Path clear — but why so late? Soller must reopen closed GR-221 section

Path clear — but why so late? Soller must reopen closed GR‑221 section

Fine of €600, big question marks: Who protects the public trails in the Tramuntana?

Main question: How can it be that a publicly used mountain path on the main hiking route GR‑221 has effectively been blocked since 2009 — and the municipality only had to be forced to act by a symbolic fine?

The facts are concise: On the property "Bàlitx d’enmig" near Soller the owner closed the passage years ago and marked a detour. The path, considered part of the GR‑221, connects Soller and Fornalutx with Sa Costera and Tuent and is an important piece of everyday and leisure infrastructure for locals and hikers alike. The Land Protection Agency (ADT) has now reprimanded the municipal administration and imposed a fine of €600 because the municipality did not enforce the restoration of the public passage in time.

That sounds like a small fine for a big problem — and that is exactly where the critical analysis begins. A single fine changes little if the same inaction continues. Who bears the burden when a path runs across private land? Who takes care of marking, maintenance and liability issues? Above all: Why did it take so long to find a solution that environmental authorities had to file a complaint four years ago?

From everyday life: If you get off at Soller station on a cold December morning, you first hear the tram whistle, smell strong coffee from the café opposite and see hikers with poles dispersing into the alleys. Many of them plan a day on the GR‑221, without knowing that stretches like the one at Bàlitx d’enmig are still legally contested. Local shepherds, elderly residents, young day‑trippers — they all have an interest in clear paths, but they rarely fight their way through administrative corridors for solutions.

What is missing in the public debate is a sober look at the structural causes: The legal situation in Mallorca does recognise public paths, but mapping is historically fragmented. Many caminos públicos are only recorded on old maps, not always digitised or clearly entered in the land registry. That makes it difficult for municipalities and hikers to assert rights. In addition, there is often no financial or administrative model that involves private owners without expropriating them — maintenance takes time and money.

Critical points that must be addressed: First, the administration must not treat fines as a substitute for active path policy. Second, binding cadastre and mapping solutions are needed: GPS‑located, publicly accessible data would reduce disputes. Third, communication and mediation with owners are central — isolation breeds resentment, while cooperative models create solutions.

Concrete proposals, practical and immediate: The municipality of Soller should formally notify the affected owner immediately and set a deadline for remedial action. In parallel, a temporary administrative access arrangement can be established (a sort of time‑limited passage permit) until a permanent agreement is reached. Short‑term sensible measures: clear signage of the official route, securing slippery sections with traditional local dry‑stone walling, and a small "path lease" subsidy for owners who carry out maintenance work.

In the medium term there needs to be a public register of all caminos públicos on the island, linked to maps and coordinates — accessible online and at town halls. A regional fund for path upkeep, financed from tourism levies or island funds, could relieve owners and make voluntary usage agreements more attractive. Finally: mediation instead of escalation. An impartial mediator can bring together technical solutions, liability questions and possible compensation.

Anyone now walking their dog on a leash through Soller’s market square or exploring the mountains in winter has a pragmatic interest in clear paths: safety, orientation and respect for land ownership are not mutually exclusive. But it requires more courage in town halls, digital transparency and realistic offers for owners, instead of months of wear‑and‑tear through bureaucratic standstills.

Pointed conclusion: That the ADT reprimands the municipality with a €600 fine is not a scandal — it is a wake‑up call. Public paths are not a nostalgia project but part of the infrastructure of an island that lives from hiking. Soller and the island administration must now show that they not only record paths on maps but also reliably keep them open.