A walk through "Ses Salines de Mongofre"

The Cami de Cavalls, the ancient path that encircles the island took us to Mongofre today and we found these old salt ponds, no longer used for decades.

Althought it is believed that the salt is extracted in Menorca since ancient times, these salt evaporation industry had a short life. It began operating in 1845 and by 1950 they close down due to the lack of profitability and low demand. But they left a very curious landscape of marine shallow ponds that are now a sanctuary for waterfowl.

 

 It is not unusual to see small groups of flamingos in Menorca during the winter

Grey Heron (I think) looking for her dinner.

Cotaina Gran.

Cotaina is an old farmhouse area which have been growing cereals and fodder for many years. In the area where it is located there are many paths and trails that are used for cycling or walking.

Megalithic burial chamber at Momplé.

Clematis cirrhosa var. balearica is an evergreen climber with small, very finely cut, dark green leaves turn bronze-purple in winter. Slightly fragrant, cup-shaped creamy-yellow flowers to 6cm wide, spotted purple within, produced in late winter and early spring followed by fluffy seed-head.

It was first listed in the second edition of Species Plantarum by Carl Linnaeus in 1763.