Puig de l'Ofre

From the top the island opens out around you: the coast in one direction, two large reservoirs lying in the valley below, and on a clear day most of Mallorca laid out to the horizon.

The climb earns its share of the day. The trail winds up through pine forest and passes the round stone lime kilns where limestone was once burnt for mortar and whitewash, a trace of the people who worked these slopes. One route makes a full traverse of it: up from the Cúber reservoir, over the summit, then down through Biniaraix and on into Sóller.

• The final stretch to the summit is poorly marked. Small stone cairns show the way but are easy to miss, so carry a trail map.
• The last 100 m can be slippery and awkward to climb; wear shoes with good grip.
• There are no toilets or drinking water near the summit. Carry plenty of water from the start.
• The Cúber to Sóller route is one-way, so work out how you will get back before you set off.

The summit is reached on foot. Trails come up from Sóller and Biniaraix, and from the Cúber reservoir; walkers also link the two, climbing from Cúber and descending through Biniaraix into Sóller.

The nearest car parks sit about 2.8 km and 3 km from the peak in a straight line, and the nearest stops, at Fornalutx and Orient, lie about 3.1 km and 3.3 km away. The distance on the trail is longer than that. Guideposts stand on the paths within about 700 m of the summit, but the final section is marked only by cairns.

Best: spring and autumn, on a clear, dry day, setting off early.

Avoid: midsummer middays, the days after rain, and winter spells of snow or ice on the tops.

There is no water near the summit and the open upper slopes give little shade in summer heat, wet rock makes the slippery final climb harder, and only a clear day delivers the view across the island.