End of Term Walk and Lunch : 8 December 2022.....or, To Walk, or Not to Walk, that was the Question.

 End of Term Walk and Lunch : 8 December 2022.....or, To Walk, or Not to Walk, that was the Question.

The forecasts were looking grim,most saying 90%+ rain in morning, yellow warnings abounded : as the day approached, they got worse....but accuweather shone a beacon of light ; a window in the morning of only 8% chance of rain. Like Ike on 5 June, one dithered, but with the advance columns from east of Loule leaving at 0815, an early decision was needed...let's go for it!

Ros had declared last week that "...I promise to walk quietly at the back next week and not feature at all in the blog" ....so, true to her word, decided to stay at home in the warm ( Ros doesn't do hot walks either), but the rest of the 21 walkers all arrived eagerly at the Casa de Vinha.....apart from Karen who had a lift mix-up with our treasurer over lifts. Menu options chosen, we assembled inside due to the rain...

L to R : Linda, Ken, Miriam, Martin, Sue M, Julie, Lee, Jan, Terry M, Sue H, Cycling John, Alan, Russell, Geoff, Tony, Frank, Eileen, Steve

Margaret wisely decided against walking so took the photo instead, and 18 of us set off....the stair-rods having reduced to a drizzle : the wimpy option of the shorter Menhir walk was abandoned, onwards to the barragem! It was good to see Eileen and John back.

We soon began to straggle...

....especially up the hills and down the slippery ones...John and Eileen wisely decided that enough was enough, and retreated back for another coffee...but we kept smiling...

.....Miriam and Russell took tumbles........

.... but eventually we were on the flat...

.....and the rain stopped!....

...for a while anyway...

....and a quick walk back through the village to find an immaculately dressed Ros, with never a " told you so " within earshot.

Lee wanted a quick warm...

David and Dinah joined us for lunch, along with Noreen who had waited patiently all morning. The Casa de Vinha  is now back with Maria, and all enjoyed javoli, doradas, chicken legs...oh, and a fair bit of wine!

Many had polished their antlers, though Miriam's earrings had lost their lights...

and Frank sported his Christmas tie. ( remember those?)...

....and the waitress wore her festive  headband too...

or did she borrow Ken's ???

Ros, yes that girl again, gave a speech paising Ken for his Himalayan odyssey, and to Sue H for completing the 630 miles of the  SWCP....

Geoff thanked all who came, for those completing the VA in the 26th year of the AWW, for David and his colleagues for the way-marking cistus signs that had withstood the test of time and toasted the  ongoing health of the AWW....he meant to give thanks to Sue M , our hardworking treasurer too....(sorry Sue, blame the  wine!)...

Thanks to all for another good  and eventful year ( not completely over, 2 more walks left!) and to Alan  for most of photos.....oh, the walk was just over 11kms.

Geoff