Discovering Mallorca: Mountaineering in the Cala Sant Vicenç

The Cala Sant Vicenç (or San Vincente as castilian would have it) on the North Western coast of Mallorca has to be one of the most emblematic of cove beaches on the island. With a mountainous backdrop so jagged and geographically awesome that it looks like sharp razors jutting up from the sea, it is no wonder that this beach has inspired countless artists over the years, amongst them one Sorolla, whose iconic paintings of the coastal spot perfectly captures the cerulean blue sea in front of the purple jagged mountain.

When we recently headed along to the cove with our visiting friend Cassandra, the weather was not quite as ideal as it may have been when Sorolla paused to apply the view to canvas. Nonetheless, even in slightly gloomier conditions, it was surprising how beautifully turquoise the crystal clear waters shone, and how dramatic the mountain scenery looked behind it.

But not content with merely admiring the view from the beach, we decided to go one step further. Ok, it’s perhaps extreme to call this activity mountaineering, but as we scaled the nearby mound of jagged rocks sitting on the opposite side of the cove, in order to see the view from an even more unusual vantage point, it surely felt as though we were climbing mountains. But what views were to be seen from this height. Not only could the mountains of Sant Vicenç be perfectly captured, but all around us was an utterly wild inhospitable expanse of rugged rock forms, grasses and rough vegetation over which only the odd mountain goat appeared to have previously ventured. With its vast rocky terrain coupled with the occasional sea mist, this landscape looked more like I would imagine the Scottish Highlands than Mallorca, but it was every bit as impressive.

Sadly such views were not to be gained without their compensation, and days later, my aching legs still bemoan the day I took them mountaineering at the Cala Sant Vicenç. But surely that’s reason enough to at least enjoy these photos I captured in the process…

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