Nan’s Day Out to the Medieval Forest

Written By Shirley Roberts

Pics by Shirley Roberts

Middle granddaughter indulged me with a Nan’s Day out while she was on a recent half term holiday. A glorious, warm, late October day and we pointed the car in the general direction of Campanet. Mimi knows this area well as it contains one of the many football grounds on the island in which she plays in. Today she actually didn’t know where she was going, as the turn off for our destination was just past Inca and just before Campanet. In fact, the sign directs you to Sant Miquel.

We drove, following the easy signposting to the Ermita de Sant Miquel and from there headed for the church of St Miquel. This Church has seen some action since its build in 1248. A local, rural church looking after the workers of the time in the big houses and Possessions of the area. Only problem is the flooding of the whole area, which is a fact of life after heavy rains cause the earth to erupt. At the beginning of the 15^th Century a new Church was built on dryer land, on the now, outskirts of Campanet.

On our visit we obtained the keys to the Church from the lady in the Café and managed a private look at a very old, well maintained Church. Local folklore gives many stories to this place and some historians have never got over the fact that this place is no longer the Parish Church of the area. 600 years is a long time to be sad but that is just life in the Ermita de Sant Miquel.

Parked the car and had a coffee at the Church side café. A brilliant start to a walk and then we were off. Went to the end of the lane and then turned left to the entrance of Ses Fonts Ufanes. This was a great walk through fields and under the mountain views. A flat wide path took us through to the entrance to the Forest. Into the woods and its empty cool eeriness surrounded us. Trees and mossy undergrowth and we knew we were in a place often flooded with the springs of Ses Fonts Ufanes. The ground formations are prehistoric and create a route for the water to rush through the undergrowth and eventually into the Torrent. The bridge over the water had markers showing how high the water has risen in previous flood times. On this sunny day with little water on the ground it was difficult to imagine.

On and on into the woods and finally we reached the water source. There are no rivers in Majorca but the water erupts in a few places on the island to spectacular views in certain conditions. This is one such place and we will come back again after the next lot of heavy rain. This natural phenomenon is contained in such a lovely easy walk. It took as 45 minutes from the car to the spring with hardly an incline in sight. Indeed, it was so easy that on the way back we came across two teachers and their infant class doing the same trek. Nothing like five year olds to make you realise your limitations.

We did the walk in reverse and ended up back at the Church Café for lunch. We were in the middle of nowhere so we knew that the Pa amb Oli was going to be good, and it was. The Sobrasada part was warmed along with the bread and very sweet. We have both eaten this peasant dish of Majorca for years and years and today was definitely the best! We chatted along with the lady in the café who is obviously a favourite with many passing cyclists. For an unlikely café, in the middle of nowhere, she was doing a great trade.

This was a great day out and a walk to be recommended by me for those of my friends who share my dodgy knees. A walk for all seasons and one that must be done, at least once, after the rain. It’s no wonder they had to move the church all those years ago. I expect there were many Sundays when they paddled through the Mass in their Wellies.