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!
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!!
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
2 comments:
The name of the tartan is The Hunting McScott. This perversion of a national icon made an earlier appearance on Ian's Alferce Missadventure (AWW 12.03.2008 archive), incidentally the scene of Janet's favourite walk, when it was rather charitably described by the CB as "The McScott Technical Tartan All-Terrain Jacket". It doesn't take much imagination to guess what Jeeves would have done with the offending article should Wooster ever have ventured to add it to his wardrobe. However, Ian no longer has a gentleman's gentleman to pamper him and to keep him within the bounds of sartorial taste, so the best advice to him is to offer it to the public at the next car boot sale. He might prove lucky.
DCB
It was a great walk - pity about the gale but I assume you wanted to prepare me for my passage home across Bay of Biscay which was force 9 gale and sea swell of 7 metres---- I longed for a tarmac road!!
Love the Blog - cheers me up and always great to see blue sky and happy smiling faces.Hope to see you in Jan.
Val
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