Sometimes blogging is an endless accumulation of irritation and annoyance. To me anyway.
For a couple of months now I have been meaning to take a photo of the lighthouse of Cala Figuera in Calvià. I went there in December but somehow missed the turning on the new motorway to suddenly find myself in Andratx. No lighthouse there. Nothing unpleasant about Andratx, though. I took some photos of the Castell de Son Mas instead and had a coffee. That was rewarding enough.
Yesterday I had another go at finding the lighthouse of Cala Figuera. Try as I did and ask as I would, I simply could not find it. I was told that I was near, it was just around the corner so to speak, but I simply could not locate the access to the Faro or find the coastal stretch opposite the bay. I must have driven up and down the area of El Toro and Can Ferrer, Sol de Mallorca and Magaluf for at least three hours to no avail. I was told that the lighthouse is situated on land that is designated for military purposes and thus, not accessible to the public. I was prepared to have a sneak anyway, if only I could have found the access. Eventually I ended up in a wooded area with heavy shooting going on. First I thought it was hunters; it is the hunting season now and only until the end of this month. But no. I seem to have ended up near or actually on a Finca assigned to Clay Pigeon shooting. I hastily made my retreat.
The reward for my odyssey was a secluded playa, the Caleta des Portals Vells, a beach that I had never been to before. It was perfect. The weather was blissful, I was in good company, the sea was quiet, the air was fresh and clean, the island was completely quiet and peaceful, and there was no shooting anywhere near. There were perhaps 20 people dotted about. The beach bar was closed. It may be hell here during the summer but in January, this fortuitous outing was a real delight.
The lighthouse will have to wait. Third time lucky, I hope.
This is what the lighthouse in question looks like from the bird’s-eye view. Not that I have ever seen it myself.
The photo (top) was taken near Magaluf, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: January 21st, 2012. The time was 13:13:27. The photo (bottom) was borrowed from the Internet, courtesy of farsdebalears.org.
Moltes gràcies.
The Mallorca Photo Blog 
I just had to write to say thank you for bringing Mallorca to me via your photoblog. I have loved the island since my first visit in the 1970s when it was so quiet. Since then I have returned, sometimes with horror at the hordes of people on beaches I knew earlier, but still with a longing to live on the island. It seems this dream may never be fulfilled but I have the pleasure of your photoblog and part of the Majorca Daily Bulletin online. I shall look forward to a holiday in Mallorca next year as long as I can find a villa to rent given the threat of fines for those who don’t have licences. Please continue the good work if you can and thank you again. By the way natural history and horses are my passion.
thank you philippa, for the sharing of your longings. sometimes dreams come true. i hope you will find a villa for your next mallorcan holidays. best wishes for happiness.
As with Philippa, your blog has shown me parts of Mallorca’s landscape that my partner and I missed during our all-too-brief week in 2006. Equally important and enjoyable have been the cultural aspects. I join with Philippa in thanking you for your sharing. I visit your blog every day and have been remiss in that this is my first comment. Do keep up the good work.
Philippa: I pray that your dream of moving to Mallorca will come to fruition.
I had a very similar experience yesterday (albeit rather embarrassing to admit)…being new to the Calvia area we went in search of Magaluf beach only to end up driving the same one-way route through a residential/hotel complex not once, but FOUR times as we kept trying roads to the left and being channelled back onto the peninsula-like outcrop that separates Magaluf beach from the adjacent one…San Matias, is it? We then ran out of time and never DID see that damned beach…:-/ Oh well, next time, I’ll check the map 1st!
As usual…love the informative blog xx
As you said in your blog, the lighthouse is really accessible only through the military zone. I’ve never actually gone to the lighthouse, but have viewed it closely several times from a point beside an old torre (now falling down due to disgraceful neglect!). There is a very pleasant walk to be had through the zone and down via the caleta (if you want to include it) and my friends and I tend to walk it a couple of times a season. Actually, some of them were out there yesterday, Saturday. If you’d care to give me your eMail address, I’d be happy to send you a copy of the walk map and a couple or three photographs of the lighthouse from the torre.
Many thanks for your blog. It’s a daily read of mine.
Jim W
There is a map on the Calvia Ajuntamento website. From Cala Portals Vells walk up the right hand side (here you can also visit some interesting caves). Climb to the top of the cliffs (not as difficult as it sounds!) and then just continue walking along the clifftops, past a idyillic little cala which unfortunately is always full of rubbish. It’s about 30-40 minute walk from Cala Portals Vells to the lighthouse. A really nice little walk and then if you like you can continue much further…