AWW 26092007 - Suffering Sarnardas

Sarnardas Start Pic.

After all this time, and the fourth year of blogging, it never ceases to amaze me how, when a simple request for a photo call is made, how many of the group start a conversation, turn their back on the camera, adjust equipment, shrink behind a neighbour, and generally avoid being snapped in their full glory! We usually take a selection of snaps, and choose the one with the most faces smiling at the camera! So this was as good as it got!!



This was to be the first full walk of the season ie including a lunch stop and the necessity (for some) to port sandwiches and other tasty snacks at least as far as the midday break! Commentary on how long qualifies for a lunch 'break' and whether 1140 am constitutes a midday break may follow!

But first we have a matter of discipline and canine rights to consider.

I have received an alarming letter which was signed Oscar Tiggy and Nandi, and which was posted early on Wednesday when their plight was realised: this is the text in full:-

For sheer hypocrisy, you humans do take the dog biscuit. One moment, we are "Man's best friends"; the next, while your ladies are off gallivanting through the sybaritic emporia of Seville, you put your feet up on the chaise longue and refuse to take us on the Wednesday Walk.

No, it's not we that are mad, but for years we have seen it as our duty to devote ourselves to guiding you crazed out-in-the-mid-day-sun Englishmen through the Portuguese boondocks, protecting you
from all kinds of unseen threats sniffed out in the undergrowth, and ensuring that you paragons of civilisation with the residual navigational instincts of a pony-trap, do make it safely back to your motor carriages and your beers; and this is all the thanks that we get!

Remember. Every dog has its day; and ours is Wednesday.!

It is this sort of callous behaviour in denying our dogs their Right to Walk,
that gets the Wednesday Walkers a bad name! You know who you are, and it is no use pleading that you have a bad back (probably from sleeping on the cheque book to prevent it being brandished in Seville), or that you have an urgent recce to do on the West Coast. A dog is for Wednesday too! Enough said.

Andrew at top of climb

David had promised "One steep climb early on" and true to his word, we attacked the North Face of Soidos within minutes of setting off. Thankfully Mike was resting this week, as I am not sure if would have had enough DNA left after this ascent, as we had seen the results of his attempt at the direct route to the cache 'The Lagos 6 + 1. #3 Bensafrim" (a similar sort of climb), written in the flesh of his arms and legs, when he turned up last week.

Thankfully it was early and cool and the North Face was in the shade, so we all made it with varying degrees of pleasure!

The track of the walk - click to enlarge.

Here is the 'Updulator's' walk report as he saw it!

‘Suffering Sarnadas’

Chief Whip: David

Complement of
Masochists:

Paul, Myriam, Janet, Lyndsey, Andrew, Rod, John H., Mick, Vitor, Dina, Ian S., Ian W., Tina.

Whipping Dogs: Shorty, Maddie.

Statistics:-
Total distance:- 17.2 km.; Moving time:- 4.23 hrs.; Total Time:- 5.17 hrs.;

Moving average:- 3.9 km/hr.; Overall Average:- 3.3 km/hr.;

Total Ascent:- 647m.; Maximum Elevation:- 472m.

The walk took place against a backdrop of four days of cloudless skies and increasing heat, so there was some doubt in the leader’s mind as to whether or not to walk the whole planned route. In fact walk day revealed a little more cloud, sufficient to take away the full power of the sun, so things went as planned. Schoolteacher David took to task those people in the group who had not sent in their intention to walk, which amounted to about half of the total. He was then pursued down the road by Vitor, who demanded to know where in the rules such a requirement appeared. On investigation, it seems to appear in Rule 101, sub-section 24..

As the bar was not open, a reasonably prompt start was made, after the obligatory photo. The climb to Rocha dos Soidos had been well-flagged by the Leader, so the steep, rocky, somewhat overgrown upper section rated only a few hard stares as individuals crawled over the edge onto
the plateau. The fact that every time this climb is attempted, we come out at a different point, is a subject of some amazement.

Hardly broke sweat! at Soidos Trig Point.

Another photo at the trig was followed by the long descent down the firebreak towards the small lake which, in former years, has provided a welcome resting place and a swim for the dogs. The old restaurant now being converted to a private house, the owner advanced upon the group aboard a rather large tractor and informed us that we were on private land. A short conversation seemed to indicate that the whole of the Rocha dos Soidos was now private, though this was received with some scepticism. We were allowed to proceed to the new green gate on the track leading to the road, but it seems that if we are to walk this way again, we may have to seek permission in advance.

Paul 'charming' the tractor driver to allow us though his property!





Art shot by JH of the group confronting the new gate.
(Actuallywe had already walked round it, posing for this inflammatory photo)

The flock of sheep encountered on the recce was not in evidence as the group hit the old caminho towards Braziera, and good progress was made along the valley, with the temperature still thankfully at a tolerable level. A stiff climb over rough ground to gain the ridge for the start of the return leg was still something of a challenge nevertheless. Once on the broad ridge path, the Leader’s mind ( and stomach) turned to lunch, but he had to survive a near-mutiny by certain unruly elements (P.A. de V.and I.W. to be precise,) before a halt could be called. Never satisfied, the two then continued to mutter darkly that the lunch-break had been too short. Leaders are genuinely caught between those who insist on standing up as if at Passover, looking to move on before the sandwiches
have been unwrapped, and those who disappear into the bushes as if preparing for a siesta. Perhaps we should have a Rule about the length of lunch-breaks? (I’m wearing my metaphorical tin-hat, so hurl away!)

The Loneliness of a Long Distance leader!

"Could do with a bit of cheese sandwich for lunch!"

The exertions of the Serrao ridge did tend to silence the criticism, and it was with some relief that the trig was reached. Such was the state of fatigue that one comrade went on walking straight past, claiming that a halt would induce uncontrollable cramp, and the rest followed on, forgetting the Rule (number , anyone?) which states ‘Thou shalt take a photo at every conceivable opportunity, and ALWAYS at trig points.’
In mitigation, it has to be said that a photo was taken of the two Tilleys on parade, complete with owners – the SAME two who had been carping about lunch – what is it about Tilley Wearers?

Where are the Rest? -
The colour coded and dapper Tilley Wearer's reach the TP of Serrão first!

Comment: Despite having been left at the lunch spot by the abrupt and unannounced departure of the leader and non-Tilleyites, after 7 minutes and 23 seconds of lunch break, it was the two proud Tilley
wearers that reached the summit of Serrão ahead of the pack, and having waited for the leader to regain his breath, inveigled him into taking this publicity shot, conclusively proving that the wearing of one of Mr Tilley's Finest confers an extraordinary speed and climbing ability on the incumbent.

For some reason the Deputy Chief Blogger who is an ardent Tilley fan, had mistakenly brought another hat of dismaying ordinariness for this expedition, and is shown to his detriment in this pose trying to imitate the posture of a tree!

A Travelling Minstrel busking outside the Café

The rest was very straightforward, though it has to be said that the heat was building up rather ominously as the group descended from the ridge and made its way along the valley track back to the bar. An early finish made for a somewhat extended carouse, and Janet was able to fill lots of spaces in her little black book with names and dates for future walks. All the while outside a village ancient played on a small stringed instrument, and actually collected alms from some walkers as they left.

Ah well, another week
older……………………

Out of the sun and replacing lost body fluids - Ain't Life Grand!

AWW 19.09.2007 Janet's Excuse-me!

Pre-walk discussion - Count the sticks!!

Despite the title above, Mike P was the designated leader, having been persuaded by Janet to repeat this walk, which was last spotted in the guise of 'Cansado Carousel' on 6th June this year! Having been promised an 'easy' walk of around 13km and 3 1/2 hours, a splendid turnout arose, with Vitor and Dina, Lindsey and Andrew, John and Hazel, Ian S. and Thyl making their season debut along with Mick who doesn't appear to be on my circulation list - f.y.a. pl. Janet!)

This greatly added to the technical discussion, and from the opening photo you can see more sticks than walkers - and there are perhaps another two belonging to Chris and David hidden from view. The Tilley Hat count was a satisfying 5, each of which was coincidentally, a different model from the range. During my marketing interviews, I was rather hurt that both Andrew and Thyl declared that they didn't want to wear Tilleys - a great pity, because I think if you look carefully, some of this week's pix show that their current headgear leaves a lot to be desired!

Myriam points out Ian 'Three Sticks' using Maddy as an excuse to put his arm round Chris!

Here follows Mike's 'purple prose' walk report:-

Name. ‘Janet’s Excuse Me’ because the walk was at her request – even though, due to family commitments she was unable to attend.

Walk
Statistics: Total distance 13.8 km; Moving time: 3 hours 10 mins; Total time: 3 hours 31 mins; Moving ave: 4.3 kph; Overall ave: 4.0 kph.
Total Ascent: 331 m; Max Elevation: 151 m.

Somehow we managed to turn what should have been a 13 km walk into one of nearly 15 km. But, we did it in precisely the time (to the minute) as advertised.

Leader: Mike

Walkers (17): John, Hazel, Andrew,Lindsey, Chris, David, Dina, Vitor, John O’Neil, Brian, Ian S, Paul, Myriam, Thyl, Ian W. and Mick.

Dogs (4): Oscar, Tiggy, Maddie and Shorty

Lame (apologies for non-attendance): Antje and Nandi

In the words of Mr. Ramsbottom, whilst at Blackpool, as spoken through the mouth of Stanley Holloway in 1932: “…. There was no wrecks and nobody drownded, Fact, nothing to laugh at at all”.

Well there was something! See what I mean about the hat!
And a rare sighting of Thyl with a modern piece of equipment

A number of AWW’s had returned from summer jaunts and Thyl may have cast his golf clubs into the lake inthe manner of King Arthur and his sword and donned his walking boots again. So there was the usual good turnout for this time of year.
Both the Chief Blogger and his Deputy joined the field. This raises the question as to the correct collective noun to use when there is more than one blogger present. A ‘Blood and Thunder of Bloggers’ is one possibility. But, perhaps a ‘Blather of Bloggers’ may fit the bill better.

A 'Wearyness' of Walkers and the infamous Pylons that so incense our Leader

A timely start from Café Cansado in Arão meant that we were starting to enjoy fine early morning views from the hills above the hamlet only 15 minutes later. Though the Serrra de Monchique remained somewhat hazy throughout the walk. There was no semtex available, so we left standing the power pylon beneath which we passed and which so desecrates the lovely views.
The first 2 hours of walking is easy going until the hamlet of Central is reached where the pump house is located that directs channeled irrigation waters from the Barragem de Bravura. This is followed by a short climb into the hills above Monte Ruivo that tested a little those who have been over indulging during the summer months. From here, those who troubled to look back and around will have enjoyed a feast of magnificent panoramic views, including northwards towards the Barragem.

Waiting for the stragglers - the Leader's body language says it all!

After the obligatory photograph at the Monte Ruivo trig point (specially for the benefit of Maurice) we negotiated without incident one tricky descent before quite gently making our way back to our start point and an ale or two.

T.O.T.P.P

I might have a small issue, about 'gently' making our way back, because I was left reeling in a cloud of dust as two rather large gentlemen, elbowed their way past me in fierce competition for the race to the bar, as the bell sounded for the last lap!!

Back at the bar, there was no hesitation in replacing lost body fluids, and some chose to sit outside:-

While others preferred the shade of the lavishly decorated bar.

And One took part in both!!

>

AWW 12.09.2007 Salema Circuit

Before the start in Salema - note the 'Health and Safety' Rope in Janet's hand.

A group of ten gathered at 0800 hrs in Salema, for a walk designed to establish the safest route from the beach up Gordon's Gully to the cliff top, prior to the RTC Walk 2007. This was, on this occasion to be a circular walk from Salema towards Burgau, and to be less than 4 hours. After Bensafrim Speed Walking Trials last week, this was to be a gentle intro to up and downhill, at an easier pace.


Leader: Paul
Photographer: Myriam
Present: Rod; Mike; Chris; Antje: Janet; David (the Updulator); Ian W.; Hilke.
Nandi; Oscar; Tiggy
Stats: Total Distance; 11.7 km; Total Time; 3 hrs 51 minutes; Moving Time; 3 hrs 16 minutes
Moving Average: 3.6 km/hr, Overall Average: 3.0 km/hr. Max Elevation 92 metres
Total Ascent: 406 metres.

The route with Gordon's Gully defined

The passage along the beach passed uneventfully, apart from a major dump by Nandi, who appears to be unfamiliar with WW conventions, and Myriam was assigned to scale The Gully first in order to take snaps of the heroic climbers. I took the definitive snap from the 'bottom' of course!

A good selection of climbing photos were taken, and those who would rather not be published from perhaps a disadvantageous angle please send me usual sum in a plain brown envelope!
I will include this one by Myriam from the top:-

In the absence of Lindsey, there were no cliff rescues required, and the rope was fortunately never unfurled. Eventually we all reached the top, having saved at least 250 metres, and avoided climbing up through Salema on the road, and making the detour round the house at the top of the cliff that has blocked the cliff path.

There are a multitude of paths to the top, some easier than others, and between us we found an acceptable compromise - some were however beginning to regret the decision to wear shorts, except Mike who was outraged that he had managed to get to the top without spilling blood!
From here it was a gentle descent and a dry crossing of Boca do Rio at low tide. Then on and up to one of our traditional photo (and rest) stops at the Forte de Almadena, where the group photo was taken on the alternate wall to the traditional RTC - Look back to Sagres Wall.

The mood was convivial and with much conversation, the pace was rather slow, and we reached the 2 hour point before we reached Burgau, so an executive decision was made to cut back inland and climb the ridge to Forte, which has suffered a bit of a housing boom since we last walked it. Nevertheless, we were delighted to find the trig point at 88m was still in place, although what Antje found so amusing has not been recorded!

The trig point at Forte (88m)

From here we wound round the back of the hill with great views of the river valley, and recrossed Boca do Rio on the road bridge further north. Just after the bridge, we came across an original wall painting which appears to show a decidedly oriental lady protesting against a person driving a golf cart. A sentiment that Myriam wholeheartedly supported!

Protest Graffiti

At this point it seemed we would be getting back too early even for Janet who had an Airport run to do,- despite Nandi's efforts to slow things down by running off periodically, - so I threw in a loop to the north of Salema, which brought us in (after a bit of contouring, climbing and bush bashing) in just under the 4 hours.
Our usual café now has expanded and boasts shaded terrace seating, and apparently sells nice dunkable croissants and custard tarts that make you go "mmmmm":-

Caption competition please - entries in comments!!

The weather had held, and mission accomplished as far as defining the route up Gordon's Gully was concerned, so it was a relaxed group that loitered at the café. Ian W. has undertaken to recce the section of the RTC WalkDay 1 which caused a little confusion last year just to the south of Carrapateira between Praia de Amado and Cordoama, so it only remains to seek a volunteer to sort out the descent from the old Quinta at Peniche across and down to Praia do Barranco on Day 2 of the RTC.
Proposals for this year's RTC will be out soon.

Après Walk at Salema

AWW 05.09.2007 - Begin at Bensafrim

The 'Freshers' group near Sven's Investment Property

Rod kindly volunteered to lead the first of the season 'loosener', and twelve stalwarts gathered in the Market Square at Bensafrim at 0830 hrs. John H. wasn't there and Myriam and I forgot to take the Starters photo, so we have to make do with this one taken about half way round when it was all coming back to us! I did remember to fire up the GPS, and at the end of the walk it duly coughed up the following stats!

Total Distance: 17.4 km; Total Time: 4 hours; Moving time: 3 hrs 40 minutes; Moving average: 4.7 km/hr; Overall Average: 4.3 km/hr; Max Elevation 132 metres; Total Ascent: 318 metres.


Those keen statisticians amongst you will have noticed that we accomplished a cracking pace for the first walk of the season, but there were few hills, and Rod was forced to up the rate to Gurkha Quick March soon after the half-way stage to get back in the promised 3 1/2 to 4 hours, which he did by a whisker, mainly because of muttered threats by Antje that she had some important social deadline to meet!

The track of our walk in red

Anyway, here is Rod's report in his own inimitable style:-

Leader: Rod

Present: Paul and Myriam, Janet, Hilke, Mike, Chris and Antje, John, Brian, Andrew and Tina,

Dogs: Tiggy and Nandi (making a debut)

Set off from Bensafrim Market Square cafe at 0830. Warm but breezy day and not too hot.

12 folk ( although nearly 11 since our new Hon Sec.,having most efficiently advised everyone of where to meet, herself turned up some place else!) set off on the first walk of the season. It was pretty modest in terms of physical exertion; in fact, somewhat unusually, only one gentle hill, but one does, of course, have to respect the potential damage to legs and the cardio-vascular system of weeks of summer lethargy.

Fairly uneventful amble for the first couple of hours. The top of the first, and only indeed, hill gave us an opportunity to admire the new battery of wind turbines beginning to desecrate the Espinhaço do Cao ridge and a line of elegant new pylons being tastefully planted amongst the new cork forests. Ah well, sometimes it seems it might be better if the lights simply went out!

The next point of interest was the Corte do Bispo vineyard; quite clearly the handiwork of a quite hopeless ( John and Hazel being away in Edinburgh!) viticulturist. Even after the second replanting, only half the vines (and there are 15 hectares of them) are productive....the rest have been overcome by weeds, dehydration and neglect. Having sampled a few miserable Touriga Nacional grapes we wandered up to the extensive but crumbling farm buildings; this purports to be the site of Sven Goran Eriksen´s mighty new soccer city. The resident farmer, however declined all knowledge of progress in this project, he also, somewhat suspiciously perhaps, declined to be photographed.

All this involved a rather lengthy chat during which Antje was becoming increasingly fretful about her need to be back by 12.30.

Setting a spanking pace!!

Rather than retrace our steps we carried on round the loop but to keep Antje happy we had to up the pace quite a bit. By keeping up a spanking 5 plus kph we made it on the dot. At least it meant that a few legs appreciated, or groaned at, being used again.

All hands to the pump

A couple of noteworthy events that Rod didn't mention:- as we came back along the river bank through Bensafrim, we admired the 'new' Urban Park that had been created. Several Marquees had been erected for a traditional arts and craft fair which was imminent, but a permanent fixture was the machine above, which the ladies seized upon and began to pump lustily. It turned out not to be an exercise machine, but a wind instrument of sorts as each operation of the handle produced a note from the hollow pillars of different lengths. With a bit of practice, Myriam reckons she could coach them in a passable version of the Theme from the Long March!!

The Hollow Toad

I spotted this little chap at the side of the road, and wondered what he was doing out in the heat - until I looked more closely, and saw the hole in his side. He was completely hollowed out yet his external skin had dried and retained the original shape. Even the best taxidermist would have been pushed to emulate nature!!

Liquid lunch

And so to the cafe at the end, where the service was rather surly, but as a corollary we had the place to ourselves, the locals probably preferring the Bensafrim Football Club bar! Having been promised a morning only walk, no-one had sandwiches, so the beer went straight on to the undigested remains of a long-since breakfast - but no-one said it would be easy - the First Walk of the Season. The Tilley count was three - and the only new equipment produced appeared to be the lightweight sticks sported by Chris and Antje.

Janet does a Ribbon Dance

Bizarrely, as we drove out of the village after our drinks, Janet's car quite accurately picked up an airborne strip of plastic wrapping, which looked quite impressive as she drove away. Even more impressive was Myriam's papparazzi photo which captured the ribbon in full stream. An early contender for Artistic Photo of the Year!

Prologue 2007/8 Season - A Six-Tilley Family

For the first time in our history in the Algarve, the number of our Tilley Hats exceeds the number of our Porsches!!
Unlike most we haven't spent the summer visiting exotic places, and honing our fitness in cooler climes, but we did have to go back to UK for the significant matter of an eldest daughter's pre-nuptials, and In-Law Appraisal.
I had already corresponded with Tilley UK on the matter of the sartorial elegance (or lack of) given to me by the Tilley AirFlo which had been a free replacement for my original torn through overwashing model. The brim had crinkled (probably from being stuffed in the Berlingo overhead compartment), and the wonderful Customer Relations lady had asked me to return it when I got back to UK, for examination. I honestly felt it made me look a bit like an England Cricketer on a sunny day (rare thing that!), as the brim no longer had the sexy sweeping shape that it came with. Just before we returned to UK, my other Tilley hat sustained a tear on the brim, which too I felt was unsightly.
We arrived in UK on a Wednesday evening with the threat of a postal strike. My first thought was to pack the Tilleys off, as I had only two weeks, and preferred to have it sent to my UK address, Into the post they went on Thursday morning, with the admonition from the Postmistress that she couldn't guarantee it would be delivered before the following Monday.
Well swipe me if, on first post Saturday, I didn't receive a package from Tilley UK containing TWO brand new Tilley hats of my preferred lightweight LT5 model AND the two that I had returned for examination.
If I ever had a way of ensuring that Tilley UK won an award for best Customer Service, it would be nominated in a trice. It is by a long street the best company that I have ever had to deal with in UK (and we all have our horror stories)!
I take each of my fleet of 5 Tilley hats (one is Myriam's generously donated by Diane W, when upgrading her own holding) off, consecutively, to Margaret Kitchen, and the CR Department of Tilley down in Helston, Cornwall.
And what is more, I omitted to enclose the return postage for the hats and they still came! I had forgotten this requirement until I read the guarantee in my new hats again, and immediately contacted Margaret and apologised, offering to send the postage to her. She topped all her previous magnaminity by saying that she would be glad to waive the postage on this occasion, and if I wished I could donate the money to charity, which of course I did to support the refurbishment of the magnificent Kinwarton Dovecote - but that is a geocaching story!
Now a couple more strokes like that and my Algarve Tilley Hire Company will be a reality!!