WAGS 2021 06 02: Messines in the Sun and Mega Tostas

 Nearing the end of the WAGS season, we had a walk led by the expert, Terry.

Here is Terry´s report.

Another of my walks from Messines

We all met at our usual café for coffee ☕️ or what ever, as we were all eight of us + two ? ? on our way by 9.30am lovely morning blue sky and sun not too hot yet. 

Unfortunately there is always a bit of tarmac as you walk out of town I hope to keep it as less as possible, soon turning off onto pleasant tracks.

Whilst on the high ground I could see the two tracks I was headed for on the far ridge so no problem I thought, another short bit of road then turning right to head up the ridge, not a path I had done before, so far so good, in a short distance the track ran out, looking at Goggle Maps on my phone I was were I should be but no track! I knew the second track was over on my right so a short bit of matos and scramble and there it was, nice easy climb to the ridge.

 

The moral of this is you take Goggle Maps with pinch of salt the same thing last week with Rod, got me thinking or dreaming we leaders can sometimes need real-time information as to what’s up ahead? A map and compass don’t quite cut it anymore ! We need a drone and a drone pilot on our walks? Oh no, we don’t, I hear you cry, we have the spirit of adventure and not quite sure of where we are gone!! Anyway we plodded on new tracks in some very nice country side.

with some stunning views, taking in a old and disused chapel ? there was a picture board depicting a battlefield. We stopped for a snack and water while the why’s and wherefores were discussed.

 I knew of a track down to and under the railroad the tunnel high enough to walk through, then a good track back to the cafe.

Hazel spotted some colourful rocks.

The road home

 Distance was about 9.5 km.ish time 3.5 hours. Nice walk. I enjoyed it and I think everyone else also. Thanks for walking with me. 

Terry

The Map and Stats.:-

Yes it was indeed a good walk, and the post walk refreshments certainly added to the pleasure.

The Café João de Deus, recently re-opened under new management, now have an intriguing line of tostas, advertised in the menu as XXL TOSTAS. For those who find that  XXL a little bit threatening to the waistline, there is also the option of ordering a HALF XXL TOSTA . And that was the option that Terry and Rod took. And if you want to know what a HALF XXL TOSTA looks like, cast your eyes on this.

One presumes that a full size XXL TOSTA has to be carried in on a two-man stretcher.

The other food on offer were grilled chicken – adequate – and sardines which received a mixed reception. Hazel enjoyed hers well enough but our in-house sardine expert expressed disappointment, analysing the problem that the wee fishes had been badly handled when being hauled into the boat.

The service was remarkably swift. Paul may even be tempted to pay a visit just to try the tostas for himself.

By the way, if you want to learn more about the Battle of Sant´ Ana of 24.04 1834 and about Rod´s particular hero, O Remexido, you can do that here:-

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batalha de SantAna

or may be you will find it a rather confusing account.

And that´s all, folks, - a traditional blog this week. 

By the way, the question posed recently by the Chief Blogger remains unanswered:

Back to the well executed traditional blog. Do we need a poll here?
1. Traditional Walk blog by a participant with pictures and a tongue in cheek scrip: or
2. Random ramblings and musings which may be educational but never to all readers?

Over to the Chief Blogger.

Nothing to add, a good walk and a better tosta.  Lets hope this becomes the norm rather than the  other sort of blog, which hasn't received rave reviews (nor any as far as I know!).
   New WAGS Motto:  Apathy Rules!      -   (whatever!)