Mission Accomplished -Terry reaches the end!

Wednesday 22nd February 2006
Walk: Praia de Castelejo to Cape St. Vincent.

Leader: Terry and David;
Present: Paul; Myriam; Rod; Ian C-S.;Ian S.; Ian W.;Hedley;Antje;Janet;
Tiggy; Muffin

Unfavourable tides on the West Coast beaches had forced Terry to do a long leg on Day 8 - from Aljezur to Castelejo Beach, so that the supporting WW's would have a relatively easy day from Castelejo to the end of Via Algarviana at Cape St. Vincent.
The climb to the Customs House from Castelejo Beach was a real heart starter, the majority led by Terry and David taking Route 1, and coming to the Customs House directly, and a Gang of Three opting for the Middle Path, and cutting across towards Torre D'Aspe without the kudos of admiring the beach views from the top.
From there it was a fairly uneventful stroll along good paths and towards the end, a very rocky heath. There was a cutting wind, which happily was behind us, and we completed the trip in a little over three hours (wind assisted).
At the finish we met Jill and Dinah, and then a little later Maurice and Esme arrived.

Maurice was very pleased to show off his Graffiti skills by stencilling the last Cistus waymark on the wall of the Cape St Vincent Fort, and the whole group then got out of the wind and went to Pastelaria Baia in Sagres for some light refreshment.

Terry was remarkably fresh after his accomplishment, and with a little minor tweaking it looks as if they have achieved the aim of establishing and recording a very special route across the Algarve from East to West. Maurice did bring proceedings down to earth by remarking that now it needed to be done from West to East to make it a proper long distance path, - and I am sure it will be - Amanha!!