Charcoal burning
Complex networks of paths were made by charcoal burners (carboners). Almost every evergreen oakwood was once used for the production of charcoal. Charcoal-burning hearths are flat circular areas, often ringed by stones and now covered with bright green moss. They often serve as landmarks in the route descriptions in this guidebook. They are referred to as ‘sitges’ (singular sitja). Charcoal burning lasted until butane gas became popular in the 1920s, although in some areas production lasted a while longer. Charcoal was used specifically for cooking, being preferred over wood because it was cleaner and gave a steadier heat.
Carboners started work in April, living and working all summer in the woods with their families. They had to watch their hearths carefully, as charcoal burning was a delicate operation and everything could be ruined in a moment of neglect. The idea was to carbonise the wood, not burn it to ash. Carboners lived in simple, circular stone huts, roofed with branches and grass. The remains of huts, as well as modern reconstructions, are often seen in the woods, along with beehive-like stone bread ovens nearby.
Axes and enormous two-handed saws were used to fell large oaks, of a diameter stipulated by the landowner. Each carboner had his own area, or ranxo. A circular site was prepared, with stones carefully arranged so that the air intake was limited, causing the wood to carbonise without igniting it. Logs and branches were arranged in a dome, leaving a narrow central chimney. Gravel and clay were heaped over it, and a ladder was used to reach the chimney, so that the carboner could start the firing process.
The weight of the wood was reduced by 75–80% and each firing lasted up to 12 days. Sieved earth was used for quenching and the covering was then removed. The hot charcoal was extracted with a shovel and rake, and an average burn could produce around 2800 kilos (2¾ tons) of produce. Once cool, the charcoal pieces were graded, loaded onto mules and taken to towns and villages for sale. Bark from the oak trees was also collected and used for tanning.
A simple, restored hut used by a carboner, or charcoal-burner; a sitja is a circular stone structure once used for burning charcoal
Lime burning
Limekilns are seen throughout the woodlands in the mountains. They are quite different from those seen in Britain, as they lack a draw-hole at the bottom, and are simply deep, stone-lined pits. Great heat was needed to split the calcium carbonate (CaCO³) into calcium oxide (CaO) and carbon dioxide (CO²), so a plentiful supply of wood was necessary. Although a vast amount of limestone is available, the stones used to produce lime were always chosen very carefully, and were referred to as pedra viva or ‘living stones’.
At the base of the pit, a dome was built of large stones with gaps left between them for aeration. Above the dome, more stones were built up, and the spaces around the sides of the kiln were filled with the actual stones that were to be converted into lime. The interior was filled with wood and the top of the kiln was covered with earth. The fire was lit and kept burning for up to two weeks, with more wood added continually. Huge quantities of wood were needed – up to 155,000 kilos (150 tons) – leading to devastation of the forests and producing as little as 10,000 kilos (10 tons) of lime. It was very hard work and it brought little financial reward. According to an old proverb, ‘qui fa calç, va descalç’, or ‘he who makes lime goes barefoot’. Lime was used for the annual whitewashing of houses and also for making mortar.
Wildlife
Trees, shrubs and flowers
Trees on Mallorca come in four main types – pines, oaks, olives and palms – but there are also several minor types. Overall, the forests and woodlands are green and leafy throughout the year owing to the predominance of evergreen species. Abundant Aleppo pines can grow almost anywhere from sea level to 1000m (3280ft). They usually grow tall and straight, but can be twisted in exposed locations. Holm oaks are the commonest of the evergreen oaks. They grow in dense woodlands and were exploited for the production of charcoal. Olives may have grown wild on Mallorca before being cultivated. Some of the thickest and most gnarled specimens are over 1000 years old. Dwarf fan palms grow mostly at lower elevations, but some thrive in the mountains.
Other common trees include the strawberry tree, with its strange edible fruit, and the carob which produces distinctive pods that are high in sugar but contain tooth-breaking seeds. Citrus fruits, oranges and lemons, are picked around January and are most abundant around Sóller. Almond trees blossom pink and white around February, and were first planted on a large scale in 1765.
Carob trees bear distinctive seed pods
Woody shrubs include various species of broom, including some that bristle with thorns, blazing with yellow flowers in March and April. The resin-scented lentisk grows almost anywhere, and aromatic rosemary is also common. Heather tends to form feathery clumps and some species are like small trees.
Plants such as asphodels thrive in rocky, barren places, but many other flowering plants manage to eke out an existence. There are Mallorcan varieties of St John’s Wort, for example, and several species of cistus. Two species of spiny plants, despite being quite separate, are both referred to as coixinets de monja or ‘nuns’ sewing cushions’. Another spiny plant is smilax, known locally as aritja, giving rise to the place-name aritges. Shrubby euphorbias, or spurges, contain a milky, latex sap, and some bushy species are referred to as tree spurges. Delightful little flowers include tiny crocuses and cyclamens, sometimes appearing to grow from bare rock but actually rooted in tiny crevices.
Asphodels flourish on many sunny and stony slopes
A rock rose looks like crumpled tissue paper
Most open mountainsides, as well as sunny spots inside woods and forests, may be covered with the tall pampas-like grass, Ampelodesmus mauritanica, which is best referred to by its common name of càrritx. It looks innocuous from a distance, but can prove troublesome on closer acquaintance. Avoid stepping on its long fronds with one foot as they can form a loop, tripping walkers as they bring their next foot forward. Get into the habit of high-stepping past càrritx to avoid tripping.
Animals
Whatever large mammals once roamed Mallorca, only feral goats remain, along with domesticated sheep, a few cattle and fewer pigs. Bells draw attention to farm stock foraging on the mountainsides. Signs reading ‘Big Game Hunting’ might seem alarming, but they refer to the hunting of feral goats, which is permitted on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from October to February. Hunters are unlikely to shoot across popular paths, but walkers should be aware of their presence. In the unlikely event that you find yourself close to a shooting party, yell loudly in any language!
Goats are seen in the mountains and hunted as ‘big game’
Most of the mammals native to the island are small, including pine martens, weasels, hedgehogs, bats, hares, rabbits and rodents, and many of them are hunted by birds of prey. South American coatis are causing concern since being released into the wild, as they prey on native animals. Snakes are only rarely spotted and should cause no concern to walkers. Geckos are unlikely to be seen, except by those keeping a keen watch. Frogs and toads may be common in well-watered areas, and they are notable near the large reservoirs at Cúber and Gorg Blau (Walks 31–35). Snails can be easy to spot because of their distinctive shells. Insect life includes abundant butterflies in spring and summer, and even more species of moths. In the hot summer months cicadas and grasshoppers chirp and whir in the vegetation.
A