Mallorca, poetic and unspoilt: the north-west of the island treasures the wildest nature.

"Born in London but based in Mallorca with a lens that captures the unconventional." This is how <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/ibiza/kate-bellm-photography-fashion-editorial-ride-it-like-you-stole-it">Kate Bellm</a> describes herself, a photographer who has become famous thanks to her psychedelic take on fashion. With her husband, Mexican artist Edgar Lopez Arellano, and their son Sage, Bellm has been living in Mallorca for years, in a lush and wild area far removed from the mainstream tourism that frequents the largest of the Balearic Islands. This is Dej&agrave;, a village in the heart of the Sierra de Tramuntana, the mountain range on the north-western side of Mallorca. A few years ago, the couple opened <a href="https://hotelcorazon.com">Hotel Coraz&oacute;n</a>, taking over an old hotel that had been converted from a finca. They redesigned it down to the last detail, with informal luxury in mind.

 Photography Kate Bellm

This part of Mallorca is poetic and unspoilt, a landscape that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011 and has had great admirers over the centuries, from the Augsburg nobility (two names above all, Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria and Empress Sisi) to Keith Richards and the much-missed Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones to Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who own a villa overlooking the sea in the area.

Mallorca has completely changed the way I shoot; the natural light over the entire year is perfect.

Bellm, who spent her holidays there with her parents as a girl, did something more than the many foreigners passing through the Sierra de Tramuntana: she immersed herself in the life of the community. In addition to forming genuine relationships with the people of Dej&agrave;, she began photographing nature and people, giving shape to technicolour landscapes, merbabes and sensual explorations of the female form. Her aesthetic is defined by freedom, friendship and a desire to experience nature in its wildest form. This was the starting point for her book &ldquo;La Isla&rdquo;, from which Kate has selected some of the photos on these pages for <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com">L'OFFICIEL IBIZA</a>.

"Mallorca has completely changed the way I shoot; the natural light over the entire year is perfect. And then you have the wilderness and endless road trips," she says. What may be unknown to foreigners is a blessing to her. "The land is full of secret hikes and beaches, rivers and waterfalls. You just need to know what time of year to go to get the best of each natural paradise. Our hotel is halfway between Dej&agrave; and S&oacute;ller, and regardless of its refinement, the spirit is simple and raw," she adds. The entire Tramuntana region embodies the utmost freedom. "Here, adventure trumps urgency," Bellm says.
Imagine ancient olive trees, towering palms, mature jacarandas and giant cacti. That's what the area is all about, and it is well-preserved from over-tourism. " There is an edible forest of citrus, capers, flowers and stone fruit," Kate proudly says, not to mention the sea. The Mediterranean at its best, with crystal clear waters, well cared for by the people who live there.

Underwater, there is a seagrass called Posidonia, a clear indicator of the sea's good health, which in many parts of the world is under severe strain from pollution and climate change. A healthy Posidonia forest is a guarantee of well-being for the entire surrounding ecosystem, and fortunately, the locals understand this. "The whole community protects it, and there's a limited number of boats allowed on the coastline to keep it as close to pure nature as you can get." And it is perhaps this sense of deep connection with the sea that leads people to abandon all their clothes. "Europe is a straightforward place to feel free with nudity. Most of the rocky bays are nude beaches, so it's not an uncommon feeling to be completely naked with your friends by the sea."
Kate's tips for enjoying the area are seemingly simple, but it is the energy of the place that makes it so unique. "Being in nature, going for swims at sunset, exploring the coastline and discovering cliffside waterfalls that fall into the ocean, taking road trips through windy roads to mountain beaches like Cala Tuent" are Bellm&rsquo;s recommendations for the hot season. Still, winter has its charm too, with its endless hiking trails through the mountains.

&laquo;The land is full of secret hikes and beaches, rivers and waterfalls. You just need to know what time of year to go to get the best of each natural paradise.&raquo;

"The photos I chose for you show various scenes of me and my friends climbing into caves," she says. "I also added a shot of a group of friends around a floating fire in the water after sunset; that was my wedding night. We built a small wooden raft and made a floating fire from bits of driftwood and dried pine needles, and then we swam out to sea. We gathered around it in a circle until it dissolved into the ocean, and then we all slept on the forest floor together on one of those hot summer nights.&rdquo;

Connected with Paradise

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