Wednesday Algarve Geriatric Strollers The 2020's

      I had prepared a walk using Google Earth starting at the Hello Goodbye Car Park above the Barragem de Bravura and to the N and E, over about 9+ km  The problem with GE recces is that you never quite know what undulations you will have to surmount, and whether it will remain within the criteria, or whether it will prove to be NSFW (Not Suitable for WAGS). As I was mentally rehearsing the route the night before, I decided to check on ViewRanger, and there it was - a route in the same area submitted by an English walker, John Leeming, a circular of about 8.5 km on the map, graded 'Medium'.  I thought it would be good to try to follow a route on the App for the first time, so determined to go for this one.     In hindsight there is below the track map a full description of the walk. What I hadn't read is that in the middle of the walk, the description lightly states " In due course you come to an extremely steep section, looking almost vertic...

Rod's first walk of his 81st year,  I had pleaded with him to 'treat us gently' in my reply to the calling circular.  I don't know if he had been endowed with great sympathy as a gift on the day before on his birthday - but he did - (well almost)!    The Whittles had been encouraged to return by my plea to Rod. Jim Brownlow too.  As there wasn't a 6 Nations Rugby game for him on the previous weekend for him to crow about, Yves didn't attend.  The Hopes were burnishing their suntans and rehydrating in Edinburgh. Janet and Frank may well still be exhausted from their comeback outing at Meia Praia a couple of Wednesdays before, Ingrid has a bout of bursitis - I could go on but we had a satisfactory quorum of 8, 6 of whom completed the tour.         Jim had been burrowing in his wardrobe for some suitable Spring attire and had unearthed a superb Gilet from before they became fashionable.   How to make a Gilet look cool (...