Recce Walk : Saturday24January2015:Barragem do Arade:CLOSED

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Geoff
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Recce Walk : Saturday24January2015:Barragem do Arade:CLOSED

Post by Geoff »

Hi all
Having explored a 4.25 hour circumnavigation of the Barragem, think we have found a shorter route, more suitable for the CVO Monday walks , but we need to check it out.
It basically swings out to the west of the Barragem and then loops back near the shore line.
Duration expected to be about 2.25/2.5hours.
Looks OK on Google, but we need to walk it to be sure.

There is a long uphill stretch, quite steep in places.

As it's an exploratory walk, we are only looking for about 10 walkers.

Degree of Difficulty ( scale 1:5 ) : 3 Energetic

Start:10.00 am


Directions : drive from Carvoeiro to Silves, go over the bridge and turn right and follow the N124 for about 7 kms until you see a turning on the left signposted "Barragem do Arade 3 kms".......the signpost is in a small triangular traffic island, which has a large palm tree on it.

Drive in the direction of the Barragem for 1km where there is a cafe ( A Rainha) on the left: carry on another km or so and park opposite the cafe " O Ze".

Usual caveats: all walks are at your own risk, and we do not walk if it is pouring with rain.....I will endeavour to put any cancellation note on this site by 0830 on the day of the walk.

Walking boots/stout trainers , walking pole(s), hats and water recommended. No charge, of course.

Please note that the cafe A Rainha will probably be closed at the start of the walk ( it was yesterday) but cafe O Ze should be open.....and they might even have got some milk by next week! The A Rainha has done a reasonable Prato de Dia in the past for €6 , which you might want to sample after.

Please indicate below if you intend to come.
etsac
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday 24 January 2015 : Barragem do Arad

Post by etsac »

Thanks Geoff - please add us to your list.
Regards.
Trish & Alan
mur1963
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday 24 January 2015 : Barragem do Arad

Post by mur1963 »

Hi....Gavin here. Please can I join you -1st timer as can't usually do Mondays
Geoff
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday 24 January 2015 : Barragem do Arad

Post by Geoff »

Hi Gavin...that's fine...see you saturday...Geoff
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday 24 January 2015 : Barragem do Arad

Post by Lowthian »

Hi Geoff, can you count us in. I presume a 10am start.
Regards Colin & Sharon.
Geoff
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday 24 January 2015 : Barragem do Arad

Post by Geoff »

I presume a 10am start.
Correct...and well spotted ( my omission!).....now corrected.
williew
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday 24 January 2015 : Barragem do Arad

Post by williew »

Me too
Carol
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday 24 January 2015 : Barragem do Arad

Post by WendyFisher »

Hi Geoff plz can I join the walk os sat am?? Sat with Colin and Sharon who have kindly offered me a lift
Geoff
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday 24 January 2015 : Barragem do Arad

Post by Geoff »

Hi Wendy....that's fine...and Nina...and Ros...WALK IS NOW CLOSED
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday24January2015:Barragem do Arade:CLO

Post by williew »

Did anyone else get their car broken into this lunchtime?
Gavin will remember that I double checked that my car was locked, before I went in to the restaurant.
When Ros and I left to go to our Portuguese lesson in Algoz, I couldn't get my key into the lock to open the car, but it was open and when I put it in the ignition, it worked OK, so I thought I'd just not put the key in right.
However, when I got to Algoz, I tried to lock the car, and still couldn't get the key in the lock. This together with the fact that I knew I'd checked it was locked before I went into the restaurant, made me realise that the car must have been broken into. They took nothing, because there was nothing to take, so I don't know why they did it!
First time in 25 years of coming to Portugal! :(
Carol
Geoff
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday24January2015:Barragem do Arade:CLO

Post by Geoff »

Hi Carol
I have just heard from Alan that his car was also broken into and unfortunately some items were taken.....he rang from the GNR station to check on the name of the restaurant...perhaps if you get his crime number from him, they can associate the crimes.
Don't leave items of value in cars!
Geoff
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday24January2015:Barragem do Arade:CLO

Post by Geoff »

We welcomed Gavin as our New Boy and will forgive him being a few minutes late!

All good recces have a few things that go wrong, and this was no exception!

Firstly, the A Rainha was still closed, scuppering our lunch plans.
Secondly , the cafe O Ze had decided to take their sign down ( it was there last week) , but the intrepid CVO Ramblers all managed to find it OK.
Thirdly, the cafe still hadn't got any milk.....apparently there is never any demand for white coffees from the locals.....but they don't mind if you bring your own!
Fourthly, we ran into an early and unexpected water hazard, though all safely crossed:
Image

Gentleman Alan offers a helping hand :
Image

Image

with Nina opting to run through the middle, too fast for my camera....and for some strange reason, didn't want to go back and do it again for the photo!

I would have said the walk was successful at just over 11kms and about 2h 35m.....but the fifth mishap was a wrong turning that cost 16 minutes......strange, a lot of walkers had thought we were on the wrong track, but none said anything until we beat a retreat. Odd that!

Image

Weather was a bit cloudy, but good for walking. Lots of lemon groves plus a close look at a new villa being built by the Barragem shore.

Fortunately, the "cafe with no milk" did have some beers to finish with (70cents!) and 10 of us departed to Casa do Vinho in Fuzeiros for a great value 8€ lunch, though by then the clouds had cleared and we admired the blue skies for an hour or two over lunch in a packed restaurant.

As can be seen above, the final and Sixth problem was the much more serious one of 2 walkers' cars being broken into ; a sobering end to an otherwise great day. At least we have a new CVO Rambler walk, cat 3 Energetic, I would say.
mur1963
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday24January2015:Barragem do Arade:CLO

Post by mur1963 »

Hi all ...Gavin here. Thanks for letting me join you I had a really enjoyable day but now saddened to hear of the break ins especially on Alan's birthday . Just double checked my car and looks like I was lucky. Hope to join you all again soon...I won't be late next time !
Geoff
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday24January2015:Barragem do Arade:CLO

Post by Geoff »

Sadly, we learnt today that Colin & Sharon's car was also broken into whilst we were at lunch!
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Re: Recce Walk : Saturday24January2015:Barragem do Arade:CLO

Post by Lowthian »

Hi Geoff, I can't say for definite, whether the car was broken into. The lock was damaged, but I don't think I had tried it before, as the remote button worked.
As I work with cars I always look around a car when I pick it up, but I didn't notice any damage to the lock at that time. After I saw what Carol had wrote, I remembered that I had left something in the boot of the car. So then I tried the key in the drivers door, the key hole was distorted, & the key wouldn't fit until I forced it in. On Monday we bumped into Wendy so I asked her If anything was missing & she said not. Also my satnav was still in the glove box.
All I can say is that I suspect whoever had damaged the lock on Carols car had also damaged the lock on mine.
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