AWW 20.02.2008 - Webb-footed in the Wilderness, or What a Diff'rence a Day Made

Well, it really was tempting Fate too much! The sun had been shining all week - a local English-language rag had just published a report to the effect that Portugal had had its driest winter since Noah's Ark ran aground - and on 15th February the Webbs had announced that they would be leading the next walk. So then the heavens opened in earnest and, five days later, what had been intended to be a gentle stroll "By A Babbling Brook" became more of a human Grand National with a veritable Becher's Brook having to be negotiated at least twice, Yves earning an honourable mention for helping many of the shorter-legged runners cross the now-raging torrents of Ribeira Amieira: "Steady of heart and stout of hand"indeed.

The starters

Leader: Elaine

Runners: Paul, Myriam, Stan for once the Visible Man, Ian W, Yves, Tina, Peter, Hedley (welcome back), Vitor and Dina, John and Hazel.

Absentees: Man of Property, Ian "Forsyte" S. and Maddy.

Canine observer: Brontes.

The route

Chief Blogger's Statistics

Total Distance: 13.6 km; Moving Time: 3 hrs 26 minutes; Total Time: 4 hrs 35 minutes; Moving Average 4.0 km/hr; Overall Average: 3.0 km/hr ; Total Ascent: 306 m.; Max Elevation: 128 m.

The Leader's Report

"We started off from Solar do Farelo restaurant as a group of 13 plus 1 dog Brontes, wondering whether we would even start the walk in the dry. In fact we only suffered a couple of short light showers through the day and were far more at risk of getting wet from the feet up than from the top down! We climbed over the first hill to the west walking up through a very well cultivated orta - after Vitor and Dina finally persuaded the farmer that we could walk through (no problems when we had encountered his son on the previous Saturday). "

(Editorial Intrusion No.1.

The walk started sharp at 10.00, and then stopped abruptly at 10.02 until Myriam caught up with us.

At 10.06, we met the intractable farmer and paused for 15 minutes until Vitor and Dina's diplomacy and charm could prevail.

At last, the break-through ....

...and the crops he was so protective about

Back to Leader's Report)

"The first planned river crossing was impassable so we crossed by a very basic bridge further along. We turned south and then picked up a trail up on to the ridge and then down to the first barragem, which we had feared would be a flooded crossing, but was surprisingly ok. We walked through farmland, round a cork oak edged pond and then joined a wide track past umbrella pines to follow a track up to the top of the ridge. Following the ridge we eventually ended up on a long hunter's path high up with lovely views of Monchique to the north and the embryonic race track. Here we had a lunch stop with some sunshine.

"Continuing on the hunters' path we gradually descended to the valley to cross a trickling stream. That was the plan, however this had become a raging torrent due to the last couple of days heavy rain and the women needed lots of help, both physical and mental to hurl ourselves over the metre wide torrent. The chaps were very gallant and we all got across without mishap."

The leap of faith

We have lift-off!


"We followed the path to the next barragem and another raging torrent to cross, again without mishap after much deliberation."

(Editorial intrusion No.2.

"Much deliberation", forsooth! A typical English understatement. For nigh on half an hour Hedley, Stan and Peter heaved rocks, Yves and Ian W. rescued several damsels in distress with scarcely a foothold to secure themselves, Brontes had to be coaxed across with a long leading rein, while the paparazzi, looking unfeelingly on, had a field day.

Stan deals with the Northern Rock problem.

And then there was the Ladies Competition for Poise and Elegance under Stress....

The third runner-up.

The second runner-up

The first runner-up

And the winner is....Tina!

Elaine can't understand it; here's Stan in yet another photograph.

All across without mishap.

Back to the Leader's Report.)

"Our path then led us around a hill and then wound through a valley formerly well cultivated with fruit trees and bamboo, now sadly neglected. Past a second farm, this time with a friendly farmer and noisy but non threatening dogs, we returned to the basic bridge to cross back over the river.

Maitre du Vin Yves proudly unveils his Reserva Betoneira 2006, all ready for Les Bleus' forthcoming triumph.

In A Shady Nook, a sylvan nymph

(and it's not often one gets two oblique references to Donald Peers into one AWW blog.)

" We climbed up over the hill, well away this time from the unfriendly farmer, coming down past citus trees to find the path flooded by a ford about 200 metres from the end of the walk. Further along we found a wider crossing but shallower and with stepping stones and we all made it across with mostly dry feet! Only a few hundred metres from the cars and the beer - damp boots didn't matter.The walk was about 13.8 kms and took us 4 and a half hours, not really because of slow walking but discussions with farmers and deliberations about crossing torrents!"

Scrutineering the "Knees Up Mother Brown" entrants

And in the bar at last, in this shot from Ice Cold In Alex, Captain John Mills (Hedley) simply cannot believe his eyes -"a hot chocolate!!!!", -while MSM Harry Andrews (Stan), Sister Sylvia Sims (Tina) and Captain Anthony Quayle (Paul) share his astonishment.

"And yet a little tumult, now and then, is an agreeable quickener of sensation...such as a revolution, a battle, a Wednesday Walk." (After George Gordon, Lord Byron.)

CB's Quote:

Re the efforts of our part-time engineers:

"Build bridges instead of walls and you will have a friend." (unknown)