To get the most out of walking, guide books and maps are essential. A good general guide is the "Rough Guide to Mallorca an Menorca" by Phil Lee. This book contains lots of useful information and a couple of walks as well.

Two types of map are available. The IGN maps can be obtained at book shops all around the island at scales of 1:25,000 and 1:50,000. The 1:25,000 maps are recommended because the place names don't obscure the detail and the map has a grid. There are also military maps which show more tracks and are clearer than the IGN maps but these are now out of date and only availiable at a few shops. The maps cost 400 pesetas each.

Not all tracks and paths are shown on the maps and guide books are essential. I used two. "Landscapes of Mallorca" by Valerie Crespi-Green and "Walking in Mallorca" by June Parker. Landscapes of Mallorca is a great little book that will fit into your back pocket. It has detailed descriptions of car tours, picnics and walks. The book includes extracts from the military maps and lots of colour photographs. Walking in Mallorca contains many more walks although the descriptions are less detailed than the other book. The sketch maps are very useful however.