AWW 2015-24: AWW Day 1 Via Algarviana : Corte de Seda to Alcoutim

Walking the Via Algarviana was conceived within the AWW intially in February 2020 , with a view to starting that year with completion in 2021 to commemorate the 25th. anniversary of the AWW. Thanks to covid, that never happened, but at least a start was able to be made in the anniversary year. Four intrepid adventurers ( Jim, Gill, Susan John) braved the heat of September 2020 to recce the trail, and it's thanks to their planning that we eventually got underway in November 2021. It was decided to follow the basic VA plan, but to even out some of the days to approx 20kms.

A dozen of us met up at the Hotel d'Alcoutim early on 9 November, all having travelled up that morning apart from our intrepid leaders Jim & Gill who arrived the night before : we car-shared and drove to Corte de Seda, as it was thought easier to walk back to Alcoutim, where we were joined by Jan, making a bakers' dozen walkers. Starter photo was taken by Carol, Alan's wife:

L to R : Miriam, Ken, Alan, Frank, Brenda, Lizabeta, Sue, Jan, Geoff, Gill, Marian, Jim, Ros...and Bica

Lots of oooos and arrrghs over the newborn lamb:

and then off we went, the target a mere 19.8km today:

Passing through a number of villages that had all benefited from fresh coats of paint ( presumably to allay the boredom of lockdown) , but without any sign of a living soul!

A pack of goatdogs decided to investigate us, but fled when they saw we outnumbered them:

Some of the absent villagers were out gathering olives:

We came across some ancient monuments....

........the stones, that is, not our leaders....so we took a break for lunch:

It was surprising that none of the locals seemed to want to take advantage of the VA walkers....no cafes/bars/trinket shops....but we did find:

where Jan got all excited about a giant cockeral....

...and Miriam invested in a bowl/plate.

We passed a small farm with an elderly lady, lots of olives and gorgeous puppies:

Before finding a large mural which seemed to be missing something(s) , much to Ros' amusement...

and thence back to the Rio Guadiana .......

... and the hotel, so that drivers could be driven back to Corte de Seda to retrieve cars, and return to hotel.

'Twas a shame we had another 15/20 minutes walk that evening to the village bar , but enjoyed a great dinner at O Contrabanistas, which did a wonderful javoli....