Barbara, a stoic Austrian, turned to me and said: "Not long now, maybe 12 minutes."

Forty-five minutes later, as my legs struggled across the seven and rocky terrain, I shouted: "Are we there yet?"

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With a cheeky smile, she said: "Not far now, just another 12 minutes."

And so it went on as I trekked on for another hour until we came to the end and I downed a very welcome glass of local red wine.

I thought Barbara was pulling my leg but she later explained that on the island, especially in the mountains, time was not as important as enjoying life.

So 12 minutes was her way of telling me to stop moaning and enjoy the experience. Which was easy to do in the heart of the spectacular Tramuntana mountain range, basking in the sun, overlooking the glistening Mediterranean.

I had come to the fishing village of Port de Soller, 40 minutes north of Palma Airport, to sample what is known to be a walkers' paradise.

And after spending time at the picturesque holiday hotspot I quickly found the walker in Mallorca is one lucky person to be indeed.

I stayed at the Es Port Hotel, a converted 16th Century mansion at the foot of the mountains, which are lined with orange and lemon trees.

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More than 140km of footpaths meander through the range, making it a dream location for those who enjoy more than a stroll to the beach during their holiday.
Usually, the only walking I do abroad is from bar to bar but the sheer beauty of the place brought the Bear Grylls out in me and I couldn't wait to venture into the wilderness.

Accompanied by Barbara, we set off on a 12km trek through the rocky terrain.

She claimed this particular route was of "medium" toughness but as I struggle to get up three flights of stairs without a break I may as well have been trying to climb up Everest with a donkey on my back. But aided by juicy oranges picked ripe from the trees and spurred on by the aweinspiring views of the sea and rows of olive groves in the distance, I ventured on.

Despite some pain in the calves the next day, the enjoyment of the landscape certainly made it worthwhile.

After a day trekking, Port de Soller is the perfect place to unwind.

A string of bars and restaurants line its sandy beaches, which look out to a bay that flows into the Med.

At the classy Marina Hotel I tried the local speciality of Mallorcan paella - made with macaroni instead of rice - and gulped local wine to ease the aches.

Fish cooked Mallorcan-style is one you have to try. The island's trademark dish of white fish, pine nuts, spinach, celery and cauliflower all infused with Moroccan spices knocked my socks off.

I spent the night chatting to locals in the Port's Irish bar, The Asgard, drinking Spanish beer and marvelling at how good life can be away from the rat race back home.

My second trek was much less strenuous than the first - a gentle stroll up the mountain ending at Ses Barques, which offers a cracking view over the port. Along the way we stopped at a walkers' refuge - one of many in the mountains providing food and beds for the night - where we had a dinner of paella and, of course, more local wine.

Before heading back to England I decided to knock the walking on the head and visit some of the towns in the area, including Soller itself.

Just 3km inland from the port, Soller is fried with beautiful architecture and steeped in history.

The focus of the town is the Plaça Constitució, surrounded by cafés, with a fountain in its centre.

Here I had lunch and admired the church of Sant Bartomeu, a 1912 Modernista building with intricate ironwork by Catalan architect Joan Rubió i Bellver, who was heavily inspired by Antoni Gaudí.

The villages of Fornalutx and Biniaraix, a short drive away, seem untouched by the last 100 years and offer a view of the traditional Mallorcan way of life before tourists arrived on the island.

After another evening enjoying the nightlife back in Port de Soller I wished my trip could have been extended? by at least another 12 Mallorcan minutes!

MONARCH airlines offers year-round flights to Mallorca from Gatwick and Manchester, and during the summer season from Birmingham and Luton.
Fares, including taxes, start from £46.50 one way and £76.99 return. Seats can be pre-booked for an extra £7.50 per one-way flight. Hot and cold meals onboard can be pre-ordered from £3. Extra leg-room seats are available for an extra £20.
To book visit monarch.co.uk or call 08719 40 50 40.

Double rooms at the Es Port Hotel start from £45 a night. For more information visit hotelesport.com or call 0044 34971631650.
For more information about the region and hotels in the Port de Soller area see visitsoller.com To book a guided walk in the mountains contact Barbara on a_hotelera_soller@yahoo.es