The First Walk of 2020/2021 : around Goldra & Windmills

 The First Walk of 2020/2021 : around Goldra & Windmills

Our treasurer Sue is a very busy lady  who lives in the country and is thus plagued by electricity and broadband problems, and hence has not yet found time to blog this inaugural walk : with Alan's kind assistance with photos, I shall try & fill the void.

Due to the dreaded covid, we were restricted to only 10 walkers , though only 8 were able to come, including newcomer Sergio. The starter photo is still trapped in Sue's camera, but it would have revealed only the 6 who turned up for coffee and cake for a 0930 start : Alan arrived just as we set off, but no sign of Jan.

After about half a mile , a phone call announced Jan had arrived at the start,only to find we had all gone : she had thought it was a 1000 start. In good hashing fashion, we scratched arrows in the dust and added stone/wooden arrow pointers for luck, trusting she could follow the trail like the good hasher she is.

                                    David bringing up the rear....but sans Jan

It wasn't long before the dulcit tones of Jan shouting as to where we were....but my mistake, she was only whispering! Reunited at last, we walked through a parched landscape till we stopped for a water break.

Walkers  (Lto R): Jan, Karen, Geoff, David, SueM, Ros, Sergio...Alan behind lens

A trig point was soon discovered, albeit covered in graffiti : our esteemed leader refused to climb it, but Karen did make a gesture:

Onwards and upwards to the windmill ridge....

Ros leads the way...

                 Lovely views....pre-covid you could see planes at Faro from here...

(Which reminds me, heard the one about the expat who wanted to live in a converted windmill, but complained that they all seem to be in windy positions....).

                                       Some before and after photos...

It was thus time to descend.....

 .....but some of us recalled " Russell's bush" when Linda ( I think) said to be careful as it was slippery, so Russell had to demonstrate how slippery it was by falling into a gorse bush. Everyone else found it rather amusing of course, and Sue was persuaded to photograph said bush:

....we learnt later that Linda had an interesting time removing some of the thorns...ouch!

Back to Sue's lovely house where the painters had just finished for the day. A welcome cold beer/wine followed by a great lunch provided by Sue ( I said she was always busy). Home made sausage rolls, prawns, lamb something-or-other and  I forget what...but all great and finger free!

I reckon it was about a 3 hour walk, so about 12kms, but no photos of lunch as Alan didn't stay.

Many thanks Sue for starting the season so memorably.

Geoff