What's the matos?

Ian's Carrapateira Walk:

Leader: Ian C-S

Present: Paul; Myriam; Mike; Hedley; Chris; Gack; Tanya; Maria.

Xana; Oscar; Archie; Tiggy.

Again a smallish group on a promising day, weatherwise apart from the early fog which appeared near the coast. I am glad to have had the chance to record this walk with the Bamboo Diagrams , as it is likely that Ian and Pam will be moving on soon, and I have only a couple of their favourite walks recorded. Tanya and Maria had partially recovered from their acute blistering, won on last week's walk, and proved game enough to give it another go! They also had a collection of other aches and pains from horse-riding and tennis, but were determined to have an Action-Adventure stay rather than spend all their time shopping and lounging on the beach.

As we headed inland and uphill from Cafe Bravo, the fog did lift, and the first 4 miles was very pleasant with the riotous colours of the spring flowers in all their glory, and a warm sunshine. We passed a cottage which had a rather unique frontage bearing it's name, which I for one had not seen before. (Top photo above)

On previous occasions on this walk, Ian and Pam have been out on the route a few days before, clearing the secondary jungle which festoons the minor paths when they are only visited once or twice a year. However, the preoccupation with selling their house and planning their next moves had on this occasion, precluded the pre-emptive machete and scythe expedition, and we entered the narrow valley to be faced with extensive 'matos' - brambles, cistus, and young saplings across the path! This continued on the steep uphill to the Trig Point (photo) where we emerged bloody (Mike and Chris) but unbowed - and posed for the obligatory shot. Mike reclined behind Oscar, Gack thought it safe to unzip the lower legs of her trousers, and Myriam held her bandaged finger aloft to prevent the throbbing. However all was not yet over as the downhill proved just as difficult, despite Ian's best efforts in the lead with his Lidl Secateurs!

After crossing the main road towards the sea, the fog made a determined effort to return, and spoilt our sea views during lunch, so we soon pressed on down to the beach, which was alive with surfers, clad in wetsuits. And so we returned to Carrapateira, and the Cafe Bravo, which happily had a good stock of cold Bohemia, after a walk of 12.25 miles(19.71km), which had taken us almost 5 hours. It was Hedley's last walk until after the summer as he drives back to UK at the weekend. Thanks to Ian and Pam for their repertoire of pleasant west coast walks, and I am sure they will be back to lead some more, when France's shortcomings prove to be even greater than those we have to deal with here!!