AROUND MESSINES.....Gill's first sole lead

 AROUND MESSINES

My first solo lead as Jim awaiting a double hip op. We had done this walk almost exactly two years before, but a recce of the first half with Marian , Geoff & Sue helped refresh my memory.

A beautiful morning welcomed 18 enthusiastic walkers,  albeit to an incredibly slow Intermarche cafe. I think the most this year ?...at least to start a walk, if not to finish!
Welcome to our new recruits  Kieran & Fiona and Hazel.

Fiona, Kieran, Gill, Geoff ,Linda, Tim, Jan, Martin ,Clare ,Peter, Miriam ,Susan, Marion, Hazel, Kim and John ! Alan of course behind the camera ! Dogs.   Bica, Rafa, Toby and Ziggy


We March up a wee hill ( as Jim would say ) for our photo and to look at the amazing view.

And then back down again.....albeit with a couple of false trails where we thought we could do better than the recce....but couldn't!

Spring flowers around the valley bottom where we all stopped to admire with a banana stop:

Before off again, but unfortunately the sheep and goats we saw on the recce, especially their little additions, had moved on. We did pass the remains of an unidentified rambler who once passed this way though:

We had 2 water crossing but thankfully stress free ( not like the week before !)

We all went under the rail tunnel , following leader's instructions....not like the Christmas Lunch Walk when half a dozen  declared UDI and clambered up the bank and along the track !

We reached the    Sant Anna church  and battle site :

We missed Roz  who normally would give us a history lesson ( hope the knee is on the mend )

Onwards through the pines then onto our 1 st glimpse of the Funcho or should I say a very dry Funcho:

Then it was time for our  wimpier friends to go back the shorter route ....all with a host of excuses and injuries...

After a long goodbye  the resilient 10 marched on . "Was it lunch time ?" ( John and Martin ), " no" said Gill so we went on to the chosen spot. I chose this spot because of it beautiful views across the water .

Sadly there was none … a boat without water is all we saw !

Ups and downs , beautiful views of the rolling hills and some low water in the distance:

Newcomer Tim shamed us by showing he could run uphill...

Finally on to the via algarviana  all the way home :

Unfortunately, this track had been tarmaced,  making it hard on the feet :

So we cut off a corner and headed  back, just in time  for Ross and Sue to join us for well deserved drink....they had been strolling  and lunching with the WAGS as they both had poorly knees.

Many thanks for your company
19 and a half km.....almost 1km less than before, due to shrtcut.

Gill

PS...Jim update
He came home on Sunday and he is feeling good ! 

Stats and map:

Jim up date
He came home on Sunday and he is feeling good !