AWW 09.02.2011: As Easy as ABC*

*Almargem Bensafrim Circuit         

The sunny days had lasted a week and were on the cusp of changing this Wednesday, and most experienced walkers had packed both winterwear and raingear for this re-enactment of the Almargem walk of 16th January. Ian W. had awoken to a steady drizzle at his lofty perch in Montinhos, and had decided to ‘go commando’ under his waterproof breeches, thereby scaring wildlife and irritating his more sensitive companions with a plastic rustling swish as he walked.
          The three participants in the original Almargem walk, Myriam, Dina and myself, were here again and interested to compare stats with that walk, while Rod, who had an incomparable familiarity with this area, from days spent plodding around on horseback from Quinta de Paraiso, was on hand to offer helpful suggestions on the chosen route and how to improve (and lengthen) it – largely ignored, as most (especially the Leader) felt that 16-17 km would satisfy honour for this week.

Overcast at the start at the marketplace

 

    

Commentator: Paul

 

Referees: Terry A., Frank, Chris, John O’, Ian W., David, Rod, Bob, Peter.

 

Assistant Linepersons: Alex, Maria, Dina, Hilke, Tina, Myriam, Ingrid, Lindsey.

 

Runners: Cybele, Tiggy, Bella, Alfie, Rusty, Rosie, Misty

 

A good quorum of 18 turned up for the start at Bensafrim market place. A notable absentee was the CB, who had cancelled the previous evening citing “a torn inner left gastrocnemius”, which I immediately Googled in case he was malingering, and found to be a strained calf muscle, intimated from the translation 'stomach of leg' (modern Latin, from Greek γαστήρ (gaster) ‘stomach’ and knēmē ‘leg’.  I had imagined all sorts of plausible explanations for the injury, but the sad truth was revealed when Hilke blurted out (under interrogation) that he had been disporting himself rather over-vigorously during a Scottish Dancing training session with Hilke in Hazel’s absence, when as a result of high kicking(hopefully unkilted!) the gastrocnemius had said ‘Enough is enough – remember your age!’

   Later the absence of Terry M. was explained by a call to Yves who had helped him to hospital that morning with a suspected detached retina. Latest is that he has been told by the Doctor to ‘ignore it and it will go away’ which he claims is quite difficult with a “a big spider constantly shifting across your iVision’. This news came after I had offered him a cheap iPad…..

 

The latest iPad

     

Apart from providing an ambulance to convey Terry M., Yves has also sacrificed himself to tending to his wife Katherine, who has had an unfortunate fall and broken her arm just below the shoulder, NOT participating in a WW luckily. This must be serious as it is very rare that Yves does not walk after a victory by ‘Les Bleues’ in the 6 Nations. We missed him strutting and crowing like ‘Le Coq Sportif’!

Ian S. failed again to make a comeback, but was partially excused by having to wetnurse Chris and Antje’s new puppy Sasha, so that Chris and Tiggy could come on the walk, as Antje is away on Grandmothering duties. No doubt it will take a walk of less than 3 km AND free beer to motivate him! He and the injured CB did turn up at the end, bravely bearing their disabilities to join the Après Walk Ceremony.

Preparing for ‘one for the burra-burra’

 

  Janet is back from her grandmothering duties and other traumas, but is apparently convalescing from a bout of bronchitis. It is an interesting fact that ‘grandchild’ is a word for ‘germ-factory’ in Ubuntu, so we can probably expect Antje to be similarly afflicted on her return!

 

Anyway enough of the injury list which almost matches England’s in the first round of the 6 Nations last Friday, but happily England’s hopes are still alive after a victory over a depleted Welsh side. The reason for all the padding and preamble will be revealed soon, as the walk went rather smoothly with not too much material for comment.

 

The track was pretty well identical to that of the 16.01.2011 (link)  except for a little spike at the most westerly part of the walk, where I had taken my eye off the GPS and Rod using his local knowledge had ploughed on up a good track, missing an obscure path which might have saved us a couple of hundred metres.

Comparative Stats:

                                                    AWW                                        Almargem

 

Total Distance                               16.44                                         16.16
Total Time                                    4 hrs 40 min.                              5 hrs 22 min.
Moving Time                                 3 hrs 47 min.                              3 hrs 56 min.
Moving Avg.                                  4.3 km/hr                                   4.1 km/hr
Overall Avg.                                   3.5 km/hr                                   3.0 km/hr
Total Ascent                                   372 m.                                                        
Max Elevation                                 135 m.

 

 So as you can see, apart from Almargem having a much longer lunch and perhaps having to wait longer for the tail to catch up (49 walkers) we have much the same speed. I have since realised that the altitude and elevation figures as recorded on the Almargem walk were spurious and possibly included the car ride home, so I have not repeated them.

 

We got underway, no more than 10 minutes late, under a heavy overcast at odds with the forecast earlier in the week that the rain would not reach us until the evening. The first kilometer or so was on tarmac to enable us to reach the trig point to the south which has superb views over the village.

 

   

     Maria had the best view and there was no shortage of volunteers to help her down, but alas the paparazzi were poorly positioned and missed the incriminating photos – say no more!

  

Across the plateau and through some scrub, and again we were on a narrow tarmac road descending to the Lagos-Bensafrim road which we crossed then had to hurdle a couple of (un)electrified fences, to reach a bridge across River Bensafrim, where Maria demonstrated her climbing skills again, this time her assistant was recorded for posterity!

 

 

Shortly after this there was a farmyard where there was some ongoing racial tension between two different breeds of geese, and also a massive cockerel. Some of the ladies were heard to remark that it was the biggest one they had ever seen! (Note to CB; Can I be fired from blogging for that?)

 

later identified as a Salmon Favorolle Rooster

Faverolles were developed in France in the early 1800's. Although rare, Faverolles are enjoying an increased popularity among backyard flock owners. The most popular type of this chicken breed is the Salmon Faverolle. The Faverolle (Faverolles) rooster is straw, black and reddish colored, while the Faverolle hen has creamy white and salmon colored feathers. Faverolles are hardy in both the heat and cold, and are very docile and friendly.

On we went past Quinta de Paraiso, and followed a rougher track alongside the River Bensafrim until it crossed the river, which was at least knee deep at this point so we turned left and headed up to Almeira Comprido, the selected lunch spot. There was enough rain at this point to encourage most to don waterproofs, and for Rod to raise his Cranesque umbrella. David being a hardy Lakeland type toughed it out and it stopped soon after we started the climb.

 

The rain, it raineth on the just, and also on the unjust fella;

But mostly on the just because the unjust steals the just's umbrella!
-Ogden Nash

 

There were some hills!

 

Lunch was taken early at just before 12, but I am unwilling to set a precedent in such matters. We certainly didn’t linger as long as Almargem, who are apparently operating under Civil Service Rules.

Most managed to find a seat, and the toilets were adjudged to be of a very high standard. After a good 20 minute break, I announced in a loud, clear  and manly voice that it was time to press on and I led from the front assuming the others would follow. After about 400 metres we heard a plaintive cry from the lunch spot, and looked back to see three of the ladies still at the venue. They claimed to have been so engrossed in spirited conversation in the lee of the ruins that they hadn’t noticed our departure…….!

…….but other theories were quickly advanced!!

 

(regrettably I could only find this extended version, but I seem to remember from Baring’s Mother Goose that ‘3’ was the specified number of ‘Old Ladies’!)

 

After a fine ridge walk and an unfortunate descent and climb, we reached the ruined windmill to the west of Bensafrim, scene of many a group photo, where, unwilling to break with tradition, we posed yet again.

The old ruin (s )

 

In order to exceed the 16 km figure it was now necessary to complete a further loop crossing the N120, and then back towards Bensafrim under the A22. The extra spike occasioned by Rod’s local knowledge took us past the old scarecrow which must have been there at least 10 years, and whose trousers were still better than Tony Webster’s!

Does anyone have a photo?

 

And so back to Café Caseirinha in Bensafrim where the social members joined us on the esplanade, and where Maria produced the Artesanarto crisps, to ensure she got good photo coverage in this blog! – I have my price!

Myriam balanced on a plastic chair to achieve this photo with John’s new Panoramic camera. 3D will soon be available to subscribers!

 

Ian S. rehearsing his excuses for next week while Alex and Tina discuss the ‘Victoria’s Secret Catalogue!

 

Custom has made dancing sometimes necessary for a young man; therefore mind it while you learn it, that you may learn to do it well, and not be ridiculous, though in a ridiculous act.  Chesterfield, Lord