Algarve Wednesday Walkers 2009-2010: AWW 30.06.2010: In the heat of the summer

I hadn’t even found out about this walk until shortly after we came back on Monday morning, but John H. the Acting CB must have an informer at the Airport because within minutes there was an abdication email saying “You can do the Blog this Wednesday, because Hazel has set me the task of cleaning the Augean Stables, and I won’t be able to join the walk!”

If only he had researched the legend, he would have swiftly diverted a river or two (I know – hard to come by in the Algarve in summer) and reported for the walk and given me time to allow my jet lag to settle enough to enable me to remember how to Blog. Anyway, heartfelt thanks to him for keeping it all going in such style while we were away.

As if that wasn’t enough, when we reported for the walk, having augmented the numbers, not only by our own presence, but by encouraging Ian S. and Maddie out of retirement, and recruiting Phil and Susan at dinner to join in, Hilke welcomed me back by stating flatly that this wasn’t an official AWW walk, and that she was just going for a walk on her own, but we were welcome to walk close by if we wished, and ergo, she would not be writing any Leader’s report!

This was tantamount to the indiscipline shown by the England dressing room prior to the World Cup game against Algeria, so I patiently pointed out the criteria for an ‘Official’ Wednesday Walk ie it had to be Wednesday, and have more than one Wednesday Walker of each sex and a dog present, and she relented and produced the superb text below, almost before we had reached home afterwards.

Starters in the early sun.

Leader: Hilke

Participants: Myriam, Paul, Dina, Tina, Frank, Antje, Chris, Ian S., Susan, Philip

Dogs: Bella, Shelley, Tiggy and Maddy

Track (click to enlarge)

Stats:
Total Distance: 9.75 Km (for some)
Moving Time: 2 hrs 37 min (the hardy ones)
Total Time: 3 hrs 6 min. (Pro Team AWW)Moving Avg.: 3.7 km/hr (it was warmish)
Overall Avg.: 3.1 km/hr Faster in the 2nd half)
Total Ascent: 200 m.(I don’t know how)
Max Elevation: 49 m. (Must recalibrate)

Average Age: 64 yrs 9 mths 13 days (known data only)

Hilke’s Report:

Little did I think of writing a blog when I offered our walking group they could join me on my walk on the cliffs from Benagil towards Nossa Senhora da Rocha and back. I did not expect many to come because of the heat. But as it turned out, Paul and Myriam had just got back this week, so we had an official starting photo and the chief blogger kindly allowed me to write a bit less than usual, he thought about 400 words would be quite enough. So here it goes:

Some growth of bushes

With quite a good turnout of 11 people and 4 dogs we started on time from Benagil. The Câmara of Lagoa has signposted the path until Praia da Marinha and called it the “the Seven Hanging Valleys”. They have also put up quite a few information posters about the Algares and about nature in general.

The Leader is easily amused….

This part of the walk is one of the most beautiful sections of the Barlavento, to my mind at least, but maybe I am a bit patriotic as it is close to where I live. We had lovely views of lonely rocks in the sea, (but here I must admit that I was not well prepared in my job as leader, as I could not give Ian an appropriate answer concerning their names), of arches and of canyons, which could well have been used as scenery in a western film. (he was just being provocative!)

Blue as far as the eye can see…

Between Praia da Marinha and Albandeira there was a good opportunity for the dogs to get into the water and cool down a bit, but otherwise they had to rely on their owners feeding them water, as dogs are not allowed on the beaches in summer.

Ian pretends to have a stone in his stout walking boot!

In Albandeira Antje, Chris, Ian, Susan and Philip stopped, had a rest and then ambled back towards Benagil whereas the hardier ones went on for another half hour.

Bella’s ear gets a tug..

On our way we met a young family with a toddler on their way to the beach, but the little one was fascinated by Frank’s dogs and would rather play with them than go the beach. They were really patient with her and we were advised by the mother not to forget the north of Portugal in our walks, the Serra do Gerês was strongly recommended by her (Here’s one idea for you, Rod!).

Sea Stack and Cairn

We also saw a Spanish Galleon

In Benagil we joined the others, who had arrived a quarter of an hour earlier, in a café right on the beach.

It was nice and relaxing to sit there, but as it was rather expensive, we did not make use of the kitty.

We had some good exercise and some lovely views which really made up for the heat.

CB’s comment: Not much to add – it was a source of ongoing horror to Ian that the price of a shandy in this beachside establishment was €3.00. He wasn’t mollified by the fact that I had two beers for the same price! It is really nice that we have gone back to the practice of trying to walk through the summer, as we did when Maurice was leading, albeit more gentle and coastal or ridge walks .

This first walk back for us was in sharp contrast to walks that Myriam and I did while recently in Austria. I will include a couple of pix to make you feel cooler