MUD MUD GLORIOUS MUD

 AWW WEDNESDAY 29JANUARY

MUD MUD GLORIOUS MUD

Shall we or shall we not? 14 brave souls, brave? The weather forecast was…, waterproofs at the ready off we went. The brave 14 from left to right:

Tom (friends of John and Susan from Cork) Martin,Miriam, Ken,John, Nora (Tom’s wife) Linda,

Kieran, Sue (my friend) Fiona, Jim, Susan and Peter, and the dogs, Toby, Bica and Rafa. A steep short ascent to the top of the ridge and then a steep, very muddy, slippery decent to the

other side…, who mentioned no steep ascents or descents in the invitation! A bulldozer had been at work or play and turned the path into a muddy swamp. Treading

carefully slipping and sliding on to a slightly less muddy surface, lovely spring flowers were out,

nature enjoying the wet weather!

Big raindrop showers…. waterproofs!

Onwards to the 1st water crossing…. deep, fast flowing water. Linda Peter and Toby braved the

stepping stones…..

the rest carried out individual risk assessments and headed back to what will

forever be known as ROS’s TUNNEL. On Tuesday Ros had given me prior local knowledge advice…

in the event of impassable deep water crossings, there is a secret drainage tunnel to alleviate railway

track subsidence risk! We are all so grateful Ros, otherwise we may have had to abandon and retrace our way back through

the swamps!

Some 15 minutes later we met up with Peter, Linda and Toby. The second water crossing had proved

too much for them and they had to scramble up and over the railway, luckily the express

train had already passed! Reunited we continued on to the Sant Ana church and views of the battlefield.

As we made our way along the river bank towards the barragem, we encountered more mud,

enhanced by the feet of a flock of sheep which had nicely churned things up ahead of us!

and on to the lunch spot, more mud and a wee water crossing.

The heavens opened as we sat down for lunch! The wind blew as if blowing its last, the rains drenched…, soggy sandwiches! Was this Algarve or

was it Ireland or Scotland! Enough is enough, time to head for home, up MONTE da BICA and the riding school,

Quinta da BICA (our Bica was having a great day out, we even picked up an Alsatian teenager woofter

who loved the AWW friendships! (sorry no photos)

Rain never faraway, we quickly head back to Intermarche. Suesan took the orders and Peter insisted in paying - birthday boy🎂!

Fiona immediately was on the case and an Intermarche cake suddenly appeared,

Miriam served up and we all sang happy birthday and the cake 🍰…, all gone! THANKS for all who braved the mud and the ☔️! 12.5kms 3 hours 25 min walking time