l’Avinguda de la Central and leave your car in the car-park of a football pitch that you will find there. If you want to walk in the opposite direction, leave your car at Es Canutells in the beach car-park and start from the picnic site described above.
Distance: 5.4 km • Difficulty: Easy • Estimated walking time: 2 h
The surroundings
Despite following the coastline for the most part, along this stretch of the Camí de Cavalls you will only see the sea at Es Canutells and Calescoves (if you make a short detour). This stage takes you through the last of the typical gullies of the south coast and then heads into the flatter land of the eastern half of the island. You visit the small wetland that has formed where the stream in the gully of Barranc de Cala en Porter reaches the sea, as well as the gullies of Barranc de Calescoves, Canutells and Biniparratx. Throughout the walk the landscape alternates between cool, shady gullies and the typical rural Menorcan landscape characterized by a mosaic of small fields, pastures and patches of wild olive. The downside to this stretch is the 1.75 km of road after Es Canutells and the need to walk through two residential areas (Cala en Porter and Es Canutells).
Don’t miss
• Cala en Porter wetland: Small marsh formed at the mouth of the gully’s stream where various species of interest inhabit the stands of bulrushes and reeds.
• Calescoves: A sheltered, double cove that is perfect for bathing. In the summer there are normally a lot of boats moored here. Along with that of Cala Morell, this cove’s cliffs house the most important necropolis on Menorca, which has had to be closed off due to the abuse they suffered at the hands of summer visitors.
Services
• Cala en Porter: Large tourist residential area with all types of facilities, above all in the high season. A good place to buy provisions if necessary.
• Es Canutells: Residential area with all types of facilities, above all in the high season.
• Binissafúller: Low-density residential area with chalets and apartments.
How to get there
Cala en Porter is 12 km from Maó and 7.5 km from Sant Climent. You can also get there from Alaior along the road to Torralba (11 km). Binissafúller is just over 9 km from Maó and 5 km from Sant Lluís. Take the road from this latter population through s’Ullastrar towards the beaches of the south coast. After about 2 km (after passing the turn-off to Binibèquer) at the prehistoric settlement of Binissafullet, turn left and then right 2 km further on. By car, you can reach Canutells, halfway between the start and finish of the walk, which allows you to shorten the walk and only do the stretch towards Binissafúller (eastwards) or towards Cala en Porter (westwards). This latter option is the most recommendable because it avoids the 1.75 km of road.
In Cala en Porter, Es Canutells and Binissafúller there is plenty of parking space. The car-park at Binissafúller is 500 m from the end of the stage, although there is also a small place to park at the end of stage itself. Just behind here there is a good place for bathing if you end the walk somewhat hot and bothered.
A bus runs to Cala en Porter from Maó, Sant Climent and Alaior. In the high season there is also a bus to Binissafúller from Maó and Sant Lluís. Likewise, there is a bus to Es Canutells in the high season from Maó and Sant Climent. Check out bus times and frequencies (that vary according to the season).
Accommodation and logistics on Camí de Cavalls
If you want to go through the Camí de Cavalls in stages, either a part or all of it, you have to plan your trek well. There are no accommodation for trekkers on the path, so you will have to make use of the touristic accommodations you will find on the route. That is the reason why making the route outside the tourist season could be somewhat complicated.
It is important to adapt the route plan to your physical condition and your experience as a trekker. In many cases, the ideal choice is to hire a logistic service for you to resolve those shortcomings. This way, you will be able to get the most out of the experience.
Camí de Cavalls 360º is a specialized travel agency that helps you to make the route in stages, in a self-guided manner and with a series of related services (among others, accommodation and logistics). Camí de Cavalls 360º offers you different choices to traverse the Camí de Cavalls with autonomy, always adapting to your needs.
Map of stage 17 of the Camí de Cavalls
See all stages of the Camí de Cavalls.
The Camí de Cavalls is divided up into 20 stages that can be walked as a single long hike or individually in sections, or can be used simply as somewhere go for a stroll. Discover Menorca here describes the official stages as 20 separate day-long walks, using the morning for the outward bound stretch and the afternoon for the return.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls passes through a fine example of a windswept coastal landscape, especially between Sa Mesquida and the Macar de Binillautí.
All of this stage of the Camí de Cavalls runs through S’Albufera des Grau Natural Park. It is an excellent walk for getting to know a variety of different habitats…
Much of this stage of the Camí de Cavalls runs through the S’Albufera des Grau Natural Park and many of its very diverse landscapes.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls begins at the far western end of the built-up area of Arenal d’en Castell. Walk for 10 minutes along the cliff-top path as far as Son Parc…
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls passes through one of the best-preserved parts of the Menorcan coastline. The EU has declared it to be an Area of Community Importance and and a Special Protection…
This is the longest and hardest of all the stages of the Camí de Cavalls and, unsurprisingly, also one of the most spectacular.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls is characterized by the number of different habitats it visits. Around Cala Pilar a large number of endemic plants thrive alongside the more typical plants of…
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls leaves the fertile and wooded area of La Vall d’Algaiarens to enter a landscape dominated by low, scattered vegetation and ends at Cala Morell, one of Menorca’s geological jewels.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls runs entirely through what is known as dry Menorca, characterized by sparse vegetation and endless rows of dry stone walls, ending near the Punta Nati lighthouse.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls, between Punta Nati and Pont d’en Gil runs through what is known as “Dry Menorca”, characterized by sparse vegetation and endless rows of dry-stone walls. It then passes through several residential areas before reaching Ciutadella de Menorca.
From Cala Blanca onwards and as far as the end of the stage, the flat path follows low coastal cliffs that harbour an interesting plant community.
This stretch of the Camí de Cavalls is flat and climbs very little. The landscape over much of this stage is dominated by a rocky coastline alternating with small coves.
One of the great attractions of stage 13 of the Camí de Cavalls are the unspoilt beaches of Cala en Turqueta, Macarella and Macarelleta, some of the most iconic — and also overcrowded — beaches on the southern coast of Menorca.
If you want to discover what the forests of Menorca’s southern coast are like, this stage of the Camí de Cavalls is a great opportunity, taking you through Cala Mitjana, one of the unspoilt coves on the southern coast that draws the most visitors during the summer months.
The route of stage 15 of the Camí de Cavalls is flat and not very rugged, never reaching any significant elevation. Even so, it passes through quite varied habitats, such as urban areas, inland ravines, low rocky coastline, coastal dunes, fields and pastures.
The route of stage 16 of the Camí de Cavalls runs almost entirely inland, connecting two important ravines on the southern coast of Menorca: the Llucalari ravine and the Cala en Porter ravine.
Stage 17 of the Camí de Cavalls runs almost entirely through the interior, crossing ravines along the southern coast, alternating with the typical Menorcan mosaic landscape of croplands, pastures and small wild olive groves.
Stage 18 of the Camí de Cavalls runs almost entirely through streets and paved roads of numerous residential developments, with the exception of two small remaining dirt path sections at the beginning and end of the route.
Stage 19 of the Camí de Cavalls covers part of the eastern coast of Menorca and crosses the Rafalet ravine. Along the way, it passes important vestiges of the island’s military history, such as the Alcalfar tower and Fort Marlborough, in Cala Sant Esteve, at the end of the stage.
A 100% paved and mainly urban stage that connects and crosses the towns of Maó and Es Castell, walking parallel to the Port of Maó.
The best walks and excursions around the coast of Menorca along the Camí de Cavalls (GR-223), an ideal way of exploring the island’s coastline at your leisure. Unspoilt beaches, rocky outcrops, pinewoods and sea-cliffs step-by-step.
The Menorcan interactive map with the 20 stages of the Camí the Cavalls (GR 223) and much more…