Turn right shortly after joining the Fornells road from the port of Mao and you enter a very special part of the island, hilly and dotted with lovely farm houses, abundant with wild flowers in the late winter and early spring. On the left as you drive along the winding road is the turn-off to S’Albufera, the island’s only lake and now a well-protected nature reserve.

This side road is dotted with houses with superb views — it used to be called Shrangi-la, no doubt named by someone after the legendary valley in Thibet. The road leads to the lake with its hordes of birds, including migrating wildfowl.

If this rural beauty induces hunger or thirst then you must go back to the main road and drive on to the lovely village of Es Grau, overlooking a horseshoe bay dotted with small boats in the summer.

The beaches are the safest on the island for small children

— adults have to wade a long way to get out of their depth. In the village there are several bars and restaurants and a few shops.

This lake is known as S’Albufera and originally it was a land-locked area of brackish water delivering in summer a trickle of water in the form of a rivulet into the bay. The area was marshy and fairly inaccessible. 

In April 1986 a law was passed declaring this area a Natural Area of Special Interest, and then in April 1995, it was declared a National Park.  A considerable amount of funds have since been made available for the conservation of this area. Re-planting schemes have been undertaken and raised wooden walkways constructed to allow visitors to enjoy the park without damaging the plants.

A double sluice has also been built near the car park to control the salinity of the lake and protect the passage of the 25 species of migratory fish through to the area without over affecting the water level of the lake.