AWW 31.012007: Elderly Gentlemans Excursion!

The Blind leading the Blind!

This was not posed!!! A completely candid shot meant to represent the Virtual Leader handing over the Bamboo Diagrams for this walk to the Actual leader resulted in this shot of their eyes wide closed! The guide dog was also a fortunate happenstance!

Mike - a truly conscientious and caring Leader had spent many years researching this walk, leading Chris and other supporting recce troops into a variety of dangers and adventures - and had come up with a definitive set of Bamboo Diagrams (although not strictly in the Authorised version), and had determined that Antje would interpret them and lead the group round this challenging route. Not only was the walk finished on time, with only a couple of minor steering errors, but it came in within an allowable difference from the published length! And with enormous distinction, the script for this Blog was in my inbox by 6 pm on that very day, closely followed by some interesting pix from John. Here is Mike's eloquent summary!

Elderly Gentleman's Excursion (Marmelete Mission)


Compiling the track of the walk was not helped by the fact that Mike had managed to design this excursion to cross the corners of 4 sheets of the military maps.

Leader: Mike
Present: Chris, Antje, Paul, Andrew, Lindsey, Ian S, Rod, John, Stan, Elaine, Ian W
Tiggy, Pookie and Oscar
Distance 20.6 km, Walking time 4hrs 40 min, Total time 5 hrs 18 minutes: Avg walking speed 4.4km/hr Overall average speed 3.8 km/hr
Total Ascent (New Feature) 770 metres.
Mike's words follow:

Preamble. The report on this week's walk comes in somewhat distorted fashion for those AWWs, e.g. the Blog Editor, accustomed to reading blogs upside down, from right to left and whilst standing on one's head and reading with the aid of a mirror. In this case the walk report starts at the beginning and ends at the finish - peculiar maybe, but just put it down to lapsing into a bygone age.

The pre-walk warning that 'the pace would be that of an elderly gentleman strolling the promenade' did not deter twelve doughty walkers and three dogs from meeting on time at the café/bar Sola da Serra in Marmalete. Coffee and loos were available, thus permitting the walk leader two unqibbled deviations from route without penalty.

Before setting out on schedule at 09.30 hours Mike promptly delegated all responsibility for walk leadership to Antje who gamely accepted the proffered bamboo diagram and, together with Elaine, ensured that the route was followed in exemplary style.

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Rod forlornly preparing for the slow limp back to the start!

Regrettably after some 30 minutes Rod sprained a fetlock and wisely decided to hobble his way back. The suggestion that ice would be desirable was met with rather a blank look as he prefers his whisky neat. This left 11 walkers and 2 dogs to complete the route.

Weather throughout was perfect which made for pleasant walking. We reached the Cerca river after 1 hour 30 minutes easy walking. Some slippery stepping stones and a greasy bank resulted in two cases of water-in-the-boot.

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Pride comes before a ........

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..........Fall !!!
I couldn't resist including John's exciting photos of the Chief Bridge Builder, who energetically hurled large rocks into the raging torrent - each rock displacing the one that had gone before, rather like a Giant's game of Petanque! When at last he attempted the final step to the bank, he actually reached there dry before gently leaning backwards and planting his left leg up to the knee in the crystal brook to forestall a more comprehensive wetting! John was a little over eager in his pressing of the shutter, but the slightly blurred picture gives a fine perception of motion and drama!(CB)

From the Cerca river it is a pleasant climb with, at the top, excellent views of Aljezur and Rogil to the west. Much of this area was severely burnt in the fires of two years ago. Now the land has been cleared and new plantings, including of eucalyptus carried out. The lunch stop, for instance, overlooked extensive views to the south-west which, in a year or two's time will be solid forest -- until the next forest fire rages through.

Antje led us with unfailing accuracy through the abandoned hamlet of Marioilas, now just a sad collection of ruined farm cottages, and on to a ridge top that gave us views back towards the Capela de S. António opposite Marmalete. Paul assured us that, in a direct line, it was just 3 km away. However, we were able to extend this into 8 km.

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The 'Committee on Bamboo Diagrams' discussing how to prolong the walk!

After crossing the Marmalete-Passil-Selão road, recently tarmac surfaced, and thus to be avoided, we took a ridge top track that eventually led down to the Passil river that was successfully crossed with no sock-wettings. The homeward leg was a lengthy solid climb of some 4.5 km but the scent of a pint of foaming ale made this less onerous.


Group in front of surplus eucalyptus logs resulting from the previous years' fires.

As usual there was some questioning regarding the final length of the walk. But 21 km is a reasonable compromise. Walk duration was scheduled as 5 hours 15 minutes and this would have been followed to the minute had there not been finicky photographic requirements. This resulted in the walk exceeding its scheduled time by 2 minutes 30 seconds, thus causing considerable gripe from the Blog Editor who rated this as lost beer time.

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Bathed in the winter sun at the Café

Myriam + Maio met us at the Café/bar Sol da Serra where we were able to enjoy our drinks outside in delightfully sunny weather.

Postscript. Mike has the necessary equipment for cleaning the tubes and bag of a Camelback water container which he will happily lend to anyone asking for it.