CAMÍ DE CAVALLS – Stage 3Cap de Favàritx – Arenal d’en Castell walking by the Camí de Cavalls
The stage
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls begins at Cap de Favàritx, 1 km before the eponymous lighthouse. First, follow the road to the lighthouse inland for 2 km before turning right onto the coastal path. After climbing a small hill giving good views over the north coast, drop down to the beach of Pou d’en Caldes. Wooden boardwalks take you across a small stream, after which you enter an area of fields and pastures before joining a road, Camí d’Addaia. Turn right but be aware of the cars that pass along this road. Soon you reach the gates to the estate of Mongofre Nou where the path enters the Addaia or Mongofre saltpans. The Camí de Cavalls continues along the side of main inlet of the port of Addaia as far as the first houses of the resort of Addaia. From here you have to walk 3.5 km through this built-up area, then a further 750 m along the road and, finally, through the built-up areas of Coves Noves and Arenal d’en Castell. This stage ends at the far western end of the beach.
Distance: 13,6 km • Difficulty: Average • Estimated walking time: 4 h
Be sure to shut all gates after you since they are used to control the cattle • Keep an eye out for cars as quite a lot of this stage is along roads that are fairly busy in summer and have no facilities for pedestrians.
Please be aware of the breeding birds and respect the environment in the stretch of the path that passes through the Addaia saltpans.
SHORTER ALTERNATIVES AVOIDING ROADS
Favàritx – Addaia
If you want to walk this stretch of the Camí de Cavalls as a ‘there-and-back’ walk, you should avoid the road between Addaia and Arenal d’en Castell (but not the first 2 km of road on Cap Favàritx). In Addaia, the path towards Favàritx begins at the end of the street Carrer Fontanilles, where you can park.
Distance: 9,7 km • Difficulty: Easy • Estimated walking time: 3 h
The surroundings
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. The first part passes through low coastal scrub with an important concentration of the endemic socarell plant communities. After passing through the small stand of tamarisks behind the beach of Pou de Caldes, you enter fields and pastures and then pinewoods as you approach the road to Camí d’Addaia. This road is flanked by the cliffs of Capell de Ferro, with its outcrops of siliceous sandstones, which run as far as the Addaia saltpans. These saltpans are now abandoned but have become an important site for breeding and migratory birds. Please respect them. Before reaching the built-up area, check the waters of the inlet of Port d’Addaia for the ospreys that come to fish in these peaceful waters.
Don’t miss
• Favàritx lighthouse: This lighthouse is just 500 from the beach of S’Escala and was the first built from concrete in the Balearic Islands. It is 28-m high, and its black spiral painted on a white background makes it unmistakeable. More information.
• Addaia saltpans: Interesting wetland for wintering, breeding and migratory birds. These saltpans were built in 1845 and operated until 1990. They were the last active saltpans in Menorca and were worked on a totally artisan basis.
NEARBY SITES OF INTEREST
• Addaia tower: Defence tower built by the English in 1801 during their third period of occupation (1798-1802). It stands in Cala Molí (Addaia), almost at the end of the built-up area.
Services
• Favàritx cape: No facilities.
• Addaia: Resort with a small number of shops, bars, restaurants and a supermarket.
• Arenal d’en Castell: Large built-up area with all types of tourists facilities.
How to get there
Favàritx is 17 km from Maó. To get there, take the road to Fornells from Maó harbour. After 8.5 km, you will come to the turn-off to the right to the lighthouse. Both Es Mercadal and Fornells are about 26 km from the lighthouse. Follow the road to Maó from where it joins the Es Mercadal-Fornells road and turn left to Favàritx after 12.5 km. People park on the access road to the lighthouse since there is no official car-park in the area.
As of June 1, the Favàritx lighthouse area will not be accessible by private car, and access will only be allowed by public transport, with a shuttle bus system that will depart from the Maó bus station. Check out bus times and frequencies.
Addaia is 17 km from Maó, 11 km from Alaior and 16 km from Es Mercadal. From Maó, take the Fornells road at the roundabout at the end of Maó harbour. After around 14 km, you come to the roundabout for Addaia; turn right and then a little while later turn right again and drop down into the port of Addaia. Both Es Mercadal and Fornells are around 16 km from Addaia. Follow the road to Maó from where it joins the Es Mercadal-Fornells road and turn left after 7.5 km to Addaia at the aforementioned roundabout.
From Alaior take the Carretera de Subaida towards the beaches on the north coast and Addaia. The path towards Cap de Favàritx begins at the end of the street Carrer Fontanilles, where there is room to park.
During the high season a bus runs from Maó and Alaior to Addaia and Arenal d’en Castell. 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 specialised 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
See all stages of the Camí de Cavalls
GUIDEBOOK RECOMMENDED
The Camí de Cavalls. The tour of Menorca in 10 days. Triangle Postals
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