Walking the Cami de Cavalls

The Cami de Cavalls was established in 1330 by King James II as a defensive strategy, with a number of coastal paths linking several watchtowers used to protect the island. The pathway was patrolled by soldiers mounted on horseback and its name "Cami de Cavalls" is derived from the Menorquin dialect for bridleway (literally path of horses).

The Cami de Cavalls was established in 1330 by King James II as a defensive strategy, with a number of coastal paths linking several watchtowers used to protect the island. The pathway was patrolled by soldiers mounted on horseback and its name "Cami de Cavalls" is derived from the Menorquin dialect for bridleway (literally path of horses).

A few centuries later, during French rule, the path was extended and later used again by the British during their reign in the eighteenth century, with the same purpose of protecting the island and its communication links.

Today, thanks to a recent restoration by the local population supported by local government, the entire circular route is fully open. The path is divided into 20 sections and provides a varied terrain of tree-lined walkways, rocky cliff paths and scenic country lanes, all offering gentle to more energetic hiking choices. Some routes are suitable for mountain biking whilst others offer a path allowing rugged pushchairs. Stretching over 185km it gives access to the otherwise unreachable coastline with magnificent views, including virgin white sandy beaches and beautiful lakes and islets.

To get detailed guidance of any part of the set routes the Menorca Consular have 20 free interactive guides which you can download to your mobile phone. Alternatively, there is also an overview of each section with information about the interesting places the routes cover.

Voted the best walk by the team here is Es Grau to Favàritx:

Our favourite walk is from Es Grau to Favàritx. The walk is about 8 km., takes about 3 hours to complete and is located in the Natural Park of Albufera. There is so much to see, caves, wetlands, isles, dune systems and white sandy beaches only reached by footpath, so you will no doubt want to stop and soak up the scenery! (Don't forget your camera too). In some of the hilly areas the path is quite rocky so a good pair of trainers or walking boots is recommended. The environment, which is sparsely populated, is a habitat for rare and endangered flora and fauna, so please observe any warning or advisory signs and remember to close the gates! If you are interested in bird watching you can see numerous varieties of resident and migratory sea birds and birds of prey, as Menorca boasts over 200 different visiting species.

 For more about walking, read our blog post - Walking in Menorca and the Cami de Cavalls


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