AWW 23.04.2008 Bensafrim (almost) Unblogged

You just can't get good help these days!! The CB, undergoing an enforced mercy mission in UK was relying on the DCB or the ADCB to continue the long tradition of telling it like it is during his absence. DCB then decided to flee from his responsibilities on the flimsiest of pretexts, and the ADCB was apparently overcome by indolence or apathy, and failed to attend the scene of the most recent exciting perambulation through the tricky topography of Bensafrim.
It is only thanks to the dedication and sense of responsibility of the designated leader, Rod, that you are now reading what might have been a blank page, or worse, an exotic fantasy based on nothing but lewd imagination from the depths of Warwickshire!
Rod duly submitted the walk report and a meagre selection of photos, to flesh out the bones of this issue, and despite entreaties to the GPS Operatives, Andrew and Vitor, I have yet to receive any stats!
So here it is - and feel free to comment if you Walked the Walk, and are aggrieved that your satirical comments or heroic actions went unrecognised. I am unable to add to the story.

Here we go - start at Bensafrim market

Leader: Rod
Present: Tina W, Mike P, Lindsey & Andrew, Alex, Peter, Alfredo, Dina &
Vitor, Ian W, Janet
Hounds: Pookie, Nandi & Cibele

Technical Details: apply Gps Carriers, Mike P.and Andrew
Distance approx 19.8 km. Elapsed time including lengthy interludes, 5.5 hrs.

Focus on the blue blob!

From there we continued, without excessive exertion, through spring flower strewn countryside, away from the AWW track and up to the first main ridge. From there we had a splendid view of the current re-forestation programme....some alfarrobas and pines but mostly wind turbines, stretching almost uninterruptedly along the skyline from the Mata Nacional in the south to the top of Espinhaçao do Cão
in the north. After feasting our eyes on that for a while we carried on up past Corte Pero Jaques ( whoever he was) to the densest part of the wind turbine forest until we eventually happened upon the hotel high on the main ridge but now virtually enveloped by technological cultivates, and now neighboured by a prominent, but at least green-painted, water treatment plant belonging to Aguas do Algarve. Once, in more primeval days, we had stopped at this hostelry for a beer, but, not tempted this time, we started our descent and once away from the turbines we entered the domain of David Fry. He purports to be developing a carriage (equine)driving tourist
facility...its a bit difficult to judge at first sight whether everything is in a state of creation or decay however, although we did come across a few horses and a sheep. Just as we were about to sneak away a bearded biped emerged from a stone dwelling and engaged our leader in earnest conversation for a while. Mr Fry himself! Business was not easy he confided...with which it did not seem difficult to agree. Part of his tourist programme, according to local rumour, included naked rides, sort of Lady Godiva like, around the countryside but despite a lengthy anticipatory interlude nothing, sadly, emerged to corroborate this.

Colourful flowers!

After this relative excitement it was clearly time for lunch. Some fallen sobreiros provided seating facilities.

Ladies who lunch!

From there we followed a little used but pleasant track which wound its way gradually down towards the main road north of Bensafrim. We passed through another equine
tourist facility, Feiteira, which never materialised and occupied now only
by a lonely but certainly healthy looking burro. And so back over a final
ridge and on to the Football Club bar.

The Munch Bunch

Regrettably, the narrative ended here. Not one of the popular post walk photos, not even an Ian S. story to add a frisson to the saga. The lunch photos seem particularly dispirited, and I can only conclude that despite the good natured complaints about Myriam's papparazzi techniques and constant bullying to pose, she was sorely missed.
Rumour has it that Lindsey and Andrew are leading next week, and I, (as I am sure all our readers do) look forward to some exciting colour commentary, some technically perfect photos from Andrew's state of the art cinematic equipment, and extremely accurate stats from his top end GPS system! Perhaps David L. will be stirred from his torpor to once again invigorate us with purple prose and incisive political comment.
It is that, or a fly on the wall documentary of our latest geocaching exploits, photos of Myriam's new groundbreaking high speed footwear, and numerous pix of me gorging on pies pasties and pints of ale! The choice is yours!

I believe the true function of age is memory. I'm recording as fast as I can. Brown, Rita Mae

A facility for quotation covers the absence of original thought. Wimsey, Lord Peter