Hiking

Police checking hiker access to Ternelles finca

Authorisation is needed to enter the Ternelles finca. | Teresa Ayuga

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPollensa02/12/2017 00:00

Access to the Ternelles finca in Pollensa continues to be a controversial issue. In October, the finca's owners, who are ultimately the March family of Banca March fame, announced that guided visits of the finca will be organised and conducted by the Fundació Silvestre de la Mediterrànea (Mediterranean Wildlife Foundation). Pollensa town hall has objected to this, as it says there is a court ruling that allows it to organise visits.

For the past few years, limited groups of hikers - a maximum of twenty - have been able to get authorisation from the town hall. They still can get authorisation, as the town hall insists that it continues to have the right to organise visits. On Friday, the new regime with the foundation conducting the visits was due to have started. Because of the poor weather, however, no one turned up.

The town hall has arranged for a police officer to be at the entrance to the finca, and there will be an officer every day to check on what happens. In other words, the town hall is monitoring if people who have received its authorisation are turned away.

The foundation says that for the moment no one will be denied access, and it hopes to be able to reach agreement with the town hall. This will be easier said than done. The right of access to Ternelles is a cause célèbre in Pollensa, the mayor of which is one-time GOB spokesperson, Miquel Àngel March.