AWW 24th April 2019 Font Filipe

                                                             "Only Sixteen"

I cancelled the walk at 07:00 (sent an email to all those who had contacted me) as when I got up it was tipping it down with rain. However by 09:00 the rain had stopped. It was still overcast and more rain was obviously to come. I was concerned that some poor soul would turn up anyway, so I donned my wet weather gear and off I went. I arrived at Font Filipe with a few minutes to spare of the scheduled start time

Sensibly no other Algarve Wednesday Walkers arrived. 

I was standing there dithering and trying to decide whether I should go home and put my feet up at the fire or should walk the route, when a minibus drew up and 15 Welsh Environmentalist Ladies On a Reconnaissance (WELORs) got off.

They had come from Wales to get some sun, warm weather and to carry out an environmental study on the wild flowers of the Algarve. They had planned to walk the PR route from the Fonte. However they advised that if I knew the area, they would love to join me. And they had brought their wet weather gear and if the  streams were in spate they had their "Staffs" to hold back the water, if required. The one on the right with the staff was called Noah

 THIS WAS A SIGN.

My route had been planned as "only 16" kms and with these 15 WELORs and me that made "16" walkers

I had considered asking them all their names to add to the blog, but as some of the ladies appeared to have some stubble on their chins, I thought it might not be politically correct.

So off we went. For the first 64 mins (only 16 *4) it was relatively rain free.

We went round the base of Cerro Negro.

and along a route where we had walked a few months ago.  I am always amazed at the changes that are progressing in the Algarve. 

They had installed the roof and built a fireplace. There was no "For Sale" so perhaps it will be on AIR BnB. And the weather had changed from January

As this was a trip to view the flora, the Cistus Ladanifer were mainly past their best.

But we did see one 6 petalled example, although it was a bit damp.

We passed a group of 16 bee hives set beside a sea of blue.

However there was no activity from the bees. They were sitting warm and dry at home.

It was muddy and slippery. Although there were 16 walkers the WELORs were determined to limit their environmental footprint so they just stood in my footprints.

And then the rain came and did not go away. 

It was fine. I am off to Scotland 2nd week in May to walk the Great Glen Way (Fort William to Inverness) and this was a fine way for getting into training and checking that no matter how good your wet weather gear is supposed to be, that at the end, you are still wet from toes to toupee (assuming that Donald was playing golf at his Scottish course).

I did feel as if I was at home.

As I trudged along I sang to myself, to maintain a rhythm: "Only 16" by Dr Hook. I am too young for the original release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olQNes_mq8I

Statistics

Walkers: 16 (myself plus 15 WELORs - what a load of rubbish)

Distance:16km

Time /km:16mins

Lunch stop: none as my sandwiches were too soggy

Total time: 16 squared mins = 2 hrs 16 mins.

Total elevation change: 256m = 16 squared m

Stream crossings: 16 but all dry

Lies: at least 16. But I actually did go out and walk it.

Map

Frank M