AWW 29.10.2008: Rio Seco,- Cerro Alto

The Grand Old Duke of Salir certainly marched us up to the Top of the Hill, and we slid and slithered down again!

Terry on his Throne!

His Leader's report, which arrived by first E-post Thursday was a model of Accuracy, Brevity and Clarity, but rather too much Brevity, so I will have to present his take on the walk first and then recount the persiflage and badinage intermingled with pictorial panoply that is such a feature of our Wednesday Walks:

Terry's Report

Well what can I say? 18 walkers taking a chance with me in the hills and valleys around Salir which most managed to find eventually, but enough said on that subject, so we had a 10.30ish start. It was a wonderful morning for walking, clear sky with a cooling breeze, I had wanted to try the dried river bed for some time as its a lovely valley not walked at all as you do not get the opportunity once the rains come. Then the climb up to the ruined village for lunch stop followed by a gentle climb to the ridge with fine views all round, more up and downs till the last good climb to the trig at the top of Negros, well worth the effort for the views and of course the geocache, another one for the list, a blast down to the valley floor again and back into Salir for a well earned drink.

I thank you all for coming, I had a good day in the valleys and mountains and hope you all did too.

The Official Start Photo at 10 am (who is missing?!!)

Let's not be coy - the morning didn't start well! Despite Terry generously allowing an extra half hour to reach the venue, and the missing trio having at least 60 years combined residence in the Algarve, they apparently couldn't find Salir, and ended up researching Barranco de Velho. By the time they arrived at The Associação Equestre at 1025 am, the Senior Member loudly proclaimed "Why did you wait - I wouldn't have waited for me!" Well to look on the positive side, we all had a chance for another bracing coffee in the chill morning air. The bright sun was an illusion as you can see by the dress!

David brought Rosie along for her inaugural walk, but she was only allowed to stay for the first hour in view of her youth.

Leader: Terry A.

Present: Hilke, Ian S., Maria, Rod, Hazel, Dina, Vitor, David, Thyl, Paul, Myriam, Ian W., Antje, Chris, Yves, John.

Also Rans: Mike, Janet, Tina

Dogs: Maddy, Tiggy, Sambo, Rosie, Nandi

Stats: Total Distance: 16 km; Moving Time: 3 hrs 55 min; Total Time: 4 hrs 35 min; Moving Avg.: 4.1 km/hr; Overall Avg.: 3.4 km/hr; Total Ascent: 577 m.; Max Elevation: 481m

Track of the walk (expandable version here )

We were lulled in to a false sense of security by the first couple of hours which was not only fairly level, but for a long period where we followed the dry river bed of Ribeira do Rio Seco, slightly downhill!

This was a lovely old caminho

Mike wielded the Team Secateurs to good effect at one stage

All hands to the Tilley!

After the dried river bed. there was a slight climb past the Cruz Alta resort, which doesn't seem to have advanced much since our last visit, and which took us up to a useful lunch spot, with plenty of seating, and even a table for me!

This was about the 9 km point, and with only an estimated 7 km to go, we were all feeling good. However, Grand Duke Terry had some post prandial calorie burning in mind. The first hill was a warm up for the second, which was 'quite enough thankyou', but when Terry pointed out our intended trig point for the day, Cerro dos Negros there were some murmurs of disbelief!

Hazel cracks the second hill!

And when they were halfway up!

Although the GPS only counted it as 150 vertical metres, it was unanimously agreed that it was at least three times that in real terms! It was some measure of the improved fitness of the AWW that there were no complaints to be heard as we ascended the challenging slope. Or perhaps it was because no-one had the breath to speak!!

I was spurred on by the discovery from my GPS that there was a Geocache near the top which was on my 'To do' list, and as Mike expounded, it was really cost-effective to do it during a Wednesday Walk. He had done it himself in September, and had managed to find an even steeper way to reach the top, but luckily the coordinates were accurate and I didn't need any assistance to locate it.

Geocachers with the find!

Half of Team Divi arrived at the summit, so she also claimed the find!

Funnily enough on the web page relating to this cache, the owner discusses why the hill is called 'Cerro dos Negros'. Among the options were:- The top is often in cloud and presents a dark picture; The rich owner used to use black slaves to gather firewood near the summit; and (my favourite): you have to work like a black to get to the top!! (from the old non-PC aphorism!)

Thyl made his usual offer to take T.O.T.P.P, but a predatory paparazzi, took a candid shot of his preparation, and captured a rare photo of the legendary adventurer!

The official photo was duly taken, but Myriam has opined that Thyl's parallax, composition and organisational skills need some development before he can be relied on as the sole photographer at these historic moments.

From then on it was mostly downhill, and as it was quite steep and the surface was broken, the group strung out considerably.

At the junction with the 124 on the way back into Salir, our leader dutifully waited for the rearguard, and since those at the front had the scent of a beer they made their way back by various routes up the road into the town. I must admit I was one of those, and the last part of the route on the track picture is of course the way I went and not Terry's official route which stayed off the tarmac longer. Despite his pronouncements on his walk on the 15th vis à vis "Stay behind the leader at all times", Rod, too, left the leader in his wake and almost beat Ian S. to the bar!

Unfortunately, when we returned to the bar, Myriam was totally engrossed with distributing T-shirts, and collecting breakfast money for the RTC, and neglected to take her usual aprés-walk pix. I thought she was taking them so I concentrated on the beer and the vigorous discussion on the arrangements for the Christmas lunch. None of the other photographers saw anything worth recording, so the occasion will pass into history unrecorded!

In the absence of these, for your edification a picture extracted, regardless of copyright, from a local paper, of our Senior Member actively reducing his carbon footprint, and minimising his cost-per-cache figures by enormous amounts.

The logicians among you might ask "Why doesn't he cycle to Meia Praia or Mexhiloeira Grande and get the train from there?" but why get in the way of a good story!

Getting older is like riding a bicycle, if you don't keep pedaling, you'll fall. Pepper, Claude D.

Upscale people are fixated with food simply because they are now able to eat so much of it without getting fat, and the reason they don't get fat is that they maintain a profligate level of calorie expenditure. The very same people whose evenings begin with melted goats cheese... get up at dawn to run, break for a mid-morning aerobics class, and watch the evening news while racing on a stationary bicycle. Ehrenreich, Barbara

Plus your Cultural Post-Script

First, a visit to the opera.

Last week it was a scene from Lucia Di Lammermoor. This week, one from Cavalleria Rusticana

and then, a trip to the movies, a double bill with

"Tina and the Swamp Thing !!!"

And "Two Little Lambs Gone Astray"

AWW 22.10.2008 Towers, Trails and Tarmac

There had been a few audible mutterings during Rod's walk the previous week, about it being too hot, and  longer than advertised, culminating in "Water-Gate" (see what I did there?)  from the point of one or two participants, and this was after the reading of the Riot Act, so ably covered by the DCB in his video addendum to the Blog.

      I am sensitive to criticism (as you know), so I advertised my walk this week as less than 20km/5 hours and included a precautionary warning about the sun and to bring extra water!

This had the desired effect, as by the time we arrived at Café ZigZag in Vila do Bispo,  steel grey clouds were gathering, the temperature was below 12ºC, and the wind was lashing at our anoraks. Welcome to Val who was over from England!!  What a difference a day makes!! We drove on to the carpark for the Trilho Ambiental.

Centurion: Paul

Cohorts: Mike, Tina, David, Chris, Antje, Rod, Ingrid, Ian S., Val, Ian W., Alex, Maria, Myriam,

Part time: Janet

Canines: Tiggy, Sambo, Maddy, Nandi

Most of the group at the start. (Chris can almost be seen in the background looking for something to stop the wind blowing up his shorts!)

The cold weather had apparently afflicted the mental faculties of some walkers as Janet turned up in a rather fetching pair of white sandals, only to realise she had left her boots at home, and Tina hadn't packed her winter warmers. Luckily the walk was a figure of eight and Janet would be able to fetch her boots and a fleece for Tina and meet us after the first loop.

 

The enlarged map can be viewed here

Stats: Total Distance: 18.9 km; Moving Time: 4 hrs 2 min.; Total Time: 4 hrs 42 min; Moving Avg.: 4.7 km/hr; Overall Avg: 4.0 km/hr: Total Ascent 743 m.: Max Elevation: 166 m.

Comment: The most altitude in a single walk so far - and the best moving average!! Must be getting fitter!

On the subject of 'mental faculties' :-

O, let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven! Keep me in temper. I would not be mad.  Shakespeare, William

It is not recorded what attracted Mike's attention, but it may have been these very alert pigs which were guarding the birds at Animal Farm.

The cold weather generated a cracking pace for the first section which was not too exciting, including a couple of stretches of tarmac, before we turned towards the sea.  I have often extolled the virtue of a good recce before the walk to pre-empt surprises, but when we reached a point that overlooked the descent to Cordoama, I was horrified to discover that what had been  an earthen track the Sunday before, was now well on the way to being a finished tarmac road.

   As we had committed to meet Janet somewhere along this stretch, I was not able to throw in an alternate route up the hillside, so we walked up and were greeted by the despoilers of the landscape who were in full production!

We met Janet at the top of this road, and posed near the start of the Trilho Ambiental with the construction in the background:  

The best part of the walk started here, and we set off through the valley, where Antje even managed to find the mushrooms I had promised, which was just as well as the cold weather had affected her memory and she had forgotten to bring lunch for Chris and herself!

A fast flat section brought us to the Torre de Aspa, an imposing tower where T.O.T.P.P. was taken on the sheltered side.  Soon after this we had an early lunch as we were making such rapid progress that we might reach the end before the appointed hour. This was the only walk I have been on when lunch was taken before Antje asked the inevitable question - mainly because she didn't have any!

  Lunch was taken in a sheltered spot among the cistus and other bushes.

The Samaritans had combined to ensure that Chris, Antje and the dogs didn't starve!

During lunch there was a touching moment as Mike and Tina appeared to reenact the Balcony Scene from Romeo and Juliet (without the balcony!)

Or was I thinking of the Mad Scene from Lucia de Lammermoor.

Next was a visit to the Coastguard House and some fine views along the coast with the boiling sea proving too much for most surfers.

Wrapped up for the winter!

I had gone on record as promising a butt-clenching descent from this point. In the event it was a bit of an anti-climax when Rod suggested another route off the side of the ridge of my planned descent.

View from the front.

Shortly after this point I announced "Wimps follow Rod - Heroes follow me" and strode off confidently. After 50 metres I looked round and realised I was on my own!! Later several of the company, including Myriam, stated on oath that they hadn't realised there was more adventure to be had by following me!

And from the rear!

From the bottom, we regrouped and climbed up to the next ridge overlooking the Castelejo Café, and there were some great views, although it was a trifle draughty near the edge.

After attaining the ridge, Myriam took a rather fine photo which she entitled:-

'The Old Man and The Sea'

A measure of the climatic change was that Ian was actually wearing an addition to his habitual wardrobe in the shape of a rather natty Tartan jacket. I am confident the DCB can identify the Tartan! So much for Global warming!

Back up to the Trilho Ambiental, where the leader quelled a minor rebellion by Janet, who had spotted a short cut back to where she had left her car, with the pithy remark " I thought you wanted to go for a walk! - you've only done half of one so far!"

  Reaching the Guard House for the second time there was a moment's excitement when Tiggy, always an avid hunter, snatched a field vole who hadn't managed to get far enough underground, and crunched it in front of the other dogs who were slower on the uptake!

Only the head and front leg showing!

As you can see the sun was beginning to shine by then, and we finished the walk  warmer than when we started.

Back to Vila do Bispo where Bar ZigZag was the venue for a few convivial beers!

Another Dead Soldier!!

Ian W. took a photo!!

What Credit Crunch!!!

No publicity please!!

All in all a successful walk - admirably led: no-one got lost or left behind; no-one ran out of water; the length and duration were within the estimate; and the views were superb.  It will bear repetition once I have worked out how to avoid the tarmac up from Cordoama.

A leader is one who, out of madness or goodness, volunteers to take upon himself the walk of the week. There are few men so foolish, hence the erratic quality of leadership in the Wednesday Walkers!     (after) Updike, John 

AWW 15.10,2008: Fun(cho) in the Sun

Ready for the off

Leader: Rod

Present : Ian S, Ian W, Mike P, Maria, Paul & Myriam, Ingrid, Tina, Chris & Antje, David L, John & Hazel, Alex, Terry A, Yves, Dina & Vitor.

Dogs: Nandi, Maddie, Tiggy, Sambo

Stats: Tot. Dist.: 21.8 km; Mov. Time: 4 hrs 51 min; Total Time: 5 hrs 47 min.; Mov. Avg.: 4.5 km/hr; Overall Avg.: 3.8 km/hr; Tot. Ascent: 536 m,; Max Elev.: 209m.

Walk Track (as followed by CB and one or two others!) Click link for full size)

After the scanty efforts of previous weeks, the Leader Rod provided a more comprehensive and accurate blog report of the part of the walk he actually led! I have Hope(s) that an addendum is imminent from the DCB, who turned back along the outward route from the point marked 'Split Up' to the 'Start' avoiding the whole of the NE loop. Despite appearances to the contrary, it became apparent that there was little if any difference in length between the two routes.

Here is the report:-

On a fantastic October day we gathered at the now extinct Amorosa cafe ( well the leader of the day never liked coffee before a walk anyway!). The group, enlarged to19 by 3 unannounced participants, set off by cars and parked by the Arade Funcho road bridge presently spanning nothing but dried mud.

The first 45 minutes passed uneventfully enough along the waterside ( well, had there actually been any water there) trail until the leading group, as usual paying scant attention to what was going on, failed to notice that a left hand turn was the choice of route and stomped off into the distance. Since the Chief Blogger was of the guilty party this will unfortunately not be proven by the blog map, but may be verified, of course, by a majority of those present.

Mike takes it at a run!

Queuing to cross the puddle!

After this unscheduled delay it became apparent that the leader had spied a recently bulldozed route up to the top of the ridge and was determined that we should ascend that way. Needless to say it was steeper than the alternative and caused much huffing and puffing and just a few grumbles.

Well worth it, of course, as all along the ridge the views of the dam lake, with at least some water in it, were spectacular.

This so entranced Hazel that as we began the descent she wandered down the wrong track and disappeared. As she was at the back of the group this was potentially serious......in the event, however, after some shouting and whistling she was found alive and well!

Upon reaching water level again another climb became necessary as a path along a valley back to the lakeside was impenetrable.

Recovering from the 'short cut'!

Eventually we reached the lake again and began the return along the water edge track.

The dogs found plenty of water

Some way along this winding trail we had lunch beside the lake.

Lunch in one of the few shady spots!

Reinvigorated, we once again ascended the ridge and crossed our outward path to follow the second part of a figure of eight.

At this point some exhaustion and shortages of water became apparent and the party split in two, a small group returning along the outward track on the basis that it might have been shorter.

The splinter group

The main group set off along a fairly level route to complete the figure of eight at quite a cracking pace. So cracking that dehydration began threatening ........this was staved off by the timely appearance of a farmer who assured those in need that he had survived all his life on water from his well.

"Expect poison from standing water." Blake, William

Despite the amount consumed nobody suffered any immediate ill effects and the group arrived back to find the others had not yet made it. A rescue party spotted them fairly soon and everyone was eventually reunited at a bar not too far from the extinct one.

It had been a warm and relatively long day and some lessons might have been usefully learned! Thou shalt:

1. Bring enough water for all eventualities.
2. Pay some attention to where the leader is going if you are going to steam off in front!
3. Keep in sight and earshot of the person in front of you if the group is strung out.

I totally agree with Rod's observations, - most of us have been walking long enough to realise how easy it is to misjudge the length of a walk, and the potential for it to get hotter than anticipated. We have also learnt not to completely believe the leader's guesstimate of length, duration and undulations! There is nothing worse than staggering up steep hills with 3 litres of water in your pack, and being overtaken by others laden only with a plastic shopping bag and a packet of tissues, and then later having to rescue the same person from dehydration with your hard-borne water.

"Beware of silent dogs and still waters." Proverb, Portuguese

And a topical one to finish!!

Good bankers, like good tea, can only be appreciated when they are in hot water. Hussein, Jaffar

Before I close, a significant stat I omitted was that today the Tilley Count was a satisfying 5 - as much as we can expect really before Father Christmas arrives and Brian returns, and John O' gets his act together instead of messing about with marathons! I did think that Antje went a little bit too far in mocking the Leader's clearly inferior millinery!

A gentleman is any man who wouldn't hit a woman with his hat on. Allen, Fred A.

Postscript from DCB:

Rod delivers his rocket

Part One: Part Two

and Part Three

Was his lecture successful? Perhaps not, scarcely 15 minutes later, Hazel, too busy picking Medronho berries to keep the leader in sight, went left round a hill when all others had gone right. Myriam raised the alarm; Maria, the leader and a (moderately) anxious husband went in search, optimistically singing "She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes" in loud voices, and eventually found her. She had probably added an extra 300 metres climbing to her day's exercise as a result of her detour. Half-term verdict "Frew is too gentlemanly; must try harder."

Then, of course, there was the river crossing, where the sadists congregated to see who and how many would fall in. On this occasion, they were to be disappointed.