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A good selection of climbing photos were taken, and those who would rather not be published from perhaps a disadvantageous angle please send me usual sum in a plain brown envelope!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