AWW 22.02.2012: M.D.N.A.

No, not Madonna’s new Album but “Myriam Does Navigation Again”. On the occasion of her 67th birthday, as a special present I arranged for her to be allowed to lead a walk  - an adaptation of one we had done before - but by following a GPS track, which I uploaded to her hand-me-down GPS.
So, this explains the several off-course excursions: there had to be a reasonable answer to deviations!

I was resigned to the task of preparing not only this blog, but a Leader’s report; however with a surge of energy belying her years, she commenced a report before dinner, and completed it the next morning!
Yves also volunteered to do the whole blog, but as I have the report and most of the photos to hand, it will be passed to him in his role as Chef Blogueur to edit and add colour commentary (don’t mention the Scottish Rugby prospects v France this weekend!)
Thank you Paul for the very kind reminder not to upset sensitivities: ‘prospects’ will not be mentioned at all, only results and once only at that: Wales A LOT!-England Not-quite-as-much!; France A VERY LOT, Monsieur-Scotland A Lot LESS... C'est la vie, c'est le sport...
The weather was perfect for walking, the views were spectacular and the western Algarve was just as it was meant to be.

The Track: (click to enlarge)


Stats:
Total Distance:          17.5 km
Total Time:                 5 hours
Moving Time:             4 hours
Overall Avg.                3.5 km/hr
Moving Avg.               4.4 km/hr
Total Ascent.              360 m.
Max Elevation:           171 m.

The Fully-Equipped Leader:

The Grateful Led


John H, Ian W, Tina, Chris, Myriam, Frank, Maria, Peter, Hazel, Paul, Antje, Ingrid, Rod, Alex, Terry A., Janet,Terry M., Yves, John O’, Liz
And of course, Sasha, Tiggy, Misty, Ember, Rusty, Shelley, and Brontes

Now for the Leader’s Report:

“Me?! Leading a walk?” That was my instinctive response to the suggestion that I should try to lead one. It must be a joke! Which AWW would have the blind faith of following my navigational skill?
After much persuasion from my role models, Mike & Jyll and the promise of the undying support from my GPS mentor, I finally succumbed to the temptation of testing the AWWs’ trust in someone who thinks every walk has got a new route!
Let us begin the story from the morning. Paul and I left home with 21 walkers on the list. Some kind soul had gallantly volunteered Dina's attendance. Knowing that she had gone off to Spain with Almargem on a Carnival week-end hike, she would only arrive home late on Tuesday evening (or early Wed. morning!) and would not manage to get up early!
So, 20 were actually expected. We arrived Café Zig Zag at 9 am, thinking that we would be the first to arrive, being the nearest. But there were already quite a few early birds! It was nearly 9.30, but 2 were still missing. By public consensus, we agreed to drive off at the exact time advertised in as few cars as possible to the starting point. At 9.25 am, Paul received an SOS call. The Blogueur and the computer wizard were driving round the centre of Vila do Bispo, but simply could not find the Café.
If they had read the instruction carefully, the appropriately named Café would literally be located on a zig zag road!
Well, what can we say: OUR GPS was spot-on! We did arrive to Vila de Bispo without a hitch...
Anyway, we did manage to drive off with 20 Walkers on board and on time. After the usual starting photo, we headed for the Ambiental Trail.

The weather was as gorgeous as nearly every day of this Winter. The temperature was rising by the kilometre. There were several stripping stops before we reached the headland leading down to Castelejo Beach.

Heading for the miradouro.

                   One way down                                                           and another way

From the beach we turned left, climbing up the steep cliff to the guard house. Obviously we paused to admire the view and take a breather. The scenery is as stunning as ever, a reminder of why we came to live in the Algarve and are still here!

The long climb up

Going over the top

From there the paths were flat and wide and we were able to walk 3 or 4 abreast. We picked up speed and also increased the topics of conversation.
As the group was big and everyone tried to have a chance to chat with everyone, we started to stretch out a bit. Nobody minded it because we were so immersed in the conversation, we just kept on walking at our own pace. My goodness, only if all the conversation were recorded!! All the problems of the world would have been solved! The demand for Scottish independence would never have been made; Greece would not have got into such a sorry state; Portugal would have been a cheaper place to live in (once upon a time it was!); Germany would not have been so upset; African politics would not have gone berserk; the sex maniac French banker would have been jailed long time ago! There were even arguments over which country is the most corrupt!! Without a doubt, rugby was mentioned.  That is a subject beyond my comprehension. I will leave it to the fanatics to discuss it.
It has already been established that this would not be mentioned again, but Leader's prerogative must be respected, even if the subtleties of a sound trashing at the hands of the wily Welsh or the classy French are beyond ladies' grasp...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some serious matters were considered... and dismissed.

As the leader was paying full attention to analysis given by the experts, she forgot to read (or misread!) the GPS at 4 different turnings. Fortunately the mistakes were corrected quickly. The Walkers were made to walk a few hundred metres extra. There were no complaints within earshot. Thank you, all, for being so tolerant!

At Torre de Aspa, the usual group photo was taken. The Gang of Four even posed as a row boat. Jim would have rectified their posture! From there we continued at a good speed. By that time it was mid-day and there were cries of hunger pains!

Tourists at the Torre

 

 

Four oars and a cox

The lunch spot was at a T-junction, with some stone statues under the trees. There were benches, stone pedestals, stone slabs, road side banks, etc., enough seats for everyone. As we had dawdled a bit at the beginning, we could only allow 15 minutes for lunch, much to the disgruntlement of not a few.

Sculpture is not just for looking at...                                  I know a bank...

Without failing expectations, the gourmet couple produced a very colourful salad and a dessert of mango and framboise. Terry M. offered a round of first grade chocolate. Surprisingly, when all fine bone china and silver cutlery were packed, it was within the allowed time (mais ou menos!)

Ready, Steady....Eat

The satisfied group continued at a good pace on good paths. We met quite a few cars, some with very considerate drivers, others were not! We passed working farms, cattle grazing on very dried grass (we need rain!) and some abandoned houses.

 

Ca-moo-flage?

Where have they all gone?

 

All the way it was easy walking. At a T-junction the leader waited at the corner to make sure everyone turned left. She counted only 16: 4 were missing!! A few minutes past and still no sign of the lost ones! Only then she was told that they had made an unauthorised split off down a very steep short cut and were waiting for us on the road!

         
It WAS steep…                                                                ‘Anyone seen Godot?’

From there we descended towards Cordoama.

Starting the final climb

Nearing the top

The dogs had a good run and dip in the sea, before we made the final assault up the steep climb to the cars.

That was another steep one…

Ascent accomplished!

Well, we all made it, without mishap. In no time 19 of us (Frank went home straight away) were back to Zig Zag.
Surprisingly, Janet and Ingrid produced a huge cake each. They generously baked them to celebrate the 3 walkers (Yves, Rod and Myriam) whose birthdays are in February. Good wishes were given and gratefully accepted. We even raised glasses to wish Marguerite (who shares the same day as Rod) a Happy Birthday, and one to Sue Hill whose birthday was earlier in February. The cakes were delicious. I had 2 slices of each (Frank’s share)! Other snacks were also produced and we munched and chatted jovially.

Beer and cakes!!

Thank you, Janet and Ingrid.

Taking over the café

Paul had ordered 4 calendars with scenic photos taken during the RTC. He kept one for himself. Much consideration had been taken to decide who should get the other 3. Finally we decided that one should be given to the overall winner of best attendance of RTC, Rod; one is for the most supportive RTC couple, Mike & Jyll and one is for Ian Scott who is one of the 8 original RTC Walkers still around.

Thank you, all, for making this day special. My apologies for making several navigational errors. I will try to improve.
I am proud to announce that the average age of this walk is 65 years 11 months and 1 day, calculated to the exact day. Liz, being a visitor, is not included in the statistic.

Here endeth Myriam’s debut report, on the second walk she has led by GPS. I hope that encourages some of the others to have a go, as it would be nice to have some new leading techniques to discuss in these pages!

“We will either find a way, or make one.” Hannibal

Addendum (by request): Gourmet Corner

Salade de Prawns: Catch enough prawns for two hungry Walkers and toss them in a mixture of rocket, broad leaves, sweet-corn and cherry toms; add lemon mayonnaise and a dressing of olive oil and herbs; serve cool.
Mangue au coulis de framboises: catch enough mangue for two; coulis the framboises; share with hungry and drooling co-Walkers.

Odd sightings along the way:

 
A forest of broccoli 

 

 

                                                                                    Rock and Horse?

AWW 15.02.2012: Hilke’s Winter Paradise; a Walk around Paderne

 

Of council trucks and narrow roads early in the morn’…

 

The day had started well: all gear correct and stowed, all passengers picked-up and stowed; away we drove with a song and a smile; alas, we soon came upon a dark cloud of diesel smoke hiding an asthmatic council truck on its way to ‘work’ in first gear on a very narrow road…Meanwhile the Walkers, noted as they are for their patience and understanding of such things, had taken the Starters’ photo, counted the heads and were preparing to set off; we caught them just in time.
Under Hilke’s assured guidance, the usual assortment of fit, less-fit and unfit enthusiasts and their dogs, their numbers boosted by a visitor from the McWilson clan, made their way out of the village and ‘up them thar hills’ under the purest of Algarvian blue sky.

At this point, it is appropriate to record that the Blogueur received many entreaties from the aforementioned clan leader: he MUST not make any mention of Scotland’s defeat at the hands of the wily Welsh! The Blogueur will respect this demand.
Up and down some gentle paths, mostly,

through some brambles and over rocky and slippery trails,

across nearly dry streams we went when it was noticed by the more observant Walkers that Terry M was whittling away at some branch that he had amputated from a bush. Still, never question these computer types! Walk and watch the whittling…

All was revealed as we stopped for a spot of lunch by the riverside: Terry is showing early signs of Alzheimer’s and had left his cutlery at home! The whittling had indeed produced some quite respectable wooden forks (à la Robinson Crusoë) that he and the Blogueur used with their meal. (Menu du jour: Yamms and ham, ‘fraises dans leur jus avec crème et meringues’, coffee and biscuits).

The leader soon had the troop moving again at a gentle but determined pace; we even caught up and overtook other stray walkers clutching maps and guides (amateurs!) on the way back to Paderne. The hounds had behaved themselves, so had their masters and the café was very welcoming; all in all, a most delightful walk, well done Hilke (and Lindsey ‘in absentia’).

The 2-legged Starters (most of them):

14/16 of the Starters: Myriam, Paul, Dina Bob, Ingrid Chris, Hilke, Terry A., Heriot (Ian W’s nephew), Janet, Ian W. Tina, Rod, David.

Skulking behind the cars: Yves, Terry M.

The 4-legged starters:
Rusty, Ember, Misty, Alfie, Sasha, Tiggy and Rosie.

The Route:

The Stats:

Total Distance:            17.5 km
Total Time:                  4 hrs 41 min
Moving Time:              3 hrs 52 min
Overall Avg.                3.7 km/hr
Moving Avg.                4.5 km/hr
Total Ascent.               127 m
Max Elevation             256 m.

The Leader:

Her report:

This was to be a walk with Lindsey and me leading, but my co-leader would have to go skiing and nearly break her pelvis in a fall. So, it was to be my responsibility alone. Luckily we had reccied it once more before Lindsey went skiing.
In the starting photo you will see only 14 people; two more, who had forgotten to book in, had not dared to be there in time for it and only sneaked out of their car to join us when we walked off. But otherwise nothing to report, the start was a peaceful event.

A fresh wind made us walk briskly through the little town and climb up the first ridge offering us lovely views of rolling hills and paths lined with almond trees still in full blossom.

A winter without rain but with a lot of sun had helped to keep the flowers. When the sun got a bit stronger and warmed us up, we all said that that weather was what we had come for to the Algarve.
We found a very agreeable spot for lunch, the Algibre still had water here for the dogs, and a bank with grass and rocks for us to sit on.

Yves and Terry M. once again had their luxurious French meal with tablecloth and three courses and had to be reminded that this was a walk and not a gourmet restaurant.

               

When we crossed the Algibre a bit later, there was no drop of water left. When we crossed it last winter, there had been too much water to cross and we even had to do a loop to cross it on a bridge. 
Some excitement seized the group when we saw a rather big group of sheep up the hill and the shepherds throwing sticks at two dogs looking like Rosie and Sasha. But after some calling and running about we realized that our dogs had behaved very well and were nowhere near the sheep.

‘Not guilty!’ cried the dogs, to a man!

Luxury Lunch

 

When we came into Paderne and sat in the café, Lindsey came to see us, on her two crutches. Very special Swiss ones they were, with red lights in the grips and spikes for a good grip on snow and ice. A nice cup of coffee, some beer or hot chocolate finished our walk, sitting out in the sunshine.

The Super Crutches

 

 

Approaching Paderne

Beat that in England (or any other North European country)!!

 

Events and places, dear people:

Don’t ask…

Who’s the fairest of them all?

Ember keeping Rod under tight control…

Bucolic

Idyllic

Desertic

               
Idiotic…                                                                                  Here’s one he vandalised earlier…

 

Tail-piece:

Walkers can add their own interpretation…

 

‘I can sometimes sit for hours in a room with almost no thought; just complete stillness. Sometimes when I go for walks, there is also complete stillness; there is no mental labelling of sense perceptions. There is simply a sense of awe, of wonder and openness; and that’s beautiful.’
Eckhart Tolle