RIBEIRA DAS CANAS - 16 FEBRUARY 2022

 

AWW – RIBEIRA DAS CANAS - 16 FEBRUARY 2022

We met at 9.45am at the Café in Rasmalho and then car shared ready for a prompt start at 10:00am.

14 walkers and one dog.   Tony, Susan, Julie, Sue, Ros, David, Jan, Sarah, Gill, Geoff, Miriam, Russ, Ken and Bica the dog.  Linda was the photographer.

We started out at the valley bottom and walked close to the river, enjoying the views up towards our intended route.  This was the last watering hole for Bica until our return journey.

The ladies were up front leading us up towards Caldas De Monchique. 

The rest of the group followed closely behind in a tight knit group as we made the gradual climb uphill.  There was a nice cooling breeze to help us along.

 

Then we headed into the unknown valley checking for the arrow markers and pink ribbon at the junctions.

We zig zagged around the valley until we found a suitable stop for lunch with views down towards Portimao and the sea. 

We had an early lunch as we were well over half way at 9kms. 

 After lunch we headed back out into the unknown valley, looking forward to lots of promised downhill stretches.

We were merrily chatting and in good spirits until we came to a very steep downhill section which the leader did not remember from the recci and was not advertised in the walk description.  We all made it down safely, albeit very slowly and carefully and someone said “Sue Minnis wouldn’t have liked this”.  Neither did Sarah and Miriam.

Downhill skiing?

Once at the bottom we could not find any more arrows and pink ribbon at the junctions.  We tried various different routes which all ended in very steep drops.  We could see the main path back to the cars across the valley but there was a very steep ravine in between us and the path.  After lots of discussion and looking at google maps we made a joint decision to go back the way we had come.  Luckily we found an alternate path around the side of the steep hill.

Gill pointed out we were not even back to where we had lunch which was 9kms from the cars so it was going to be a very long return journey.  We looked on google maps for shorter routes back and decided to risk a path leading down the valley which looked like it may link up with the path we had seen in the distance.  We had to make a scramble on all fours on a steep slope with rough scree.  David shot up there like a Gazelle but it was a struggle for some.  

Rock climbing?....but no rope!

Russell was at the bottom but tripped and fell flat on his front, winding himself and taking on lots of scratches.  We all waited with baited breath whilst he got his wind back hoping nothing was broken.  Fortunately he was just a bit battered and bruised and managed to scramble up the slope with the help of Tony.  We plied him with energy drinks and sweets and he managed to get his second wind and march back on.

The leader didn’t have time to take any more photos as she was busy trying to get everyone back home, apart from the photo of Gills new boots.  She had decided to break them in today as it was supposed to be a shorter walk.  Looks like they are broken in now. (David also had new shoes, but not so photogenic as Gill's......good job it wasn't a hash, she's have had to drink out of them! Ed).

We got back to the cars and headed down to the café for some much needed refreshments.  The walk ended up being 24kms.  So well done everyone and thank you for not moaning and complaining.

Thanks for the photos from Geoff and Tony and David.  Also the lemons from Jan. 

Linda.

(Ed note : we weren't really that far off from the  correct route. After our abortive dead-ends, we took the path to the right of That Steep Hill : we should have taken the one to the left, that would have taken us back  near the cars...see dotted line on map . The perils of walking in reverse ( to the recce) : it's surprising how different paths look . Linda didn't recognise  That Steep Hill because they must have come along the flat path that we went back on....oh well,  should be OK next time!)

In closer detail, we should have come along the track on right at top, bypassed the bottom of That Steep Hill and then gone along the dotted trail.....).