Battling On from Barao, OR The Great Algarve Bar Strike

•  AWW 22nd of March 2023. Battling on from Barao, 
•       OR The Great Algarve Bar Strike. Approx 17.5k

My second lead in three weeks! I decided to go for one I know without thinking about it - and even then something went amiss - thankfully not disastrously. I was expecting a smallish group, but in the end we were twelve, gathering at Bar Barao in Nave do Barao, at the earlier start time of 09.30. As it turned 
out, this was a wise decision, as the first twist of the temperature screw had definitely been turned, and we had cloudless skies and a mid-twenties thermometer, with a pleasant breeze to assist.

The Gang:

Geoff, Sue, Ros, Ken, Miriam, Alan, John, Susan, Linda, Ness, Jan, and Moi, plus Toby and Bica. Nice to have two dogs again.

In contrast to the Cortelha experience of two weeks before, the day was almost without incident. We left bang on time, and walked for a while down the narrow strip of tarmac used by the farmers of Nave do Barao to access their fields. We then turned off into those fields on a farm track, heading for the climb up the terraces to Nave das Mealhas. The winding track has become rather overgrown of late, but it is still sufficiently visible to make the ascent without error. 

Crossing the Lagoa da Nave

                                                And climbing through the terraces

After wandering through the hamlet (lots of great doer-uppers, folks!), we made our way to the ridge dividing the Barao from the Tor valley, and walked said ridge for a short time before beginning the descent to Funchais. At the top of the slope we found the small hunter´s ponds, which gave the hounds an unexpected treat. Then down through Cerro das Covas via narrow travessas to Funchais and the crossing of the main Tor - Algibre road.

                                                       First Water Stop for Toby and Bica

Yer Pays Yer Money......

                                                            And yer gets the horror show!

Reaching the river itself, we were pleased to find water again - not an obstruction, but ponds left behind after the rains last month. In another two or three weeks, if there is no more rain, the Algibre will be totally dry again. The signs are not good for our water supply.

There was a dry route across.

                                                            Can we stay here, Mum?

The next stage of the walk was a pleasant stroll along the valley, following the river line. The spring flowers are reaching their best, though to my eyes they are not as brilliant as in some previous years. After what must have seen to those departing from home early as quite a long morning session, we arrived at the Bar Reguengos (no sign and no wine), and sat down for a welcome break and lunch.

Nearly lunchtime.

After a longish break  -  cafe stops at lunch can encourage this, it seems -  I hauled some reluctant souls out of their chairs, and we set off to conquer the hill between us and the finish. We followed my normal route, turning off the Boliqueime - Benafim road onto a dirt track, but at this point I missed the turning uphill that I was looking for, which should have been obvious, and we wandered on until the track ran out. 

                                                               Post-prandial briefing

Fortunately, there was a fairly clear but stony and at times overgrown track heading uphill at this point, so up we went, steeply and for some time. As it turned out, we probably cut off a little distance by doing this, and we emerged onto the track up to the Tor ridge fairly close to the beginning of the descent back to Nave do Barao.

Update. I have discovered the error - we turned off the road too soon, and went on a lower track. The yellow line on the photo shows what we actually did. 

                                               On the steep climb. Geoff  ´admiring the view`.

It was when we got back to the Bar after a cheerful and smooth descent, that the afternoon began to turn into comedy. The Bar was closed - the lady had a doctor´s appointment. After a swift consultation, it was decided to head for the Bar Varzea beyond the Tor crossroads, and the convoy departed thence. Arrived there to find a note stuck to the door - ´Volto ja`. We hung around for a short while, but nobody voltoed, and everyone decided to call it a day and head for home. Jan and I were determined to have our drink, so we turned around and made for the bar at Funchais - closed. We ended up having our white wine under the plastic canopy at the Restaurante do Monte on the road to Salir - which we could have had with the group half and hour earlier. Such is life and memory.

                                                        Homeward bound.....

                                                                

To the Bar - - err, Nao.

                                               Nao volta? OK, bebemos na casa!

Thanks to all for a very pleasant day, and to Alan as ever for the pics. Quite a botanical slant to the collection this week. 

As I announced last time, stats are no longer of any real significance to me, but we seemed to walk just about as far as predicted, at a steady pace without breaking our necks, and everyone finished whole and in good order. What more can you ask for - other than an open cafe?

 The Malháo Mountaineers  15th March 2023

On probably the warmest , sunniest Weds so far this year 8 climbers met at the dizzy heights of Malháo

Alan,Martin,Sue and Rafa, Linda and Toby, Ness, Frank, Geoff and Ros.

It was already warm and someone actually suggested staying at the café and waiting there for lunch with a view instead of slogging up hills. Common sense prevailed and the hills were calling so off we set northwards past the large  'never-to-be-opened restaurant' , the 2 look-out towers and the very tall trig .

 

From there it was mostly downhill - easy-peasy 

The first of  the 7  promised water crossings. All feet dry except Rafa's.

A little further along the valley Frank diverted taking his recovering back on a route less steep than ours and we started climb no.1 up to the pylon and beyond.

 

A one-off . Alan is now in front of Martin !!??

The only bit of shade we could find for lunch was not very comfortable but we were all warming up.

We continued down the hill towards Zambujal where Frank had perhaps caught the bus and Sue had no chance of one turning up

 

Up to Corte Bucho and down to the Rio Arade for the big, wide, deep river crossing - NOT

From here we joined the Pé de Coelho PR route , crossing the Arade 5 times on our way

with Ness performing a very neat balancing act 

and Linda paddling with Toby

A few more sloshy bits before we reached .....

and climb no.2 Pretty steep, pretty warm and pretty exhausting !

where's the top ?

it's up there !

just round the next bend - well, UP round the next bend.

 yesssss!

😅😅😅 Phew !

Many thanks for joining me and I  promise I'll lead a flattish walk one of these days . Thanks as always to Alan for the photos.

My wikilocs and my lap top aren't talking to each other any more so the route below is Alan's - how he managed to walk 2 kms more than the rest of us is a mystery !

Tales of the Cortelha Seven

 AWW Wednesday, 8th March 2023.

Driving up to Barranco do Velho at the appointed time, I was fully expecting to be walking in cloud for much of the day. Thankfully, we only had about half an hour of it. In the midst of a wet, mild spell, we were unlikely to see the sun, though it did show its face briefly.

Anyway, here I was at 24 hours notice, leading my first full AWW for the best part of a year. The first half was a backs of the hands thing, after that I had my well-known and trusty Google photos for guidance.

We would have been nine, but Ken and Miriam had a sudden urge to see some medics, so seven it was, as follows:

Geoff, Sue, Ros, and Alan of the usual suspects, plus newcomers Jerry and Della, who for some inexplicable reason were coming back for more after their first experience. Still, after their epic journey to get to Portugal in the first place, they are obviously determined to ´enjoy´ themselves . Party completed by yours truly.

                           Some optimists were not wearing wet weather gear at this point!

Coffees taken and photo shoot done and dusted, we set off into the drizzly mist past Barranco church and along the ridge, delighting in telling Jerry and Della about the wonderful view they were missing. The drizzle soon stopped, but the low cloud persisted, and not until we were past the windmill, with the umpteenth telling of my nude photography story, did it lift sufficiently to get a glimpse of the bellavista down to Salir.

We could have used some help a bit later!

What´s a maple leaf or five hundred or so between friends?

                                        Yes, very funny, boss, but can we move on?

Across the road and along the track to Vale Maria Dias, negotiating the first of many small water hazards, we saw the completely renovated roadmender´s house on the N2, occupied now by an outpost of Civil Protection - very smart it is too. These properties should all be given the treatment.

Then it was up the hill past the barragem and round the wide curve to regain the N2 at Cortelha. I gave the group the choice of soldiering on or calling at the cafe for an early lunch. Given the damp conditions and the call of more coffee, it was a no-brainer. We sat in a pleasant fug in the plastic-covered roadside terrace, and were treated to sweeties by the cafe owner, in honour of International Women´s Day.

                                    Can´t get away from that Via Algarviana these days.

No, you can´t have a ride.

Where´s the taxi?

Haven´t a clue. It´s a David walk.

                 

             Jerry made a friend. Fortunately, the pull of home was stronger than the call of the wild.

Refreshed, and under lifting skies, we strode off into the wilderness east of Cortelha, first through a valley lush with vegetation, then steeply uphill to a ridge line. Turning east at the ridge, there followed a long trek along - or rather up - the ridge, so long it seemed that I had to consult others with these modern electronic gadgets to make sure I had not missed a turn. I had not!

                                    ´Not difficult, you said.` Leaders always lie, Geoff. 

And the ridge went on, and on

                                                                   .....and on.

Finally gaining the highest point, we made the turn towards our destination, only to be confronted shortly by a rather precipitous descent (forecast) which took some time to negotiate. Another reassuring consultation with my tooled-up companions ensued at the bottom - I was still on the right track! That was followed by an almost equally steep, and longer, climb out of the valley. Gaining level ground, we could at least now see the communications masts above Barranco do Velho, and know that we ´merely´ had to walk towards them.

                           It´s sticky fingers, bloody knees or a mucky bum - your choice!

And what goes down.......

...has to do the other thing.

Well, we didn´t exactly aim straight for them - that would have been too simple for the AWW. We seemed instead to walk right past them, and double back - which is precisely what we did. A final, and testing, valley and climb took us to the end. This final valley gave Alan his only real chance of the day to snap any unfortunates going over their boot tops in water (I had a boot full, but I was already across before the paparazzo got there😉)

O´er hill and dale they wandered, followed by:

Extended highlights of the crossing of the mighty stream. 

Right. Definitely RIGHT

Well, Salir is there somewhere.

And so back to Tia Bia, and a relaxing drink and chat outdoors, the weather having improved considerably. The paparazzo had gone on strike as we reached the end, so no pics of this bit. Take it from me, we were pleased to be sitting there.

Thanks to my fellow walkers, especially to Alan once more for the photos. I´m through dealing with stats. Suffice to say that according to Ros we had done more or less exactly what I foretold, though others disagreed (surprise, surprise!). We took rather a long time over it, but given a cafe lunch stop and some fairly severe inclines, perhaps understandably. The amount of ascent, at just over 300m, was surprisingly small however.