Algarve Way 2009:Day 6 - 01.04.09

Day Six. The Day of the Dam(ned)s.

Lucifer:- David

Lost Souls:- Terry M, Ian W, Paul, Myriam, Alex, Tina, Ingrid, Hilke, Lindsey.

Ghost of the Grand Old Duke (who couldn’t get his men to follow):- Andrew.

New Faces in Hell:- Rod, John H, Hazel, Val, Hedley.

In Recovery:- Maddie.

The blog for today has been written by Lindsey, for which much thanks.

Track of Day 6.

Everybody arrived on time and we were able to set off on the next leg of the Algarve Way from the tail of the Barragem do Funcho at 9.05 a.m. Ian and Marguerite Scott were there to see us off and to give us the excellent news that Maddie was recovering from her poisoning and they were going to collect her from the vet in Messines.

Am I mistaken, or have we lost a few?

Straight away there was a division of the forces and the 6 ladies (who out numbered the men) - plus our chaperone – Ian Wilson – were told to walk straight up a hill and the Leader with his men were going to circumnavigate the hill because they had to set their GPS on the correct spot for ‘Start’! Of course the ladies got to the top of the hill first and were joined by the men. It was a cold morning but clear and bright and we all made very good progress. The track around the Barragem was wide and flat, the lake very calm. All around us the Cistus was out, intermingled with purple lavender and yellow gorse - it was a very beautiful walk.

Coven in conclave. or Dams in Deep Discussion?

Where every prospect…..

…but only walkers spoil it.

As we didn’t have to concentrate on walking because the track was so flat there was an awful lot of talking and joking. The water in the Funcho dam was quite high which was pleasing but when we arrived at the Barragem do Arade it was significantly lower – very low in fact. We came to one deserted ruin of a house over looking the Funcho which everyone thought could be a very nice country cottage or second home, if the owner was willing to sell.

At 12 noon just as we were about to get onto tarmac road to lead down to the dam Andrew realized he had lost his GPS. He thought he must have left it near the beginning of the walk – when we all de-robed and had a drink. We had walked 12.2kms – so Andrew had to go all the way back to start.

Never mind the …fish, what about my GPS????

There were several very nice picnic places where we could have sat at tables and chairs overlooking the dam to have our lunch but no, the Leader said we had to carry on till 1p.m. when we would meet up with Rod and his Merry Men (and Women). We came to a pumping station (I think) and some very beautiful purple trees – and for the walkers who requested to be reminded of the name, it is Acacia Baileyana Purpurea! – Get her!

We passed a rather sickly-looking lemon orchard by the banks of the Arade and started climbing again and several of the women were about to go on ‘Greve’ (strike) because they were getting so hungry. Thankfully at 13.10 p.m. the Leader said we could sit and lunch. No sooner had we sat and started removing our picnic but over the hill came Dad’s Army with his men (and women) and Misty his new dog. They had just lunched round the previous bend. So we sat and talked a while – and of course had to have another photo call.

Shall I take a snap or open fire, Captain Mainwaring?

What’s the collective for gorilla pods?

Armistice Day

We all joined forces and took the same track that Rod had taken to meet up with us – so Rod’s group was seeing everything again but in reverse. There were banks of wild flowers including pink gladioli and yellow broom. There appeared to be a competition fermenting – ‘Who could find the largest Cistus (rock rose) with the most number of petals.’ Most of them had 5 petals but on looking closer Paul found six, then Terry found one with seven. Then there were white ones with no black eyes!

Omo Washes Whiter.

But it couldn’t knock the spots off of me!

The final winner was someone who found a double petalled Cistus and became the ‘Cistus-tician’! Looking up in the flower book Cistus ladaniferus (which is the one we were looking at) has essential oils and is used in the composition of perfumes, namely Chanel No 5. Cistus villosus is probably a source of myrrh signified by the Hebrew word lôt of the Old Testament. Also a kind of tea is used from the leaves. If you want anymore info Google it!

There was one Algarve Way marker than David had to reposition and only once did he have to consult his papers to see that we were taking the correct route.

At this point, the ‘Correct Route’ involved going up a track that had been obliterated by Wood Cutters cutting down the eucalyptus trees and leaving all their debris everywhere. A real fire hazard. We had to climb up and over and under – not the easiest of movements especially on muscles that were beginning to complain after 2 days of walking. We could hear the chain saws in the distance. On the top of a hill was an enormous pile of eucalyptus posts ready for collection.

Anyone got a match?

At last we came in sight of Silves Castle and the downward slope to some people’s cars. The Algarve Way walkers had to continue walking to the canal crossing and Rod’s band of merry men collected their cars at a small stream.

‘There’s a Long Long Trail A-Winding…….’

Lindsey received a phone call from Andrew to say he had returned to the cars – at the start of the walk – but had not found his GPS. So he was going to go in his car down the track to see if he could find it. He thought it was near a cork tree! Quite a lot of cork trees we had passed! Luckily it was found and he joined us in Silves, near the Cemetery for a well earned drink for us all.

Why do we do it, Hazel? Dunno, chuck, beats me…..

They can laugh – they only did 17!

We had completed 26kms for the day.

Day 6 Stats:
Total Distance: 26.3 km
Moving Time: 5 hrs 39 min.
Total Time: 6 hrs 39 min
Moving Average: 4.6 km/hr
Overall Average: 3.9 km/hr
Total Ascent: 685 m.
Max Elevation: 198 m.

ADCB’s comments:

Hip hooray for Maddie the survivor, and commiserations to Andrew for having his holiday wrecked. You should have used stronger elastic, as the old radio comedian used to say. (who was that?). Anyway, another day without dreadful mishap, another day of wonderful weather and scenery, and another day nearer our goal. Sorry to lose Terry M and Paul and Myriam to the delights of UK weather, but boas viagems to them all.

We managed to avoid at least two more trig points this day, and Paul hardly made a squeak about it – is he losing his taste for the heights, I ask myself? On the other hand, the search for mutant cistus is starting to worry me rather. I’m sure it’s a plot to force Terry A. and yours truly to re-paint all the waymarks.

Enough! I’ll see the survivors bright and early next Tuesday.

Quotes for Day 6.

"What can an eternity of damnation matter to someone who has felt, if only for a second, the infinity of delight?"

Charles Baudelaire.

"Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it.’

Myriam Lo on the last hill before Silves.

Alternatively, Christopher Marlowe (Dr. Faustus).