Wednesday 21st October (Lini’s Journal)

Brindabella's Web Diary
Simon Williams
Fri 23 Oct 2009 21:26

 

   The seas are building the other side of the marina breakwater with waves slopping into our stern ie. bedroom wall. That and the short finger pontoon making mooring not too easy meant Brindabella slewing around with creaking ropes all night: Not conducive to a good night’s sleep. I sleepily knocked out my bread dough making rolls for lunch and chopped fruit for breakfast. We joined our fellow walkers by our hire cars and commenced a rather frustrating drive to the start of our walk. Some roads were there but not on the map and junctions were sometimes flyovers where we drove under the road we wanted to be on. We soon located a spot to leave one car however and drove onto the end of our walk. The sewing machine engine in our Matiz struggled on some of the hills and I envisaged Flintstone moments with four of us aboard, having to use leg power to supplement the engine. The end of our planned walk couldn’t be found with roads closed and no signs, so we left one car in Porto Da Cruz a little further on. We then jumped into one car and headed back to Ribeira Seca and the start of our walk.

   I confess to worrying that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with our experienced walker friends, but the first section was along the Levada do Canical with gentle slopes and nice paths around the terraced crops. How we missed our turning towards Boca do Risco I’ll never know as considerably later when we returned it was so clearly signposted. (A darn sight better than some of the roads in fact!) We had experienced far more than most walkers however with scrambles up rocks (good for my flabby thighs), steep ascents through pine forests (a treat for the noses), a slide or two down muddy slopes (good for the complexion), not to mention the amazing views from the top. We also provided entertainment for the locals in a high altitude café, passing them by and trying another route every so often. I was having such a lovely time and it was so breathtakingly beautiful up there, when asked if we wanted to carry on or go back at the junction there was only one possible answer despite very achy knees. Up we went.

   A short walk then a brief scramble up a rocky section took us Boca do Risco a double sided viewpoint where we walked up to a grassy area for lunch with a 360° view. Eagles flew overhead. Being told the arrow symbol on the map marked ‘vertiginous sections of route’ was bad enough but Simon and Phil standing up and stating with raised eyebrows that they had just spotted our path scared me to death. Gingerly I followed as we turned west along the cliffs. Although somewhat scary in places I have to say it was a walk to remember with numerous pockets of contrasting vegetation and the most stunning views down the cliffs to waves crashing on the rocky shore. My poorly knee was decidedly painful as we neared Porto Da Cruz some time later with a steep slope down the road into the town to finish. Embarrassing Simon I grabbed an arm, walking backwards to my great relief. To ensure we’d had a taster of everything today our very last stretch took us onto the shore where we stone stepped over the sea. The massive white waves crashed one after another onto the shore and Simon waiting patiently for me to complete the stepping stones caught the end of the king of waves with a refreshing foot wash. Four thirsty walkers flopped into a bar by the seafront; the beer didn’t touch the sides!

   It’s always a mistake to stop and take your boots off after a gentle stroll I find, and so it was with all of us: We had mulched and a unanimous decision was made to stay put and have some supper. We ate olives and bread dunked in olive oil followed by fish or skewered beef all washed down with a jug of very young local wine. It was quite simply a wonderful day.