AWW 2015-24: Three Soft Peaks.(9th May 2018)

We had a goodly group for what was my last Wednesday walk of the season. My write up is late as I have been away in central Portugal, training for my “Travels without a Donkey in the Cevennes”.

We met at the cafe at Corotelo, between Loule and Sao Bras de Alportel

I never counted them on the day, and as far as I am aware I did not lose any. At least, if I did, they have never got back to complain about it. They might be still out there somewhere.

A special mention needs to be made of Roger who completed the walk. There had been some early comments about his arm in plaster and him being legless, but his legs seemed fine to me, as he walked the entire distance

I think that it was the “soft” with which I enticed them. However the soft refers to my favourite desert Lemon Meringue Pie, which Lorna had promised to make for dinner that evening. I had a slice with at least 3 soft peaks.

You can see why I still hide at the back of the starting photos.

It was a steady but not too strenuous climb to the top of our first hill and a photo opportunity at the Trig point

I think that the “soft” had gone to the head of too many and so there were were 3 on the trig point. Also who on the left was captivated by the view down to Sao Bras and completely ignored the photographer. Also was the person running past, part of our group or a local fell runner

That was the last photo of the day that tried to capture the whole group.

So it was down the hill and the track came to a barrier: unusually Nick did not have to dismantle. Most took the easy route around it, while one strode over it as if in the 3000m steeplechase at the Olympics (Wikipedia info: “Unlike those used in hurdling, steeplechase barriers do not fall over if hit, and rules allow an athlete to negotiate the barrier by any means.”)

It was still early in the walk: I think that the shadows are great.

A little later I advised that we would be passing a house and pool, where I had witnessed inappropriate behaviour in the past.

However when we got there it looked as if all the rains of the winter had caused a bit of a landslip and all the Swedish bathers had rolled into the outbuildings.

We stopped for morning coffee after about 5.5km. I know that the pool is big and inviting, but who is that in the left corner, on his knees, praying to Neptune, the Great God of the Sea

After coffee it was through the hedge and up to the top of the next hill. The Trig point is in the middle of the “jaggies” so no-one ventured in to climb.

We sauntered down from the ridge, across the valley and started up the other side making for the last peak of the day. However we came across a spring meadow at a convenient time for lunch.

It was just splendid. It was even worth having a short after lunch snooze. Why would you not?

After lunch we were up with a spring in our step and marched up to the top of the last hill and marched back down again to the cafe at Corotelo.

Just at the crossroads, they have recently demolished a house. They have left a memorial to their life in the village by placing some of their things on the shelves at the back of the house: Mostly wine bottles