Cova des Coloms

From the small village of Es Migjorn Gran in southern Menorca, an interesting walk can be taken through the limestone gorge "Barranc de Binigaus" to the huge, natural cave Cove des Coloms. 24 metre high and 116 meters deep, sometimes referred to it as the Cathedral Cave due to its sheer size.

In the canyon you may spot many kinds of flowers, birds and other wildlife. 

Hyoseris Radiata is a perennial stemless herb. Leaves are oblanceolate in outline, glabrous, fleshy, pinnatisect, with broadly ovate to almost orbicular lobes, entire or slightly dentate, runcinate, often overlapping, with acute apex. Involucres are cylindrical-campanulate, and glabrous. Outer phyllaries are ovate-lanceolate with subacute apex; while inner phyllaries are narrowly scarious-margined with obtuse apex. Florets are yellow. Achenes are brown, of 3 types.

Asphodelus Aestivus. The asphodel was supposed to be a remedy for poisonous snake-bites and a specific against sorcery; it was fatal to mice, but preserved pigs from disease. The Libyan nomads made their huts of asphodel stalks. In Greek legend the asphodel is one of the most famous of the plants connected with the dead and the underworld. Homer describes it as covering the great meadow (ἀσφόδελος λειμών), the haunt of the dead. It was planted on graves, and is often connected with Persephone, who appears crowned with a garland of asphodels

 

 On the way to the cave are remains of several talayots. These cone shaped towers date from prehistoric times, about 2000 BC.

Click here for a wikiloc route from Santo Tomás to Cova des Coloms: