Wildfires under control, but 1800 hectares have suffered so far...

There was good news as firefighters confirmed that the ecological and environmental disaster that has consumed 1,800 hectares of pine forest and woodland across the North West of the island, since an allegedly discarded barbecue started a fire in Andratx on Friday, was now 'under control'.

The blaze had roared its way westwards, past the villages of S’Arraco, Estellencs, and Banyalbufar, then inland towards the communities of Puigpunyent and Galatzo, devasting a large area. Cinders even fell as far as Soller and there were worries that the historic area of Valldemossa would become a victim.

Experts have suggested it could take many decades for the areas to recover, so parts of the Mallorca we have loved and cherish will not return to how we once knew them in our lifetimes.

Andratx pledges to keep Camp de Mar clean

The Environmental Department in Andratx has launched a campaign to reduce the number of cigarette butts left on the beaches in its remit.

Unlike the cans and bottles we saw, butts are biodegradable over time, but any type of litter is unsightly and unnecessary. This beach litter was noticeable during our recent stay, despite the efforts of the regular cleaners who sift the sand.

The campaign comes as the department unveils its new corporate logo with a pledge to keep the beaches around Andratx clean and retain the Blue Flag Award held by the Camp de Mar beach.

Full story here.

Official Camp de Mar Map

The local authority for the Camp de Mar area, Andratx Adjuntament, have published a guide to the resort that also includes a downloadable map.

Latest Review and Photo Set from Camp de Mar

Our team is back from Camp de Mar...

Link to Review on www.camp-de-mar.info

Link to Photos on Flickr

Playa Hotel gets new Scrabble set: Donated by those nice people at www.camp-de-mar.info

A new Scrabble set has been donated by www.camp-de-mar.info to the Playa hotel, replacing the one 'lost' in 2011.

Alcudia Hosts Ironman Expo & Race from Thursday

Swimming, cycling, and running: one's enough us but for the Ironman athletes - all 2,000+ of them, this sports event is like a walk in the park. This coming Saturday - May 11th - sees the Thomas Cook Ironman 70.3 triathlon taking place in Alcudia.

The event starts with a swimming course located in the harbour. This is followed by a bike race that takes the athletes up and down the mountains of Mallorca in a single looping course. It ends in a thrilling 3 lap run along the beach.

The Ironman Expo, located on the waterfront promenade of Alcudia, offers sports clothing, sports equipment, sports accessories, food, and services, and opens on Thursday, May 9th.

More 'urbanisation' in Camp de Mar

Work has already begun on the construction of 69 new apartments adjacent to the Dorint hotel following the sale of scrub land to developers by the local authority.

To add to the nuisance of  heavy vehicle traffic, construction noise and dust, the popular walking route to Paguera has been fenced off as the council forgot that the path was included in the sale!

Thomas Cook and Thomson sometimes charge more for kids

In a report in today's Daily Mail, both Thomson and Thomas Cook have been revealed as charging more for holidays involving a family group of two adults and two children as opposed to four adults travelling together. Both companies detail the reasons why in the full story linked here.

Gran Camp de Mar Hotel Rebranded

The Gran Camp de Mar Hotel has undergone a rebrand as part of the OLIMAR HOTELS group.

The company is owned by the Oliver family and currently comprises the 4-star Neptune and Flamingo hotels in Playa de Palma, the Hotel Gran Camp de Mar, and the recently acquired Hotel Paguera Park.

The Flying Estate Agent!

Camp de Mar: Vídeo Aéreo Inmobiliario by Discovery Air Pictures on Vimeo

Here's a novel way to promote the sale of your property. Fly around it with a small HD camera equipped drone... but do you want to show that it's so near the cliff edge?