Day 5: Stages 14-18 Santo Tomas to Binissafuller

Practical Information:

• Difficulty: Easy

• Distance: Approx. 26km

• Elevation: 81m highest point

• Logistics: Easy parking at Santo Tomas for drop off. Mobile signal good

• Tips: There is a section where there are stepping stones underwater, take something to dry your feet

Our personal experience

This day will always stand out as a day of trail contrasts. Throughout the whole Camí route there is never a dull moment (and that’s not just the comedic jeopardy caused by us!) but this day…Wowzers!

By day five, the early-morning drill has become second nature: tending to feet, painkillers, and the daily battle to wake up. We won't bore you with the details!

We start off walking past hotels in Santo Tomas. It’s still early, the staff are setting out breakfast buffets, dropping cutlery and washing floors. Grounds staff are lifting umbrellas, puffing up cushions and cleaning pools. The contrast was hard to miss, holidaymakers tucked up in plush beds, soon to rise to a day of carefree leisure, while we shuffled past, limping, hobbling, half-squatting, doing our best to keep pace with the schedule.

We soon come to grassy flat areas and red poppies scattered as far as the eye can see. Before we had a chance to say ”isn’t this nice” we went through a ‘pair’ of Menorca gates and wham we were in Jurassic park. It was incredible, it actually took our breath away.

There were mountainous hills enveloping us, bull rushes and reeds growing taller than us out of boggy land. We looked ahead at our path which consisted of a water logged stepping stone path. We had no choice but to cross this section which was ok but Claire’s fresh foot dressings were in for a ‘dirty’ soaking.

We'd seen footage of this section on various social media accounts but none of them said where it was, so we had no idea we were about to come across it.

The problem was, we'd got to day 5, so long gone were the days that we would take a towel and spare socks with us, we were saving all our backpack space for first aid items! Naomi luckily spotted a huge stick which helped her across the slippery rocks, she walked with a lot of trepidation, although in her element at the challenge. We couldn't stop laughing, Naomi looked ridiculous crossing the water with this stick - she looked like Moses! We have some footage of this in our main video! It was slow and quite hilarious but we made it to the other side without falling in, with our dry trainers safety in our hands. Luckily Naomi ALWAYS pack a whole toilet roll, it was the only thing we had to scrap off the thick mud. 10 minutes waiting for Claire to redress her feet and we're off again

Whilst winding our way down a hillside towards lemon groves we met with a French group who were lucky enough to hear our opera singing on day three. We must have really impressed them as they remembered us very well.

In Son Bou we stopped at a pharmacy for yet more foot supplies. Naomi, naturally, took the chance to browse lipsticks. By now, her daily lipstick was as much a constant as our blisters, a sort of signature for our growing social media following.

Ever the considerate friend she took a kip on a step whilst Claire changed her plasters and sprayed her blisters with numbing spray - which didn’t numb anything!

In the afternoon we'd made it past Cala en Porter and decided to have a rest at Es CanutelIs. There was an actual public toilet there, a port-a-loo of sorts, which was a luxury to us as we'd gotten so used to just squatting in bushes! Naomi took a quick dip in the sea, it was absolute bliss, Claire opted to stay on land as she couldnt face changing her plasters anymore and opted instead to be life guard. She perched against a rock and called out to Naomi when a bird, the size of a chicken, dove down under the water and propelled itself towards her at speed. All quite harmless, it probably didn't have its specs on.

Stunning Canutells in background, Claire's discusting feet in foreground!

Treat over, we pressed on through countryside studded with huge villas, many under renovation. Perfect material for our “when we’re millionaires” game: choosing which one we’d move into. The trail is a bit steep here, but an olive-wood fence offers a handy grip. Aviation geeks would have been in heaven here, an EasyJet flight came in so low we could practically wave to the passengers. We couldn’t help but wonder if any of them would attempt the Camí.

And finally, the day ended in what felt like the Shire, Binibequer Vell. The most ridiculously enchanting place A hobbit-like wonderland of whitewashed stone buildings, a rabbit warren of secret passageways to get purposely lost in. The best way to describe this place is like Old Town Jerusalem and Santorini had a baby. We celebrated the finish with a pint of San Miguel, bliss. We are so close to the finish line now.

Some more photos and videos of our first day: