Nevertheless, when it is all over, Some WAGS may reluctantly agree that it was (a) probably good for them and (b) justified tucking in to Sra. Fernanda's very tasty Jardineira in the middle of the day.
This weeks walk was just such an occasion. When I saw the start was to be at Retiro dos Pescadores, I relaxed and anticipated a gentle perambulation followed by a Full (modified) English as I had become accustomed. Not so! We started amiably enough with a slightly different access to the levada, but then launched into a steady uphill, which appeared to sustain its gradient right until the end of the walk some 10+ km later. How we ended up at the same altitude at which we started was a miracle worthy of MC Escher (qv.). It may be that we 'glass half empty' types only remember the sections that reinforce our opinions, but there must be a more scientific explanation as to why uphills consistently outnumber downhills and flats!
Starting WAGS: Yves, Dina, Lindsey, Myriam, Rod, Hilke, Paul, Frank, Terry, Jill, Anthony, Ingrid plus Maria who had obeyed a call and missed the photo!
Nice to welcome back Frank, accompanied by Shelley, back after an extended absence, but he could have picked a less demanding comeback. I wonder how he was on Thursday morning!!
Here is Rod's report, which doesn't go a long way to explaining why I was so tired at the end that I could barely manage a second plate of Jardineira!!
Present
Paul & Myriam, Yves, Ingrid, Terry & Jill, Hilke, Frank, Lindsey, Maria, Dina, Antony and Rod (with Shelley and Ember)
A good turnout on a splendid autumn morning when we forgathered at the redoubtable Café Retiro de Pescadores in Pedreira. We set off nearly on time indeed, along John H´s favourite canal path...the trouble with this route is that dogs invariably opt for a canal swim with no thought about how they are going to scramble up the steep sides to get out. Shelley couldn´t.... but her waterdog heritage kept her afloat long enough for Antony to extricate her!
From there on we set off up a valley not trodden by us for many a year. This was certainly through fire territory but life continues and green shoots are everywhere appearing....although inevitably much of this is eucalyptus regrowth. Still that probably gives us a good decade until the next blaze!
The track gets steeper and steeper which inevitably elicited the first mumbled grumbles, but finally reached the ridge with splendid views back south to Silves and the surrounding countryside.
From there we continued north winding down the steepish descent to the valley leading to the Barragem do Arade. These tracks have generally been well cleared for fire truck access so make the going reasonably easy even if clothing gets streaked with black ash from burned cistus.
Going down into valleys generally means going up again to get out and so it was, still heading north. A final sharp climb up to the next ridge saw us at the point where we could reasonably head for home.
At this point we joined the Via Algarviana for a stretch and once again we noted the number of VA waymarks severely damaged by fire and will need replacing. This will be a lengthy and expensive job for Almargem.
Burnt out (the VA post not Rod!)
We descended back down a fairly oft used track before turning off left to get us back to the beginning of the track where we began.
At fractionally over 10k. this was within WAGS parameters even if the ascents and descents were nearer the borderline.
Back at the Pescadores the menu do dia was still available so some of those who stayed tucked into their hearty soup and stew rather than the usual tostas.
The other point not mentioned is that some of us would have been better advised to wear dark or even black trousers, as the effects of charred cistus on light trousers is ably demonstrated by Anthony.
Fortunately, his staff will take care of it when he gets home!
The prize for Best Graphic Depiction of Route on this occasion goes to Yves with his ViewRanger entry which seems to have captured a good assortment of stats.
My LocusMap Stats were comparable but presented with less detail.
But I prefer to believe the ViewRanger altitude gain and loss of 426m. And we won't count the Garmin figures which yet again managed to include most of the leg from Lagos to the start, and ended up with 42km.
A few other pics on the way round.
Well-watered marrows/melons?
This was the flat bit!
Uphill again!
Most of the route was through fire-damaged country.
A break at the top of another hill!
The diners, back at Retiro dos Pescadores.
Anthony managed to get temporarily uncertain of position, while answering an 'important' phone call. Fortunately for him the decisions he had to take at junctions were assisted by a phone call to his father who advised him to keep following the Algarve Way signs, - at least the ones that hadn't been burnt away!
Back at Pescadores, the usual suspects had urgent things to do, so we were left with 7 of the 12 to consume the stew that Dona Fernanda had saved for us - and yes Maria does look like that after a carafe of wine!!
Thanks Rod for a nice but slightly more demanding walk. Fortunately at our age, memories fade quickly, so I may even believe Rod next time he proposes a walk of "WAGS sort of distance maybe minus the sting in the tail!", though to me the 'sting' was most of the way through!
This week's challenge was to write a limerick with Myriam as the subject. Had to take a bit of poetic licence to get one of the key rhymes.
A lively WAGette called Myriam
Was a fan of the strict WAGS criterium.
But the height of her joy
Was Paul her Toy Boy
She was left in a state of delirium!
Posted on behalf of Yves:
ReplyDeleteWe set off rather later than planned and although we made up some time on the downhill section (blink and you missed it) the clock said NO! lunch had to be skipped (pity: the feijao soup enjoyed by Hazel last tile looked very satisfying… la prochaine fois?)
The climbs did wonders for the cardio, the vascular and even for the muscular but appointments take no excuses. Dina was more than equal to the task of getting this idiot home in double-quick time and all was well in the end.”