800 people march on Sa Berena day to demand the reopening of the public path of Sa Roca

ManacorAbout 800 people marched today, Sa Berena day in Manacor, to the oratory of the Cor de Jesús to demand the definitive reopening of the Sa Roca des Castellet path, an emblematic route that has been closed for decades by the owners of nearby houses, protected by municipal disinterest, which has not yet cataloged the path, despite historical evidence.

The parking lot of the History Museum has been the hikers' meeting point. A space that has become too small due to the avalanche of people who have shown up, as a symbol of resistance, but also to embrace a tradition that was lost about thirty years ago: going to eat the Easter Monday empanadas (Berena in Manacor, Pancaritats in the rest of Mallorca) at Sa Roca, a curious promontory where, according to Manacor legend and the Rondallas of Antoni Maria Alcover, a giant left the pebble from his shoe that bothered him when walking.

The festive atmosphere marked a day where family and hiker participation was one of the highlights. Not so much the municipal presence, which was scarce. Not in vain, and as indicated by the representatives of the Plataforma Camins Públics i Oberts, the Manacor City Council has not yet taken the definitive step to inventory the route. “Last June we registered a historical dossier that clearly shows the persistence of the path since even prehistoric times, and its public and popular use character”, explained Sebastià Matamales.

Without jumping, but with modificationsOn the other hand, and as had been planned for a few days, the protest march did not have to jump any barriers to access Sa Roca first and then Cor de Jesús, where a stop was made to eat the empanadas. This had been negotiated by the organization with the owner a few days ago. Also with the National Police, who were present at the barriers which, despite the good intentions this Monday, remain closed the rest of the days of the year awaiting an administrative… or judicial resolution.

“On this side there have been no problems”, indicates Sebastià Gaià ‘Garba’, who admits that just a few days ago the final part of the route had to be changed, due to a lack of understanding with the owner of the path that goes from Sa Roca to Coll des Vent and Son Macià, where the excursion was initially supposed to end. “They said they wouldn’t open it, which sooner or later will lead us to have to reach an agreement… perhaps through the courts”. Finally, the endpoint has been the hermitage of Santa Llúcia and, again, the Torre dels Enagistes.

The Platform has wanted to thank all the residents who have responded to a call that is expected to continue. And it has encouraged the City Council to work decisively to catalog and register Sa Roca des Castellet within the catalog of public paths in the municipality, through a commission that remains in a state of waiting for several legislatures. “Now it seems that the predisposition of the council is good”, concludes Matamalas.