Should you have wanted to participate in the annual Marxa des Güell a Lluc a peu, the legendary pilgrimage walk up to Lluc, you have left it too late, I am afraid. The good news is, though, that there will be another march up to the Santuario de Lluc next year, again in the night of the first Saturday to Sunday of August, as there has been every year since 1974. You might want to do some practising, in the meantime.

An estimated 12,000 able men and women set off from Plaça des Güell in Palma de Mallorca at 23h00 last night, to embark on their 48 km long sojourn past Marratxí, Santa Maria, Consell, Binissalem, Lloseta, Biniamar, Selva, Caimari and Escorca. Some 6,000 or so of them have arrived at their destination, Lluc, in the early hours of today, Sunday, or are expected to do so in the next few hours, depending on their feet. Some aches and pains – and some blisters – have been suffered, no doubt. Apparently, higher than usual temperatures have contributed to a relatively high proportion of participants giving up before the final ascent.

But well done, everybody, whatever the achievement.

Some (most? all?) of the happy arrivals will have paid a visit to the Mare de Déu (Virgen de Lluc) upon arrival, shown here in the photo.

The photo was taken in Lluc, Escorca, Mallorca, Spain. The date: March 15th, 2008. The time was 10:28:40.