AWW 23.11.2010 Am I alone in thinking...(1)

No regular walk this Wednesday because the fit, the fanatical and the foolhardy were engaged on Day One of the 2010 Round-the Corner. But we have to keep the weekly blog going, else the RCB will no doubt cancel my licence. So I will abandon my motto of "Let thy words be few" on this occasion with these ruminations:


Am I alone in thinking...

that the world of football is too pervasive in our everyday news? One way or another, football appears in contexts for no possible reason, apart from journalistic attempts to “dumb down.”

For example, the other day I was glancing through a relatively serious article about the cyber threat posed by hostile hackers to national security. You know the sort of scary stuff – a modern day Fu-Manchu, a jihadist, a mega-Mafioso, whatever, who with a single malicious press of a button can knock out our entire military capability, close down all the country´s power and utility grids, fuse intruder alarms the length and breadth of Downing Street and, horror of horrors, disable every ATM in the land.

It´s enough to give Dismayed of Tunbridge Wells nightmares. You may well ask what is our defence against all this?

Well, in the UK, we have a man.

By the name of Lobban as a matter of fact: until recently a shadowy figure, the Director of something called GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) which deals with Signals Intelligence. The other day, however, he stepped into the limelight (as our Secret Service chiefs seem increasingly wont to do these days) and the resultant newspaper report went like this:

“ In his speech to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (I.I.S.S.), Mr. Lobban, an Everton supporter who took charge of GCHQ in 2008, revealed the alarming state of the cyber threat.”

Do you see what I mean about pervasive?!

Ever since reading that short paragraph, I have had sleepless nights, but these have been caused, not by nightmares over cyber-terrorism, but by astonishment and despair that our powers-that-be could ever let something as vital to Britain´s SIGINT as GCHQ be in the charge of an avowed Everton fan.

Where is our bulwark against the storms of evil now that a whole swathe of our national security is entrusted to someone emotionally linked to the fortunes of the soccer club that spawned Rayne Wooney?

Now we Brits prefer our spies and counter-spies to have a certain idiosyncracy and, when it comes to their sporting preferences , then we rightly expect those preferences to add to, not detract from, that aura of eccentricity.

Surely, the sporting links we look for in a man with such as DGCHQ are those, say, of a super-fit James Bond type (team suggestion – Alloa Athletic?), or of a brilliant counter-terrorist micro-engineer like Q (Forres Mechanics?), or of a deeply intellectual savant with a Mensa-rating of 185 plus (Hamilton Academicals, definitely), or of an irrepressible, mentally mercurial cryptologist (Preston Grasshoppers – different game but you catch my drift), or of a supremely gifted amateur sleuth (I Zingari by choice), or of a member of the minor aristocracy, superficially effete but with ice in his veins (Leander, Corinthian Casuals and The Athenaeum)....We could at a pinch accept a Belgian with spats and a waxed moustache.

But what do we get these days but an Everton supporter.

Finally, we are indebted to Ian S for this excerpt from the Court Circular for 24th November:

CLARENCE HOUSE: 
The Prince of Wales, Patron, the Poultry Club of Great Britain, this morning received Master Raven Power (Keeper of the Buff Orpingtons) at Sandringham House.
Mr. Simon Power (Father) was present.

AWW 17.11.2010: A Motley Crew at Sta Margarida: or STMSLTSTMA

 

Believe it or not, John O´ was the first to arrive at Sta.Margarida but, when he looked out into the swirling mist, he asserted that he was only there for the coffee and the craick. After a rather sub-fusc Starter photo, he made the full 5 yards back to his car, saying that he walked for pleasure and that, if it was a matter of getting wet voluntarily, he would rather go for a swim in the Silves Municipal pool and off he went to do just that. Well, an Irishman knows wet rain when he sees it and, for the first 60 minutes of the walk, I guess that most of us thought that he had a very good point indeed.

 

 

                                                                                    “You´re not getting me out in that.”

   

 

 

John O’ waves the Starters off.      (Click to enlarge.)

The Leader: Terry A.

Floundering Followers: David, Paul and Myriam, Rod, Terry M., Chris and Antje, Hilke, Tina, Maria, Hazel and John.

Water dogs: Tiggie, Misty, Rosie and (aptly named) Rusty.

The Track

The Statistics: provided by Paul and I quote

“No doubt you prefer your own, but here are mine & Myriam's independent stats:
TD            19.7            20.1
TT            5:35           5:45
MT           4:32           4:51
MA           4.4             4.1
OA            3.5            3.5
T.Asc        559            554
Max El.    432            430
Tilley Hats = '0'  A first since Blogs began I think! I am writing to Mr Tilley separately on the subject of integrated rain covers.
Paul   “ 

Well, I made the Total Distance 21.09 km, but what of it?

   

The Leader´s Report.

“From Sodden St Margarida To a Sunny Lunch Time To Sunny St Margarida Again

Well yes it was rather damp, ok it was a wet and misty morning when we gathered at the start

but all who said they were coming except Dina who phoned and said sorry but no walk in rain.

So coffee, photographs and chat over we strode off into the mist, the Leader not aware that

John O’ was not with us in person but maybe in spirit, so as he did not start it could not count as

as a loss percentage wise.  The rain soon was easing as we moved through the valley on the route

of the AW with Maurice's old blue dots still hanging on in places as we climbed up and round the

escarpment, down the road to Cerro with the weather brightening up all the time, by the time

we had walked into the next valley at Vale we had blue skies and sun.   By the time we had got to

the top of Picota at 350m for the trig pic it was sunny and warm but as we came off the ridge a little bit

of rain caught us. As we made our way through the valley of mature cork oaks heading for the cafe at

Sarnadas where, as the photographs show, lunch was taken complete with the fish and wine man

calling.  After lunch we stayed on good tracks and sorry a bit too much tarmac but to avoid muddy paths

up to Rocha dos Soidos and down  the difficult hidden path towards Alte  where the intrepid Leader had

moments of hesitance, or were they senior moments, this path being rather muddy with that nice red

clingy stuff but we managed to find the way without losing height to join the road by the water tanks.

We only then had to contour round the back of Alte to the Sta. Margarida road and along to the café

where we sat in the sun and said "didn't we have a lovely time".

Thanks to all.  Terry “  

In line with my motto from The Preacher “Therefore let thy words be few”, I shall let the photos speak for themselves. Thanks to those who sent their pictures in, especially to David who has just discovered a new function in his camera´s software, that of writing captions. With any luck, as he pursues his studies of that software, he will be able to find that his camera will write the blog for us without any human intervention.

A senior moment for Paddington.

Maria acted superior at the trig shot

but Paul soon brought her down to earth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A totally impromptu shot by Myriam……….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

………matched by John Singer Sargent’s memorable painting (Thanks to David for the reference)

 

 

Lunch at Sarnadas…...

……with meals on wheels

On the way up to Rocha dos Soidos, Myriam discovered a buggy

and tried to make a get-away, only to be foiled by Antje and Rod.

And we departed, leaving Paul to enjoy the evening sun, even if without his customary Bohemia.

Don´t forget the Caption Competition.

AWW 10.11.2010: Trundling to Talurdo, or The Leader´s Lament

 

A lone early riser,by the banks of Rio Arade, dreams as rosy-fingered dawn colours the silent Funcho backwaters.

Suddenly, her reverie is shattered by the deep-throated roar of mighty engines……..enter a supercharged Berlingo de ville, and other vintage models; the Wednesday Walkers have arrived.

 

The Starters

The Track

 

Present:

Leader:  Rod

Dina, Frank, Chris and Antje, John and Hazel, Tina,  David,  Paul and Myriam, Terry A,  Maria, Yves

Dogs: Tiggy,  Rosie, Rusty, Shelley, Misty

The  Official Statistics (per RCB´s wunderpod)

Tot distance : 23.8
Tot time: 6:35
Moving time: 5:25
Overall avg.: 3.6
Moving avg.: 4.4
Tot ascent: 585
Max elev.:264

 

The Leader`s Report

“Billed as a 25k plus walk to get in trim for the RTC, we nearly made it but not quite!

“On a pleasant, warm November day with showers threatening we set off along the mudflats of the half empty dam lake.....pleasingly flat and cut off a number of otherwise long inlet detours on the lakeside track.  This took us as far as the subaqua primary school, under a couple of metres of water when the the lake is full but currently open for business. 

 

The subaqua school

“Shortly after this ( once Rosie had agreed to rejoin the group) we were obliged to return to the main track taking us up to the high ridge forming an arm of the lake.

Great views from up there, especially of helicopters employed by EDP, moving, removing or simply planting pylons over the countryside.

On the far side of the ridge we followed a contour track looking over the main body of the lake before gradually descending to water level which we achieved this time without managing to lose Hazel! (although Frank managed to antagonise a seasonally disorientated bee, Myriam´s vacuum tube to the rescue.)The odd shower caused some to don impermeables but most hoped for the best and indeed the showers didn’t last.

 

 

Les Impermeables

Some sported fascinators

 

Others played gadget games

“A sharp ascent and descent took us to the end of the arm of the lake and onto the track leading up to Talurdo.  Halfway up here our leader suddenly ran out of steam....poor fuel, engine misfiring?...undiagnosed but caused some consternation and delay!  That over we reached the curious village of Talurdo;  this seems to survive, economically anyway, on medronho.  The only sign of life was a  rather fierce looking woman looking as though she was ready to take on the liquor excise inspectors, and a chimney pouring forth smoke and fumes which left one in no doubt as to what was brewing beneath it.  Sadly no-one appeared to offer us any!

“We reached the tarmac of the Silves/ S.Marcos road and then immediately turned off up to the top of the ridge. On the way up it became clear they really were keen on their medronho around these parts because they had actually, and most unusually since they are normally just scattered around the wild, created a small medronheiro plantation.  There the intended track was now chained off discouraging but not forbidding entry, so we carried on.  This gradually descended the long, very attractive valley to Bougado,  halfway down which we stopped for lunch.  At the bottom  of this one of the remotest houses and barns, and a small dam, has been built. Painted but unfinished and uninhabited, who put it there and why is open to imagination.

 

Blasted paparazzi - can´t even lunch in peace

 

“After skirting around this we returned to the original lakeside track. This winds along the lakeside for e few kilometres before climbing back up over the ridge. At that point, as we were somewhat behind schedule owing in no small part to our leader’s misfiring engine...by then functioning more or less normally...we opted to take the most direct route back. This meant a very sharp descent to water level and a return along the mudflats.

 

“As I was walkin´ doon the road

I met a coo: a bull b´god!”  (McGonagall – attrib.)

 

“What time are the evening classes?”

 

 

 

“This saved us 4 or 5 kilometres (For small mercies…..) but even so the walk took us to 24ks.

We repaired to a watering hole in Messines aptly named, in view of the efforts of the co-chief blogger, João de Deus.”

 

“Let thy words be few” ( Ecclesiastes 5:2)

Not at all a bad motto for a reluctant blogger, so I´ll just remind you of the caption competition: 3 pictures, 2 in the  27.10.10 blog and one in the 3.11.10 blog. The prizes will be wine of a certain vintage, at the Christmas Lunch probably. You don´t have to do it via Blog Comment. Most of us haven´t got the hang of that; just send me an email.

AWW 03.11.2010: A Blast from the Past or ‘Elevated Esperanças!’

By some subtle subterfuge, the CB has managed to blag me into blogging this walk – not sure why, since as the leader himself, he was in the best position to deflect criticisms, and pass over political posturings without pain. Some blandishment such as “Since you were not the Leader you will be able to take an unbiased and objective view of the walk” – As IF!
Anyway, to the walk itself, I got it completely wrong, as I immediately associated the start point at Casa Esperança with promises of coffee and ablutions, with a leisurely finish on his verandah being plied with Sagrés Bohemia, fine wines and Lays Gourmet crisps. I even went so far as to turn up with a 4-pack of the superior Sagres Bohèmia 1865 Reserva, in case he had mistakenly stocked up with the basic vintage. His look of astonishment barely matched my own when I produced the beer on arrival, and he blurted out “But we are having the drinks at Casinhas after’.     It was only then I remembered his proud Scottish Heritage!
Nevertheless, the toilets and coffee were very welcome – and he stashed away my Bohèmia for future reference. The move to have the drinks afterwards at Casinhas with the cars at Casa Esperança was to prove to be an error of judgement, leading to a rather fragmented finish, with only about half of the starters making it back as a unit.

The Whole Nine Yards (see HERE)

The first six inches (see HERE)

And now for John’s unornamented report.
Leader: John H.
Starters: Paul, Myriam, Chris, Antje, Hazel, Rod, David and guest Colin, Ian S, Terry A, Bob and guest Linda, Frank, John O, Hilke, Dina, Ingrid, Alex, Ian W, Tina, Peter, Lindsey, Yves.
Dogs: Maddie, Tiggy, Brontes, Misty, Bella, Shelley, Bob (f), Amos, Alfie, Rosie and Rusty.
Tilley Hats: Seven (pictured tho’ I am sure I counted 8 during the walk)

Oh yes, they were all there - at the start, anyway - 24 humans and 11 dogs! The Gang of Three in full voice: Bob able to get away momentarily from the day job: from East and West they came. The advertising must have been good. Was it the promise of Hazel´s aromatic coffee that brought them out in droves? Or had they fallen for the blandishments of the walk profile -
“Approx. 20km, easy tracks, no scrambling, very few and gentle updulations; this will help stretch legs.... 0.5 on the Paul Richter Scale. About 5 hours:less if we keep moving.”
Who knows.

How many sticks does one photographer need?

After 9 am coffee and 9.25 starter photo, we set off from Casa Esperança at 9.30 a.m. sharp. 25 yards later, Hazel led a Splinter Group off on a short cut scramble across the valley, while the elder and wiser went the easier level way round to the rendezvous. There we waited – no S.G. As the minutes ticked by, Ingrid seized the opportunity to check that every man there had greeted her in the approved continental fashion. The S.G. turned up eventually – some GPS failure in the depths of the abyss apparently.

At the double!

On the move again, at some speed to make up lost time, we headed into the Torres e Cercas hinterland and reached the back track to Poço Barreto. There, Maddie and Ian S. decided they had done enough and peeled off in the direction of Casinhas., leaving 23 and 10 to race downhill to Poço Barreto by 10.45 am.

One down……..

There, the dogs enjoyed a quick splash in the levada, and the leader and others a quick 10 minute slurp at Cafe Sustelo.

The leader needed a beer by this stage!

This photo took some organisation! Most of the dogs cooperated – but not the owners!

John O’ pondered two alternative means of transport home but decided to remain with us. He also lifted our spirits with a convincing demonstration of pole dancing.

Stop me and buy one!

Away from Cafe Sustelo, up the hill past the House of Words, Terry A remarking that this walk was “ a blast from the past” tracing as it did parts of Maurice´s old trails.

The ‘House of Words’

Soon after, we reached the last patch of shade for several kms; considerate as always, I asked if the group wanted an early lunch under the trees. Rod advised me not to put it to the vote - democracy wouldn´t work with this lot. So the ladies decided on lunch there and then. Rod then objected that 11.28 am was far too early to have lunch. Terry A, an old hand at dispute resolution, said that AWW lunches were permissible between 11.30 am and 1.30 pm. So we waited for a minute or two, and lunched. Or at least, most of us did.

Domestic bliss at the lunch bar

Ladies who lunch – separately!

Smartly off again at 11.45 am, the long haul then began. The next few kms through stretches of flat, agricultural land were, frankly, pretty boring scenery-wise. A flurry of excitement was caused by a weeks-old puppy which seemed to see Misty a mother figure and persisted in following us until Frank managed to pick it up and return it to its home base.
Turning for home across the Tinhosas road at Villa Perdiz, we then slogged on in the heat of the day to the Green Door (Music Cue: Frankie Vaughan singing “What´s behind the Green Door?”).
Note by RCB: I am not sure of the CB’s reference, but this one might be remembered by some of our group!

 
This became the parting of the ways; for a variety of reasons (whose genuineness I could not possibly for one minute question), Ian W, Bob, Linda, Peter, Frank and Ingrid plus Alfie, Amos, Bella, Bob(f),Tiggie and Brontes took the direct and shorter route to Casinhas. If my memory serves me correctly, that left 17 of us plus 4 dehydrating dogs to loop northwards over the hilltop, down past an older Casa Esperança into the Arade Valley, where Rod´s local knowledge quickly led us to a substantial pool in the river where the dogs had a restorative swim. Rod, by the way, was still expecting a proper lunch stop.

 Spot the difference competition see HERE

We crossed the Arade with ease – a mere 6 inches of water – through some pleasantly shady canes, crossed the bridge, and trekked resolutely past Cafe Casinhas – well at least a few of us did. Many, however, fell by the wayside and succumbed to the temptations of an immediate beer with the two Ians, or maybe to the sirenic charms of Victoria behind the bar.

 The early shift were cheered up by the presence of some bikers!

The doughty residue struggled up the final hill and duly completed the circle, reaching base at 2.30 pm precisely (Lindsey can vouch for that), collected the cars, and adjourned to the bar in proper order.

Horsing about!

Casinhas still has some shade at this time of year

Caption Competition – anyone please!

For the record (E. & O. E.), the residue of 24 starters and 11 dogs were:
Finishers: John H, Hazel, Hilke, Tina, Alex, Lindsey, Yves, Dina, David, Terry A, Antje, John O and Myriam (possibly Ingrid who made a come-back).
Dogs: Rosie, Rusty.
Postscript: also for the record, Rod and Misty did finally complete the walk at 3.55 pm, Rod having paused for his beer and his lunch (at last) before going up the hill and then having stopped again to advise a local farmer on his crop rotation.
For the record: Myriam took a total of 128 photos, I took 15 and John submitted 10 of his. Guess who had to sort them out?
Walk Stats: Short Course (to Casinhas – my GPS) and Full version (Myriam’s GPS):
Total Distance:           17.6 km                                  19.5 km
Total Time:              4 hrs 43 min.                         5 hrs 04 min.
Moving Time:          3 hrs 37 min                          4 hrs 30 min.
Moving Avg. :          4.9 km/hr                              4.3 km/hr.
Overall Avg. :          3.7 km/hr                               3.8 km/hr.
Total Ascent:           166 m.                                    a bit more (not recorded by M.)
Max Elevation:        115 m.                                      115 m.
(Simple explanation of anomalies:- Myriam walked round slowly at lunch time.)
A pleasant social walk, although the fact that we had to pass the drinks place before the end of the walk was  a strategic error on Marshal John’s part, but we won’t take action ‘pour encourager les autres’ as a similar thing happened at Castelejo Beach the previous week . The AWW Walk Leaders’ Manual will be amended to reflect best practice procedures!
       Of more concern is the 166 metres of climb would probably only have taken us to the Praia de Murraçao on Day 1 of the imminent RTC 2010. Don’t panic though…..
“The social kiss is an exchange of insincerity between two combatants on the field of social advancement. It places hygiene before affection and condescension before all else.”    London Sunday Correspondent