International week walk Salir - Benafim Circular. Have you heard the one about.....

Have you heard the one about the Englishman, the Scotsman, the Irishman, the Frenchman and the Italian?  No.  Well I couldn't possibly tell you here.  This is an AWW blog after all!!!!

This week's famous 5 L to R : the Irishman Martin, the Italian Sergio, The Scotswoman Jan, the Frenchman Tony and behind the camera, the English woman Julie.

We met at the church by the Salir watertower. Unfortunately the tapas bar was closed so we had to forgo a pre-walk brew and get going on the trail.  In a departure from the normal, Jan lead us down the back passage to the start of the route.

  

This took us past the appropriately decorated butcher's shop.... though I don't usually buy my chicken off the top of a pig.  Perhaps it's the Salir way?  Looks like a friendly butcher.  Wonder if he's got a big chopper?

Once down to the cafe bar O Pcao and on to David's route, we meandered down the valley to check out the many noras and cisternas.  It must have been a very lush and fertile area.

Anyone for a swim?

They are quite something to behold!

I could make one of these! 

On to Fonte Figueira, then Almarginho.   I was reading David's directions very slowly from the download on my phone when Sergio leapt to my aid by putting the next couple of co-ordinates into his GPS.  Brill!!  We discovered that we had missed the turning. Martin, Jan and Tony had gone on and appeared to be deaf when we called, then shouted, then Sergio blew his whistle.  Still they didn't stop, all the locals came out though.  We caught them up at a shady  water stop on what was turning out to be a hot day. Was it time for a rest?

Always good to find a quiet, shady spot for a quick one.  

After pressing on across the valley we came to the climb which seemed to go on and on with little relief.  Onward and upward onto the ridge and fabulous views.  We turned west along the good track to the orange groves before Benafim.

The very big wall.

We pondered the reasons for the very big wall.  One thought was that it kept out beasts both 4  and 2 legged.

The evidence.  Yes we did stop for drinks in Benafim. A quick lesson in the use of GPS.

Back on the trail we decided to stop for lunch before the climb back.  During the break there was a very interesting discussion on male grooming using the technical terms which I couldn't possibly mention in this blog!  There is no evidence of this thank goodness!! After lunch it was again onwards and upwards, over the top then down towards Salir. Great views once again.

Typical Algarvian design in the little hamlet of Portela da Nave.

Coming into Covoes.  We found that some residents are very creative.  Come on you AWWs, hop to it!

Or perhaps we could borrow a bike and wizz back to the bar.  Mine's the pink helmet please.

After a slight deviation with a steep descent (and who doesn't like a spot of deviation??) due to the leader abrogating her responsibility to lead, we made it to Ponte de Salir.  The end was in sight.

Are these people famous?

After the deviation and descent never have a group of people been so relieved to see a cemetery before.  Just one last climb to the finish.

At last, a very welcome drink in the shade of the now open tapas bar.

Can anyone spot a visitor?

The vital statistics.