Call it perseverance

Right, here we are again, trying to do another three walk suggested by Julie.

The day we walked around Amorosa was a a bit of a disaster. We didn’t complete the walk, no energy, no time. Today, we feel bright and cheerful, we are going to give it another go. We call it perseverance.

Walk no 13 on the Ciceron’s guide – North of Silves

Last night, we found a really cool aire around Silves which we are actually paying for, for a change. It is actually quite cheap, €5 for everything: water, electricity and very fast WI-FI!, so we had a bit of a IT feast last night.

It is a very bizarre place, it has a Portuguese and a Dutch flag, most of the motorhomes are from one of these countries. The aire is a bit authoritarian, though. The gate shuts down at 5.00 pm. So forget about going out for a meal, or for a late drink. This is like going back to my teen years where I had go back from clubbing at a certain time (I rarely followed this rule, by the way).

So, new walk today, around Silves. A bit of shopping in Lidl and we have now started the walk. It is meant to be 3 hours and has been categorised by the guide as ‘Moderate – easy’. Let us be the judge of that!

The walk starts in the village. Walk up the road, pass a cemetery. So far, so good, ten minutes walk and we haven’t got lost. Hopefully, we complete the walk today.

Walking up a surfaced road, what looks like a bridge in the distance is actually an aqueduct.

Quite a thin structure, quite clean and utilitarian. Very impressive.

Not sure how they get that concrete do thin and elegant, quite a feat. The concrete is beginning to spoil, and bits are falling off to reveal the steel reinforcement beneath. I hope when they repair it it remains as elegant. GDR

Julie, the guide, suggests we continue up the road ignoring tracks going off left and right. Typical of her, she doesn’t mention this windmill, an obvious way-mark.

It is also the best example we have seen so far, almost in working order. GDR

We have passed an Algarve house, which she does actually mention, although we don’t know what the difference is between an Algarve house and a non Algarve house when you are in the Algarve, but there we go. This house has a large plastic rubbish bin outside, which luckily is still here after eight years since she wrote this book!

We climb up to a col, with a dilapidated goat farm on our right. Yes, this is a goat farm but we wouldn’t call this a col.

We get nice views down to the valley.

We get close to a fork where we turn right.

We are coming through, once again, a woods of eucalyptus. Some of them seem to have been damaged due to a fire.

Eucalyptus is not an indigenous species here in the Algarve. However, this fast-growing species has brought some income to the region. Its timber is used to produce paper and its leaves are often used to make medicines. Yes, some environmentalists may raise their voice against of the replacement of other autochthonous species of trees by eucalyptus but, should we judge farmers for adopting this practise? Eucalyptus yield more than other trees and they need to earn their living.

The path meanders down through the woods and opens up to a valley where we can see many obvious way-marks like a pond down on the right hand side.

Directions are a very important to mention when describing a route. Mentioning whether you should be walking northwest or southeast is really useful, especially if you are up in the mountains where you have no references of villages, buildings or electric pylons.

However, what she tends to tell you is how long you should be walking on a path. Again, this doesn’t’ really help. People tend to walk at different paces depending on age, fitness and how easily is the walk. We have come across situations on these walks where she mentions ‘after five minutes, turn off right’. In fact, it has taken us one minute to reach that particular junction. As a guide, you have to be very, very consistent with your descriptions.

You also have to be very consistent with the terminology you use. A hill, a mountain, a col…get your definitions right and use them appropriately when describing a landscape. It helps walkers to judge distance, time, equipment, their level of fitness, etc.

Anyway, walking down this track, we reach a stream which she mentions. She also warns that it may be flooded in winter. True. The stream carries too much water. Gary offers to take his shoes off and carry me over to the other side. Such a gentleman!

Bloody cold though! GDR

Further along, the stream crosses our path again, so we cross it over using the same method. Quite annoying!

Apologies, we not taken any photos on the way back. We were too busy trying to cross the stream!

Eventually the path flattens out and passes a few farms with furious dogs barking at us. Guess what! she does actually mention the dogs in her description! It is very strange features she highlights.

The path heads back towards the village of Silves, where we started. The walk has taken us just under three hours, less than suggested on the guide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SM