Coastal hike from Santa Agnes

Proper footwear is required and plenty of water. There are no refreshment stops until you reach the restaurant at Cap Negret and no shops in Santa Agnes, so purchase water from a supermarket before you leave.

When you’ve cooled off sufficiently in the sea and conquered the steep hike back up to the main Cami des Pla de Coruna, continue right through beautiful farmland and scenes of rural idyll until you reach Las Puertas Del Cielo (heaven’s gate) restaurant, easy to spot from the road. Stop here for a drink or lunch amidst the trees and look out on the incredible ocean view. Walk to the very edges of the cliffs and along to the left until you reach the rocky headland of Cap Negret where more simply epic views await you. Look to the south from here and you can see all the way to the island of Conillera south of Sant Antonio bay.

From here it’s a simple walk back to the village of Santa Agnes.

Begin in Santa Agnes in the large car park beside Sa Palmera restaurant and walk west down Cami des Pla De Coruna. This road will lead you through farmland until you reach a stone structure with a white pyramid roof, this old well is your marker to turn off the paved road which veers to the left, whilst you continue straight on up a dirt track. Follow this trail as it winds its way into the thickly forested hills, the path will become rougher underfoot with loose stones and tree roots poking through the red earth. The trees part occasionally to give you a glimpse back across the plains of Santa Agnes.

Keep walking along this rough trail until you spot the sea through the trees and cliffs. This is the Ses Balandres gorge, the locals call it Heavens gate and it’s easy to see why, the sea appears as if from nowhere and the scenery is suddenly breathtaking. You’ll find yourself stood at the edge of the gorge and you can climb down here to the sea below and our first hidden beach. The sight of the stunning blue water below is very tempting, but the path is extremely steep and remember that a steep climb down means a steep climb up. If you don’t fancy it keep walking around the edge of the gorge following the blue arrows painted on the trail, this will lead you to a look out point above the gorge from where the scenery is truly breathtaking and not for anyone afraid of heights.

The impossibly sheer cliffs drop away below you to the sea and the horseshoe shaped islet of Ses Margalides, the ocean stretches out undisturbed to the horizon. When you’ve gazed your fill and burnt out your camera trying to capture it all, retrace your steps to the gorge entrance and follow a rough path into the trees away from the sea, after five minutes walking through the forest you’ll emerge upon dirt road which will lead you either right down to our second hidden beach or left back to the main road if you want to cut the hike short.

Sa Illot beach is easier to reach than the first, the walk is still steep but it’s along easier covered road to a strange sandless area of rocks and boulders with a slight disused quarry feel to it. The silence and air of abandonment is a little eerie and when you reach the place where a half-built stone gateway flanks a road leading to nowhere you may start to feel like explorers in an abandoned land. Not to worry though the view makes up for it, and you can swim in undisturbed waters backed by sheer cliffs with not another person in sight even in peak august.