If you compare the starter photo of that blog, below,, with the two above, you may recognise one or two faces, well five in fact, surviving from the 2008 epic, plus Dona Aldina, the proprietor of Casa Pacheco who guested in both sets of photos. Myriam took the below photo in the pre Gorilla Pod era, so doesn't figure but indeed walked
The 2008 Orchestra, Rod, Ian Scott, Ian Wilson, Dina, John O' Peter, Tina, Ingrid, Colin, D. Aldina, Paul, Mike.
I had thoroughly re-reccied the route virtually on Google Earth, and was confident about the first half and the final kilometer. The uncertainty lay in reducing a 15 km tough walk to a 10km WAGS walk, and I thought I had made a good stab on my Virtual tour in getting it to 10.8 km.
Nevertheless we set off with more computing power between us than the Apollo Missions, ensuring that should it go pear-shaped they would find the reasons beside our corpses.
Spreading out in the first few hundred metres
A glamorous local waved us bon voyage!
An arty political statement against oil exploration in the Algarve!
The first 5.3 km was accomplished in less than 90 minutes, and we saw the invasion of the rural environment by the young and free-spirited in some fenced off sections on the flood plain, with static caravans, various sheds and even a boat, though it could be a long wait before they get it on the river, unless they have heard something we haven't.
Later we heard that these areas were used at weekends for 'parties' by the estrangeiro youth, and a sign indicated a foreign influence.
The sign actually says 'Pizza Night Association'
Soon after this we came to a much improved yellow house, now securely fenced, and turned up a graded track which was also much improved from memory.
This looked familiar, but the obvious way to take, the cleared flat road looked suspiciously new, and began to diverge from the route I had marked on my GPS. Still it looked as if it must go somewhere, so I took the decision to stay with the easy walking.
After the track took us further away from the intended, we crested a rise and recognised our lunch spot from 2008, changed out of all recognition by the invasion of 'travellers' with caravans and scruffy tents. No signs of life though they could all have still been in bed as it was only just after 1130 am.
An unsightly mess. (not Tony and Janet!)
This was encouraging, but alas, here the former route was unrecognisable. We carried on by dead reckoning, and soon came to a fork where left felt to be correct.
A confusing sign, and we came across a lone young Dutch or German girl, picking medronha, who said the land belonged to a woman who had a camper up ahead. We decided to seek more info, and as we came past a reservoir a youngish woman came down to meet us, asking if she could help. A conversation ensued in which she claimed to be Hungarian, and had bought the surrounding 10 hectares in May, and was working on an eco-project. She flatly stated that the path did not continue past where she and her fellows were working on the 'project', and indicated we should go back and find another route. Being cynical old pensioners we didn't swallow the story, as she seemed a bit to keen to prevent us seeing what was going on, but we went round and up the other side track away from her 'project'.
Having perused Google Earth since, I have to agree, and if I had that facility while we were out we would have taken what looks like a sensible path further S, instead of forking north and west.
The problem occurred after the 'Hungarian Camp'. We should have taken the path to the south.
The 2008 track. That's how we did things then!
The Hungarian Camp. You can just see the mobile home above the RHS of the lake.
So from here on we were following our noses, and the occasional random fire break. After we arrived at the top of a hill (Top of the World), we found ourselves surrounded by terraces that only contoured or extremely steep descents.
Top of the World. Lots of evidence of machinery clearing land, but not going the way we wanted.
Fortunately I had the Chief Route Consultant to share decisions about the best way to go though he is not known for always taking the easiest option.
Another dead end.
Eventually having contoured round, without finding a soft way to the valley, we made a steep descent down a channel that was littered with dead foliage. As someone remarked, 'At least it gave us something to hang on to!'
Janet enjoying a jog!
Every Person for themselves
The way down - (NSFP) (Not Suitable for Pensioners!)
We all negotiated it safely in the end, but there were some creaky knees, and soiled trousers by the bottom (Not what you are thinking!)
From here the track improved until we came to a logging site, littered with cut branches that had not been cleared and just waiting to burst into flame given half a reason.
A bulldozer was clearing land, what for is anyone's guess, but the erosion will be pretty servere if we should get a heavy storm.
Apparently a reforestation project, no doubt the EU is sponsoring it. This was what I believe we formerly knew as the 5-Way junction, where we had remembered the passing of a former walker, Ian Clark Simpson on a similar but longer walk in 2007 (HERE)
Thanks to the industry of the bulldozers it is now a 7-Way Junction.
The well delineated path took us back down to the main Romeiras road, mostly downhill, and we arrived back at Casa Pacheco, relieved and tired, and well past the normal WAGS bifana time.
Other WAGS parameters were exceeded, particularly the 13km and total time of 4 hrs 16 mins. Oddly, the total climb was recorded on my Garmin as 363 metres, but the backup Komoot measurement showed a much less impressive stat of only 250 meters ascent and descent, and a total distance of only 12.1 km. This is not excessive given the walks of the previous two weeks, and while I am feeling less guilty, it was a tough walk for most of us, largely because of the precarious descent.
In fact for the statistically minded here is the Komoot summary of the last 4 WAGS walks, this one, on screen being very similar to the Bensafrim walk.
Anyway, it was past 2 pm, and there was no food available at Casa Pacheco, so unusually we made our farewells and parted hungry and thirsty, to our separate ways.
Myriam and I had the benefit of knowing where to get the finest bifanas in Lagos, so went for a soup and bifana at Casa Ruby Pedra Alcada. Feast your eyes!
We part for colder climes on Saturday for 3 weeks, so not sure what WAGS activity will arise, but lets hope someone comes up with an idea.
"Sometimes to find your destination, you must first get lost along the way; for it is in that place of darkness, quietness and solitude, you hear the whispers of wisdom."
