AWW 29.09.2010: Fonte and Back, or a Paderne Perambulation

A muscle-stretching walk led with their customary quiet efficiency by Hilke and Lindsey. Little markers in the trees bore witness to the dedicated reconnaissance's put in by the pair during the  hot summer months. A good turnout too, with two young visitors from England and Canada, and a much-welcomed return by Maria, whose last appearance had been on 7th January 2009.

The Starters , less One.

and plus One, makes twenty.

Leaders: Hilke & Lindsey

Walkers:  Terry A, Terry M & Sam, Hazel & John, Maria, Ingrid, Paul & Myriam, Chris & Antje, Ian Wilson & Chris, Rod, John O’, Janet, Tina, Dina,

Dogs:  Tiggy, Misty & Rusty

The Track

The statistics

Total Distance: 15.62 km (9.7 mi)

Total Time: 4:42:46

Moving Time: 3:31:19

Average Speed: 3.32 km/h (2.1 mi/h)

Average Moving Speed: 4.44 km/h (2.8 mi/h)

Max Speed: 11.38 km/h (7.1 mi/h)

Min Elevation: 96 m (316 ft)

Max Elevation: 282 m (925 ft)

Elevation Gain: 562 m (1843 ft)

The Leaders´ Report

"

Another walk in the Paderne area, this time starting from the Fonte de Paderne.  Former walks in this area had started from the parking space below the motorway, but this place was much more romantic, and it was one of the few areas where there was water for the dogs (which they needed urgently when we returned after some hours in the heat - they dived in and enjoyed the cool water) and it gave our paparazzi the opportunity of watching our group of twenty balancing across a little stream.

"No luck, though, nobody fell in.

Well, a group of twenty: twenty we should have been at the start, but you will see in the photo that we were only nineteen to start. After we had turned the first corner, John O’Neill came towards us in his big 4-Wheel (had he wanted to try it out on the dirt roads ahead of us?), but he was persuaded to leave his car at the roadside and joined us for the walk (at the end of it, though, he strode immediately back to it in its lonely place and did not join us for a drink).

"We passed the castle of Paderne, then walked down on a beautiful, shaded path to the Roman Bridge and along the  Quarteira River, where the dogs had the last opportunity of splashing in the water. After that there was a long climb towards Malhão, where we all recovered a bit in the shade – one person leaving some lixo behind him - before passing the motorway on a bridge.

Can´t he read?

"A path through lovely countryside brought us to another road and there the most adventurous part started. No paths any longer, but cross-country was the order of the day. We had placed some markers when we had reccied the walk so as to avoid the most difficult and scratchy stretches and, as instructed by Andrew, (obedient as we are) we collected them.  But our flags were soon discovered.

 Surely that´s not Lindsey scrumping?

"Without any trouble we got to the top of the ridge all right encountering some hunters, dogs and guns and we met a well-known path at the right point.  Lunch was eaten in the shade of rather sparse Alfarrobeira trees.

Paul (the stick insect )

"An uneventful, easy walk brought us back to our cars. Our only bad luck was really that the café we had wanted to go to, the Zip Zip in Purgatorio,  was closed  because of illness. So we turned back to the Moiras Encantadas in the centre in Paderne and found a place in the shade all to ourselves. "  

Back at the Fonte........the dogs`relief.

 Hilke, thinking about having to do the Leaders`Report

Post-walk depression, or is it just that the beer has run out?

"And did those feet........." (part two).

End-piece  

Next week, Myriam is going to organise a toe-nail painting competition; come prepared.