Embassament de Cúber

The colour hits you first: a sheet of turquoise water laid between bare limestone slopes, with Puig Major, the highest mountain on Mallorca, rising behind it. This is a working reservoir that feeds Palma, yet from the shore it reads as a mountain lake.

An easy path runs all the way round the water. The loop takes about an hour, with picnic benches at the halfway point, so it suits a stop on a drive through the mountains as well as a proper walk. A guidepost and a Camina per Mallorca map board point to longer routes into the peaks around the lake.

• There are no toilets and no drinking water at the reservoir or nearby. Fill your bottles before you come.
• Swimming is not allowed: the lake is part of Mallorca's water supply.
• The car parks fill up with hikers, so arrive early.
• Picnic benches stand at the halfway point of the loop. Bring your own food.
• Shade is scarce on the open ground around the water. In summer, carry a hat and plenty of water.

By car, you leave it at one of two car parks on unsurfaced ground, about 730 m and 790 m away in a straight line. The easy circular path around the lake starts from the parking, and the full loop takes about an hour on foot. A guidepost and a Camina per Mallorca map board show the walking routes in the area.

Without a car, the nearest bus stops are Cúber 1 and Cúber 2 (Escorca), about 900 m away in a straight line.

Best: spring and autumn, starting early in the day.

Avoid: midday in high summer.

The ground around the reservoir is open and bare, so the loop gives little shade when the sun is high, and the car parks fill with hikers as the day goes on. The turquoise shows best in full sun, so a clear morning brings both the colour and cooler walking.

Swimming is not allowed anywhere in the reservoir. The lake is one of Mallorca's water sources and supplies Palma, which is why the water stays off-limits even on the hottest days, when the turquoise surface looks most inviting. Use the picnic benches at the halfway point of the loop for a break.