AWW 28th October 2009: The Benafim Breaker

The Benafim Breaker, 28th October 2009.

The Track - click to enlarge

We had a football team, a referee and one linesperson this day. The second linesperson withdrew at short notice, which may help to account for the errors during the second of three halves.


The Team:- Myriam, Rod, John O’, Tina, Alex, Yves, Frank, Dina, Ian W, Chris, Val.
Referee:- David
First Linesperson:- Paul
Second Linesperson (absent): Terry A.
Ball-retrievers:- Misty, Shellie, Rosie.
An AW welcome to Shellie, our first water-dog, who brought Frank along. At only 12 months, she walked a great walk.

Beneath the spreading pepper tree

Half the First.
After meeting at Casa Benjamin for coffee, the team plus two officials set off in good heart with a steep descent and a walk along the valley floor through Fonte Figueira and Almarginho, taking the Algarve Way along the route towards Pena. Turning off this track, the Via Algarviana was followed up onto the high ridge leading directly into Benafim. The ref asked for opinions on this alternative route, given the amount of tarmac now gracing the AW from Penina to Benafim. The resulting comments were generally favourable towards the VA route, with some sadness that villages like Pena and Penina would be missed.

En route for Benafim

Unusually for a match, drinks were taken midway through the first half, at Benafim, where we were served by an extremely pleasant lady – a stopping point to remember.

Coffee Break

From there, the half was completed by a walk into the valley and a climb up towards Espargal on the opposite side. Lunch was then called.

Val do Caminho

Don't show me your blisters, I'm eating.

Half the Second.
The referee had failed to inspect the pitch for the next part of the route, with the result that team, officials and all wandered aimlessly through scrub and over walls for some time searching a for an elusive path to Alto Fica, which was finally discovered when that village was almost attained. The forbearance of the team was much appreciated, though the ref walked far enough in front to avoid hearing the expletives and feeling the daggers aimed at his back.

O Wall, O Lovely Wall

Foul, Ref!

Half the Third
Although Alto Fica was a potential drop-out point, no one took advantage of the offer, and as substitutes are ruled out by the laws of this particular game, the whole team embarked upon and completed the final part of the event, which covered the ground from Alto Fica, through Nave dos Sobreiros and Portela da Nave, back to Covoes. A somewhat exhausted team was informed that the ref had allowed extra distance in the amount of 2.5 kilometres over that announced in the pre-match publicity. Sir Alex Ferguson has been asked for a comment.

Post Match Drinks

Must get some new specs.

Statistics.

 

Total Distance:- 23.6 km

Moving Time:- 5hr 19min.

Total Time:- 6hr 19min

Moving Average:- 4.4km/hr

Overall Average: 3.7km/hr

Total Ascent:- 444 metres

Maximum Elevation:- 352 metres

 

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Matthew 15:14.

AWW 21.10.2009: Soidos Law!

Now we are getting into it:- a nice 4* walk from Terry - a proper cafe with toilets and coffee OPEN at the start - and a leader who knows how to ignore the pitiful mewlings of those at the back who don't appreciate the importance of statistical averages!

Start from Marcio Bar in the south.

Stats: 

Total Dist: 19.5;

Moving Time: 4 hrs 37 min.;

Total Time: 5 hrs 21 min.;

Moving Avg: 4.2 km/hr.;

Overall Avg.: 3.6 km/hr

Total Ascent: 647 m.;

Max Elevation: 475m.

Leader: Terry A.

Present: Chris; John O'; Rod; Val; Ian W.; Myriam; David ; Paul; and Sheila and Peter (guests of John O' ).

Dogs: Misty, Rusty; Rosie

Here is Terry's Succinct Summary:-

Well, Tuesday's rain went away, walk day on Wednesday did not look too bad - there was the promise of a good day.  After coffee, pleasantries etc, we set off for a newish walk of mine some old ground and some new, so new that I knew turn left at the bins and head up the hill was the easy bit except we did not have the path to do it on, the path was spied off to our right so after a  brief contour across to the path sanity was restored and upward momentum could begin again (in mitigation I said the bins had been moved but I don't think anyone believed me).  A steady  plod to the trig at Rocha dos Soidos at 475m the ground a bit sticky after the rain, the view from the trig well worth it though, retraced back to a path descending to the track to Sarnadas turning left and heading through mature cork oak valley where I took the pic of the large fungi but alas no fairies underneath. We kept climbing up to the ridges and up to the trig Picota at 350m, lunch was taken just down from the summit, then down to the valley floor only to contour up to Cerro and the next ridge, round the end by the wind farm and into the next valley to follow the Algarve Way and the Via Algarviana back to St Margaride and then down to Alte for a well earned drink.

      Paul's stats confirmed the walk's 4* rating,  I was a bit out on time but we all made it back in one piece and in the dry.

Thanks to all who came it was a good day.  Terry.   

 

There wasn't a formal start photo as Myriam got distracted after this one by the lack of Octopus and the arrival of John O' and guests, just as we were about to set off.

As Terry remarked it would have been an easy start except someone had moved the bins which were a remembered landmark!

 

The Bins!

Doubts set in about the path..........

That was where we should have been.......

Summit of Soidos

Terry and Rusty stalk the Toadstool

No doubt Antje can identify it..

Some of us reached a second TP before lunch!!!

Terry took the pic - the others (you know who you are) .. went round.

 

An atmospheric shot by Myriam as we reached the top of yet another climb. The amazing thing was that the rain that had been predicted throughout the day never materialised, negating the need for the 4-5 kg of rain protective gear that some of us had carried!

Lunch was taken among stony ground!

Downhill at last, towards David's former lodgings.

As we reached the final valley and started back towards Sta Margarita, there was momentary concern that we would not pass the 600m total ascent mark, and fail to gain 4* status, but in the end, the little updulation over past the Alte Hotel added a further 47 m, and the status was confirmed with flying colours. The starting point, Marcio Bar was rather crowded with tourists, so we determined to go to a larger place near the market, so the dogs could stay with us. It was noted that had we walked to the Restaurant Alcafé instead of driving, we would also have exceeded the 20 km!

 

Space for all!

 

However, as a venue worthy of our patronage this place may have to be reconsidered in future, as there were adverse comments about the cold tiled seats under the shelter, and Myriam reported that the prices were a bit steep, and insufficient profit was made towards the forthcoming Xmas lunch.

It is not easy, but you have to be willing to make mistakes. And the earlier you make those mistakes, the better.   Pfeiffer, Jane Cahill

 

AWW 14.10.2009: Watch Tower to Castle.

The track

Statistics:

Total Distance: 13.7 km;

Moving Time:   3 hrs 48 min;

Total Time:     5 hrs 10 min;

Moving Average: 3.6 km/hr;

Overall Average: 2.6 km/hr;

Total Ascent: 553 m.;

Max Elevation:  778 m.

Leader:   Rod

Present:  John and Hazel, Paul and Myriam, John O’, Tina, Dina, Ingrid, Valerie, Ian W. 

Dog:       Misty

   Assembled company

We all met up on a wonderfully warm morning at Cafe Carlos in Alferce. It was so warm indeed that  our leader opted for Plan B. Plan A, we are reliably informed, was a long descent into the Monchique River valley, all the way up the other side, followed by further ascents and then all the way back again.

In the event Plan A was a reasonably simple ascent to Picota. 

Ding Dong Bell,   ????’s in the Well

Not much to report until we reached  a small farm past which we had been on previous occasions. There we stopped to chat to the lady of the house for a while...such a while however that Misty got bored and thought she would play with the chickens. Much noise in the undergrowth and a guilty looking dog emerged with feathers in her chops.  It didn’t appear it went further than feathers so peace was restored. 

        We think your chicken is OK !!

On we continued upward at a fairly leisurely and undemanding  pace   

............very leisurely pace !

and  eventually arrived at the top to take in the always wonderful views.  We had never had a foto actually looking down on a trig point, so Ingrid (wo)manfully volunteered to shin up the fire watch-tower and  do the honours.  

 

Ingrid doing her stuff...! 

 

Usual Trig-point foto

 

     Unusual trig- point foto ! 

(JS in the background!)

This done we became uncomfortably aware that our party had expanded somewhat until it dawned on us that we were in danger of being swamped by none other than a JS Let’s Walk lot.... led by JS herself.  We fled.  Stopping briefly to accost a group of them seated, panting, on a rock well below the top......’been there before! ’was the amazing excuse for such inactivity!  

Apart from heading down a track which ended in an impenetrable (even for us) bramble thicket forcing a retracing of steps......by then the JS lot had gone which happily avoided any ignominy!....the descent was unremarkable. 

No further incidents and we stopped for lunch round a shady water tanque disturbed only by Misty jumping in and shaking herself dry over all and sundry.

Lunch spot

On downwards until we felt, lest boredom set in,  a short cut might be opportune.

Like all unproven short cuts this one proved not to be !   The track ended in nowhere!

Turning round or struggling down a steep drop through heavy undergrowth were the only options.  True to our ideals we chose the latter.  Everyone made it undamaged and complaints were surprisingly muted !  

        Wot...no complaints !

This landed us at the foot of the track up to the ramparts  of  the mighty Alferce Castle..... 

Alferce Castle ramparts

well it might have been a castle once but it must have been partially destroyed by Mike Pease in his search for the Holy Grail some weeks previously.

This must have been successful as his presence was recorded in the Geocache notebook which Paul took great delight in locating.  The castle is in such an impregnable position that we had to descend the same way as we had come up....alternatives looking rather impractical. 

And so back to the Cafe Carlos. 

CB's Comments: Many thanks to Rod not only for his walk, but also for the tenacity with which he tried to publish this blog, which included several (expensive) coaching lessons via the mobile phone. Alas there were some complications, and on the eve of the next Wednesday Walk, a massive Word file, complete with pictures that I had sent him less than a week ago,  arrived in my inbox to be fonted, sized and uploaded.

   One Golden Opportunity which passed Rod by, was when we were dismounting from Picota, we passed one of J.S's customers climbing up, who enquired of Rod "Is it worth it?"

   Regrettably he was too polite to say "€5.00 - I don't think so!" if that indeed is the current rate!

"Hesitancy in judgment is the only true mark of the thinker."   Runes, Dagobert D.

 

AWW 07.10.2009 - Pacheco Postponed

When I took this photo on the recce, it was great visibility,  and the route along the first couple of ridges had plenty of grip.  I had replies from five brave walkers plus ourselves, who had not been deterred by my alarmist 3* Degree of Difficulty rating.

 

 

Alas on the morning of the walk the weather had changed dramatically, and you can see three of us in the photo above testing the conditions! It was not to be, and regrettably the walk was cancelled, until another day!

Aspiring Leader: Paul

Would be Walkers: Myriam, Rod, Lindsey, John, Andrew, Hazel

Stats: Would have been impressive.

Até à proxima.

"It is better to have tried to walk and cancelled, than never to have volunteered"

                                Paulo à Pé 2009

AWW 30.09.2009: Traipsing round Torre e Cercas.

My cunning plan to involve the AWW Community to be inclusive and compile contributions to this blog, by inviting 12 extra Walking Authors to sign up and post, seems to be foundering. So far only two have taken up this privilege, and there are ten outstanding invitations which have been ignored. Regrettably, (for me) one of the two takers is inundated with visitors, and has passed on the posting task to me, while he sips 'pinkers' by the pool, and indulges his better known skills as a raconteur!

"Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale."   Shakespeare, William.

The Tale of the Traipse:

Stats:- Total Distance: 15.6 km.
Moving Time: 3 hrs 41 min.
Total Time: 4 hrs 17 min.
Moving Average: 4.2 km/hr
Overall Average: 3.6 km/hr
Total Ascent: 261 m.
Max Elevation: 123 m.

Degree of Difficulty: 1*  (New Feature!!)

The track (thanks John H.)

Leader: Rod

Present:  Janet, Ingrid, John and Hazel, John O’, Paul and Myriam, David, Lindsey, Patrick and  Judy (friends of Rod) and Bijou (friend of Dina and Vitor)

Dog;      Misty

 At the start - 13 walkers

We met at 09.30 at the Bar Casinhas  ( closed  of course, but as this had been foretold grumblings were ignored) and the day was warmish and somewhat humid, indeed later thundery but without any downpours.

Walking away from Monchique - for a change

 

This was a gentle stroll around semi suburban, agricultural tracks, devoid of serious hills, or serious anything else for that matter,  and meandering through farms growing a variety  of citrus, other fruits and assorted local produce; certainly more intellectually challenging than physically for once.  Even so some half way round Judy and Bijou felt that they had had enough and as this was all in our leader’s home territory, Susan F was summonsed from travails in the garden to give them a lift back.

The 'ambulance' goes off!

   

A quiet corner amongst some cork trees seemed like a good spot for lunch and then on we wandered. 

Lunch Ladies!

Shortly after, the hanseatic Herr Bärbel, guarded by his fearsome Belgian Shepherd puppy, provided a brief interlude expounding through an impenetrable mesh fence his progress in achieving total domestic self sufficiency.......could be he has something there in this day and age!

At this point a diversion was ordered:  we needed to add a few more kilometres as well as ascend to the obligatory trig-point. 

Rod's personal Trig Point

This of course provided excellent views not only of the local countryside but also of our leader’s domaine.  This once had ‘blue blobs’ indicating an AWW throughway but is now securely fenced, thoroughly irritating Myriam who was caught red handed stretching over to nick his precious pomegranates!  

Anything outside the fence.........

There was then little else left other than to drift down through the orchards back to Bar Casinhas, now open, for barely earned beers served by the delectable Victoria!!

Barely broke sweat....

Comparing GPS notes!

Some Hopes!

Caption competition (by email or comment please)

Since AWW began, Leaders have obfuscated and given vague details of their intended walk, often causing mildly warm discussion when a walk has gone over the intended length by more than 10%, or the Leader has lost more than 10% of the starters during the course of the walk, so I propose a pilot scheme whereby Leaders can predict a 'Degree of Difficulty' for their walk based on a Star Rating.

   Below is a template for discussion, and possible use, bearing in mind that the stated criteria have to be reasonably brief, or there would be more scope for nit-picking. I would like to have included the availability of coffee and toilets at the start, and of Sagres Bohèmia at the finish, but since neither of these eventualities are common, decided to leave it out.

Guide to my new system of Degree of Difficulty (DoD)

1*:  Up to12 km.; good wide paths; gentle ascents; Total climb <= 250 m.
2*: Up to 15 km.; mostly good paths; moderate and gentle ascents; Total Climb <=500 m.
3*: Up to 20 km.; some more obscure paths, some vegetation to push through; mostly moderate ascents perhaps one or two steeper ones; Total Climb >500+ m.
4*: Up to 25 km; expect detours into the scenery; several updulations where the leader has to wait at the top; Total climb >600 m.
5*: 25 km or more; new 'paths' to be pioneered, secondary jungle; severe updulations where breath has to be caught on the way up; butt-clenching descents; Total climb - more than expected. RTC 2009.

Next weeks walk will be a 3*