AWW 21.11.2007 Monte Seco(nd) Time Around

:- or Mudlarks Abroad.

Leader: David

Present:- Mike, Chris, Paul, Myriam, Hilke, Brian, Ian W, Ian S, Terry M, and John O’, who were disappointed with the weather,
Plus Tiggy, Maddie, Oscar and Nandi, who were not.

Track of the walk in pink. (Click to enlarge.)

Statistics:

Distance: 25k. Walking Time: 6hrs 6 mins. Total Time: 7hrs.
Walking Average: 4.1kmh Overall average: 3.6kmh Total Ascent: 711m Max Elevation: 353m

(Text by A.D.C.B)

This walk was billed as the second training session for RTC, and Field-Marshal Paul expressed some disappointment that a number of those due to walk the Long Walk were not in attendance. Most had sent valid sick-notes, however, and were excused. We wish all sufferers a speedy recovery. (Especially since I woke up with a cold this morning).

All arrived in good time for coffee at Casa Benjamin, enabling a reasonably prompt start, held up only by Photographer Myriam who insisted on dragging everyone out from the shade of the carob tree for the initial snap, and enlivened by the sight of Ian S rushing to hand over his peace offering to Mad Luiz (he of the Big White Gate), as the latter left home at his usual breakneck speed.

The Starters and Free Parking!

The walk began in clear sunny conditions with not a hint of the deterioration to come. Nave do Barao was reached in excellent time, and the Leader managed to find his way on this occasion up the correct side of the ensuing hill to reach the trig point at Picavessa, although everyone got thoroughly wet in the process as a result of pushing through bushes still laden with water from the previous days’ rain.

The climb to the first TP

The rocks at the summit did, however, serve to clean off boot soles caked with several centimetres of cloying red earth gathered on the climb. As this was the only trig point scheduled on this revised version of the walk, the customary photo took on an even greater significance and the usual inordinate amount of time.

Picavessas TP

The descent to Ribeira do Algibre was made much easier than previously by the discovery of a new track down to the valley floor (let’s hear it for Google Earth). On the way down the road to the river, a curious sign was noted, sitting against the windscreen of a transit van. A prize to the first person offering a good translation of the phrase ‘Slurry Elastico.’ I don’t really think I want to know.

The Power of Advertising!

The climb to Monte Seco was, as usual, strenuous. The GPS seemed to have a mind of its own on this section, leading to a slight disagreement between Leader and G of GPS as to our previous route. Unusually, other walkers were encountered on the climb – two Brits, one of whom the Leader thinks he offended by suggesting that he came from Yorkshire, when his county of origin turned out to be Lincolnshire – oh Horror!

The 'Two-stick' Technique


The 'Shillelagh Lift'

Reaching the still mostly deserted village at the summit led to another slight hold-up as the group negotiated its way into the settlement, and to a brief debate re. lunch. As last time, it was decided to press on downhill to the river crossing before making a halt. The walk along the valley to the Algibre crossing saw everyone picking up more red earth on their boots, and the river was completely dry,(compare with last time) so the only recourse was once more to scrape the awful stuff off on convenient rocks. Lunch was taken with some walkers sitting in the middle of the dry river bed recalling rather moister crossings on previous occasions. At some point, someone idly pointed out the rather ominous black cloud advancing from the west.

The once raging Algibre!


Lunch on the river!

Ten minutes after the restart the cloud did what clouds do,

A few drops of rain!!

and the AWs got their first rain of the winter, which lasted on and off until the road at Alto Fica was attained – not without a slight detour, as the Leader became over-confident and took a track which led to a firmly shut green gate. This obstacle overcome with a little lateral walking, the iron-willed band once again fought off the temptation to enter one of the two bars at Alto Fica (there has to be a parallel with Greek mythology somewhere), and pressed on.

Hoodie!

More mud was picked up and deposited on the way towards the last steep climb, to the hill overlooking Nave do Barão from the north.

It even stuck to little boots!

The very rocky ridge path was rejected in favour of a newly discovered but excellent track about two-thirds of the way up the slope, which led all the way to Portela da Nave. The final two kilometres back to Covoes would have been unremarkable slog had not the rain started again, reaching a climax with a brief cloudburst just as the group got back to Casa Benjamin.

Chez David aka.Benjamin

Outdoor refreshment being impossible in the circumstances, all crowded into the kitchen for the post-walk beverages, while Tax Collector Myriam went about her grisly duties prising breakfast dues out of unwilling hands. The prudent had brought a change of clothes, while the rest stood around looking like refugees from the Western Front. Let’s hope that RTC is blessed with better weather!

Finally, I have noted that the quotations rounding off the blog entries have become more and more erudite of late. In order to counter this insidious trend, I offer the following, with profound apologies to Flanders and Swann:

Mud, mud, red Algarve mud

Boots get so heavy when walking through crud

And so on wet Wednesdays, best keep to the highways

Or you'll disappear into gloo-oo-tinous mud.

CB's notes:- This blog was a joint venture between Trainee Assistant Deputy Chief Blogger (T.A.D.C.B.) 'Updulator' and myself, with regard to my absence for the whole of December, and the maxim "The Blog Must Go On", and can be deemed moderately successful since the only instruction he had was 10 minutes after the walk when we were both more than a little weary. I look forward to him 'Going Solo' if John H. (D.C.B) does not return before the 5th December.

It really was one of the toughest walks we have done for a long time, made doubly difficult by the mud and the slippery rocks, so the 9 of us walking today who have committed to the RTC will reap copious benefits from the adversity - if we recover in time! As for the other 6 - they will have to rely on true grit and the spirit of the RTC to pull them through! I confess I rather limped home and slowed the group up over the last 7 km from Alte Fica, but hopefully a service of my ankle's Universal Joint will be fitted in this week!

On the climb through the bushes towards Picavessa I am sure I heard Ian S. mutter "I'm a Celebrity - Get me Out of Here"!

It was very brave of David to invite the sodden and bedraggled group into his home for much needed refreshment, especially as Dinah wasn't home yet to survey the damage. A temporary lifting of morale was occasioned by application of a selection of beers including the nutritious 'Bohemia", only to be cruelly dashed a few hours later (for some of us) when Croatia knocked England out of the Euro championship Qualifiers on an equally rain sodden pitch!

I couldn't resist this little quote from O. Henry:-

" Bohemia is nothing more than the little country in which you do not live. If you try to obtain citizenship in it, at once the court and retinue pack the royal archives and treasure and move away beyond the hills."

How true - how true!!