WAGS 1 02 2023: I Say, Old Man, That´s A Bit Steep, or Castro de Alferce

 

The WAGS were invited by Rod to partake of a "not too violent" walk. Just see what we let ourselves in for. Here is Rod´s report.

Castles in the air!

John & Hazel, Maria, Yves, Dina, Antje (& Chris) and Rod met up at the nameless café in Alferce (well it doesn't really need a name being  the only one in town!) on a brilliant, if quite chilly, morning.  From the café we drove a km or so back  to the start point; the beginning of a track used many times over the years where we could park.

From there we set off down the track for about a km when we came across a scene of great activity. This proved to be one end of a  really quite ambitious project involving a wooden stepped boardwalk on either side of the steep valley with a bridge (yet to be built) across the ravine at the bottom. 

This will link the village with access to the valley and to the Castro of Alferce, off road and with wonderful views....creative planning indeed.

Our mission from this point was to climb up to the Castro of Alferce  a] to see if much more on the archaeological front had been completed and b] to enjoy the views.  There has been a new signed footpath  heading up to the  Castro.

Castelo de Alferce   2 km. (ida e volta)

The walk was billed as «not too violent»...well that proved to be a matter of opinion evidently. 

Certainly it was quite a long steep climb all the way up, but at least punctuated with stopping places  for R & R and for admiring the views.

Still climbing

The boardwalk estaleiro - the lowest point of the walk- is circled in black. 

At the top the Castro archaeological  works have progressed but little over recent times. There are several superficial diggings covered in protective material but no obvious recent work.

Some of the old walls

The whole site is quite extensive and it is obvious why the Moors chose it, with its all round views and direct line of sight to distant Silves castle.

We spent a while wandering around the whole area ---making the most of the wonderful clear sunny weather and far ranging views.

The descent, via a vehicle track on the west side, is a bit of an anti climax; limited views mostly of old lithium mining plans shelved, hopefully, for ever, and the increasing odours of active piggery farming and a short stretch along tarmac back to the cars.

And so back to the bar, enjoying on the way the local Banksy handiwork! 

So we climbed 190metres in 1 kilometer. Can anyone calculate the angle of ascent from this ?

The Café does have a name but it can only be found inside, not seen from the outside 

Most of the pratos do dia had been consumed as were the tostas but the peru when it eventually arrived was adequate.

Peru schnitzel

Not so the bife, which soon found its way into a doggy bag.

Febras substituted for the inedible bife

Antje´s lulas took an age to arrive but , when they did, she declared them to be the best she had ever tasted

Agreeable enough female owner but unlikely to achieve a Michelin star any time soon....need to reserve choice of dish in advance next time.

Or demand priority service

Alferce is an area with very virtually no flat tracks but when the boardwalk is complete it will surely be worth the effort to tackle the challenge.

Rod

For those of you who didn´t follow Rod´s earlier reference to Banksy´s handiwork or those  who confined themselves to the Café, there is a short alley was across the street from it which has been pleasantly decorated.

 This alley leads you through, depending on your predilections, to the doorway of the well-known Roxy Night Club or to the village church.

And what else has been going on in the world recently?

Well, James Pirie and Son, Blairgowrie bakers, won the  World Scotch Pie Championship 2023, having previously won it in 2018 and 2020. In another competition, The Scottish Golden Haggis award went to Grants of Taynuilt, and McCaskies of Wemyss Bay were the Black Pudding World Champions .

Oh, and Scotland won the Calcutta Cup for the third year on the trot.

Rod selected this week´s closing music.