Platja des Coll Baix

After 45 minutes to an hour of picking your way down over rock, the cove opens up below: a curve of small stones, wooded cliffs closing it in, and water clear enough to see the bottom. Wild goats work the slopes above the beach.

There is no sand here. The stones keep the water clear as soon as you wade in, and the view on the way down is part of the reward.

The approach does its own sorting. The descent is slippery enough that some people turn back before they reach the beach.

• No shade on the beach: bring an umbrella, a hat and sun cream.
• No drinking water near the beach. Carry everything you need for the walk in and the climb back out.
• Footwear: hiking shoes and a backpack make the rock sections easier, because you need your hands free to climb.
• Valuables: take them down to the beach with you and leave nothing in the car, even out of sight.
• Children: the rocky, slippery descent and the lack of shade make it a poor choice for young children.

The last stretch is on foot. You leave the car at ses Caragoles, an unpaved car park about 1.2 km away in a straight line, or on a second parking area of bare ground about 1.7 km away.

From there the walk takes 45 minutes to an hour. It crosses rocky ground, with sections where you climb over the rock itself, and the final descent to the beach is slippery. When the path is busy, people coming up and going down slow each other on the rock. The way back is the same route, uphill.

The nearest bus stops are in Alcanada, more than 3 km away in a straight line.

Best: early morning, and warm days in spring or autumn.

Avoid: the middle of a summer day, and the day after rain.

The beach has no shade and the climb back out is hard work in full heat, while wet rock makes an already slippery descent worse.