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