A break in the rain
Monchique Tue/Wed 3rd April
The journey to Monchique was a delight; bright and sunny
almost all day. Tourist information grimaced and said that the forecast was
more rain storms the next day. We also found out the routes to the two local
peaks to exercise us the next day, if we dared challenge the weather. We also
learnt that the “no entry” signs we had seen liberally spread either side of
our route to the menhirs, was in fact marking the GR walking route. At Monchique
we were on GR13 which headed off, in opposing directions to the two very
different peaks. Taller at 900m was Foia which we could walk to but was also
serviced by buses and boasted a restaurant craft centre and enough aerials,
domes and masts and towers to support an entire navy (the Portuguese navy to be
precise). We were more tempted by Picota at 700m but with just a marker and
watch tower for the walkers who scrambled to its pinnacle.
The night brought enough rain to fill the whole quota for
Wednesday, so after breakfast we set off in the sunshine; a break in the rain
certainly. After 200m we were putting on waterproof trousers and rucksac cover
– all of which were less than 100% effective. They could have been 99%
effective and still drenched us given the amount of rain and thunder we
variously walked through and tried to shelter from. The rain was torrential showering
down on to us then pouring down the hillside in streams that interlaced the
winding footpath. While sheltering under some far too skimpy eucalyptus trees,
the rain took a break – and turned to hail, dancing around us and bouncing off
our hoods.
We had another break in the weather just long enough to
tempt us (well me) to the summit, and take a couple of photos as the sky
darkened and thunder boomed from all directions. I hurried back to Karen (I’d
marked here on the Satnav just in case). The sun came back for our last 50m.
And so we ate our packed lunch in the sunshine in the Tardis.
Late afternoon we went to Foia, driving this time, yet still
being rewarded with stunning views to the South and West coasts of the Algarve.
We stopped the night in a sheltered spot near the summit, with a clear view of Portimao
graced by bright evening sunlight. So there is no justice; there is more sun on
the coast and the drive to Foia gave us a richer views than on the walk to
Picota.
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