" Walk statistics: Trip odometer: 12.7 km; Moving average: 3.0 kph; Stopped time: 17.19 minutes; odometer: 0001288; Maximum speed 16.2 kph!; Moving average: 4.2 kph;Total elapsed time: 3 hours 18 minutes (or 3 hours 7 minutes depending upon information source). If all that makes sense good luck to the CB.
(Click to enlarge)
Sparrows (12): Rod, Rory Symons [MP’s son-in-law], Andrew Fielder, John H (standing in for CB), Chris, Terry A, Robert Michie [guest] , Frank Wilson [guest] , Ian Scott, John O’, Jim, Mike (ostensible leader). Yves signed in but failed to appear [Perhaps held up researching the walk’s nomenclature]
Sparowettes (12): Veronique van Cauter [MP’s house guest]; Heather Symons [MP’s daughter], Anna Symons (12) [MP’s grand-daughter], Hazel, Tina, Hilke, Jill, Alex, Chris Michie [guest], Linda Wilson [guest], Ingrid, Janet
Sparrow Chasers (4): Oscar, Nandi, Maddie & Rusty. Deserters: Sambo & Tiggy who went for an independent dawn walk-about
Brekker Preparers + Supporters Club (8): Jyll, Marguerite, Antje, Sue, Troth, Michael, Deirdre, Gérard (van Cauter)
Total Participants: 32 [With apologies for any omissions – the leader suffers from finger impairement syndrome– only 10 ].
There, that completes quite a few words of the obligatory task for a Walk Leader. What follows can be regarded as an appendage.
Regrettably the CB was absent, purportedly attending to the minutiae of ensuring that his latest piece of gadgetry – to whit a geo-campervan, meets the latest and highest technological standards. We await with interest the Chief Bloggerette’s view towards her new nomadic lifestyle. We also look forward to seeing her mounted on one of the geo-cache-mobikes provided within the campervan.
The mini-multitude (24) set off briskly only 10 minutes behind schedule at 06.55 hours with no night apparel visible and all apparently bright eyed and bushy tailed. After passing along two canals with no one falling in we ascended by a cross-country route to the Vale da Lama trig point (39 meters).
From thence the route took us along and above salt flats where we were able to observe grey heron, black winged stilt and storks.
Our Leader at Muddy Bottom
After negotiating a short, muddy, rough section alongside the Odiáxere river we gained a path that overlooked the river and which led to the railway bridge between Odiáxere and Mexilhoeira Grande stations. This called for a little dexterity to negotiate but, fortunately, with no accidents.
No one fell in so there was nothing to laugh at. From thence across the railway line and onto a good raised path with prawn raising (?) ponds either side that leads westwards, parallel to the sea and a large lagoon with much oyster farming activity (price: about €0.20 per oyster). On joining the Palmares golf course major developments have made it necessary to pick a route along the great earthworks that are preliminary to golf holes being constructed. This is followed by a relatively easy ascent to the ridge that is dominated by the São Roque apartment complex. The track now took us eastwards towards the northern edge of Palmares GC which we skirted before taking the gravel road that passes over Mte. Baio (100 m). This road is easy, mostly downhill walking and leads back to the two canals on which we started.
This proved a welcome watering hole for the Sparrow Chasers. We arrived back at Quinta das Espargosas at 10.10 hours where the Brekker Preparers were awaiting us with a splendid breakfast under canvas.
Rod did the honours in his inimitable style and many willing hands made light work of clearing away the breakfast dishes and disassembling the shade covers.
Since it now seems somewhat obligatory for the walk leader to submit some sort of poetic reference to the walk activities [maybe this is a test of his/her educational accomplishments] the best that I can come up with is:
'Dawn is a miracle, sweeping away night's darkness and returning the beneficent sun that makes life possible on this minor planet, this dust speck in the universe. If dawn came only once a year we would all gather on the hilltops to see it and celebrate. We would hold festivals and issue proclamations and utter prayers of thanksgiving.'
Hal Glen Borland (1900-78) was an American author and journalist who, besides his articles, poems and novels, also wrote books on nature, sometimes with his wife Barbara Dodge Borland, and nature watching tended to make him wax philosophical and at length [Sounds a bit like certain AWWs]."
