AWW 1.06.2011: A Paddle in Paderne or “Ee, Mam, it were ´ot !”

Your blogger had scarcely returned home from this relatively short summer´s day walk and hadn´t even got down to dealing with the photos and the GPS track when the Leader´s Report landed plonk in his email intray. Time of despatch 15.18 hrs. Now there is dedication for you. Not only that, but probably a record.

The starters leaning against Dina´s car.
Those perspiring:- David (leader), Tina, Dina, Alex, Hazel, John, John O’, Chris, Frank, Ian W.
Those panting:- Rosie, Tiggy, Bella.

The Track  (click to enlarge)
Stats:
Distance:- 13.73 kms
Time:- approx 4 hours moving. (Leader´s guesstimate)
And now the Report:
“Percurso Perte de Paderne
Or ‘Ee Mam, it Were ‘Ot!’
“Given that rain had persisted until the very end of May (and is still not done, according to the forecasts), I suppose we were fortunate in having a cloudless sky for this little adventure. Indeed temperatures were supposed to reach the high twenties, so it was appropriate that a shorter walk was planned.
“The recce was carried out on the previous Saturday, and was accompanied by a most sinister development. The leader had completed his task, and was sitting in the café in Paderne minding his own business, when a troop of scouts marched in, and proceeded to sit at tables surrounding him. He thought no more of it until he noticed the shoulder badge stating ‘Ferragudo’ in startling red. Now, one is not sure whether we passed an amendment to the rules giving the Hon.Sec. the authority to check up on leaders as they go about their legitimate business, but if so, this leader considers it a most retrograde step, and one that should be rescinded asap. The fact that the lady in question did not deny any spookery simply lends weight to my paranoia. I suppose it could have been worse – they could have been in plain clothes.
“All bar one of those booked in arrived at the football ground car park in Paderne well ahead of time, even though the start had been set at 08.30 in deference to the season. Sadly, Ingrid was not able to be there as her husband had been taken ill, but happily at the time of writing he seems to be recovering well.
“The route chosen was mainly along a trail marked by Albufeira Câmara, with a short loop added by the leader. It describes a figure of eight to the west and north of Paderne, taking in the high point of the Cerro de São Vicente – now there’s another bit of research for you, Rod. The official start-point is the small chapel of Nossa Senhora ao Pé da Cruz, opposite the sports centre, and from there the group tramped the road through Purgatório (no lost souls apparent) before turning up the valley between the Cerro and the opposite height containing the small settlement of Aldeia dos Matos.

The escape tunnel from Purgatório
Near here, we paused after the climb for some moments while Alex adjusted her outerwear.


“From here, the added loop was taken in, first following a short stretch of the Tunes road and then leaving it on the right to describe an arc over the hill and down to Aldeia dos Matos itself. From the map, it should have been possible to descend from there straight to Matos de Cima, but the recce had failed to find this track, so the route had to be straight through the village and back down the main road to locate the narrow road and track leading down to the valley floor below Cerro de São Vicente. At the crossing here a quaint ‘Swiss chalet’ wooden house was noted on the right. (Not by your paparazzo – sorry.)

A local bemused by our passage
“The climb to the ridge was undertaken in increasing heat, but in very pleasant surroundings, and a light but very welcome breeze helped the traverse of the opposite side and the footpath walk to the high point of the Cerro, overlooking the Paderne valley.   

We sought the shade at every opportunity
“A steep descent to an extensive vineyard west of the A2 motorway followed, and the first loop of the ‘8’ was closed shortly afterwards.

Descent towards Paderne

“At this point, Frank called it a day, as Bella was suffering from the heat.

Frank says “It´s a day.” 
“The rest then walked on alongside the motorway and under it, turning left shortly to climb the unnamed and isolated ridge running north above Monchina. Descending from the most northerly point, the route then led close to the motorway before turning to head for the Silves road out of Paderne. This road was followed back towards Paderne for a short distance until the turn to Alcaria, and a very welcome dip in the Ribeira de Alte for the two remaining hounds.

Shady tree, again
Cries of ‘where is this river?’ were beginning to be heard as yet another stretch of tarmac had to be negotiated before the footpath leading down to the Rio Algibre was attained. Thence to the river was a matter of a few minutes, and the crossing could begin.

Some came fully prepared
In spite of clear warnings, two members of the party (I’ll be kind and not name them), had failed to come equipped, so one walked barefoot and the other in his walking shoes as the rest donned appropriate gear and flipped and flopped upstream to rejoin the interrupted path. The heavy rain of two days before had thankfully not raised the river level very much, and the cool water was very gratefully accepted by all.

Paddling perfect

Cool waters

“Footwear reapplied, the walk back to Paderne was completed with a very pleasant riverside stroll, and the Café-Restaurante Moiras Encantadas was then invaded. Beer, tostas and pizzas were the order of the day, together with the usual after-walk chat, and the group dispersed apparently well-pleased with the morning’s perambulation.

It pays to do a thorough recce of the facilities 
“A highlight of the day was the continuation of the spring flowers so late in the season – fields of poppies and swathes of other unknown species, together with bramble flowers and actual blackberry fruit forming on the bushes – something I had not seen before in the Algarve.
 Some flora 


“This was the leader’s last walk of the season, as he will depart for northern latitudes shortly, so,
Byeeee! See y’all, in the Fall!”
Best wishes for safe journeys to David and Dinah. And while we are in horticultural mode, here´s something from our English Gardening Correspondent:-
“Hi John
Grateful if you could circulate the attached picture to the Group
with the following message ;
"To all cistophiles
Forget your counting of the blobs on the cistus flowers. The
picture (from my garden in Marlow ) must be the ultimate in varietals.
Beat that if you can."
Best regards to all
Hedley”

Well, I thought that “varietals” referred to grapes and I didn´t know that cistuses grew in England. Comments, Lindsey, please.