Jo’s Monday walk : Beyond the hill

Often when I’m walking, or we’re driving, I’ll have those ‘wonder where that goes?’ moments.  Sometimes I never find out.  A week or two ago the other half gave in to one of my impulses, and lived to regret it!  We were walking in the back lanes, here in the Algarve, not far from our home.  Close to the pretty Ermida de Nossa Senhora de Saude, that you saw last week, a rust brown dirt track leads up and over a hill.  Well… what are we waiting for?  I need to know where it goes.

I’ve discovered an affinity with clouds.  Not those solid grey things, that blanket out the sun and planes have to carve their way through, but the soft-edged wisps that drift into the distance.  I love to watch them float over a hill, or sail out to sea.  More interesting than seamless blue sky.

Something else that fascinates- the rock formations with their crumpled, lived-in faces and wrinkly frowns.  And often a thatch of green clinging to the tops.  Here and there the skeleton of a tree, once ravaged by fire, still clings to life.

The motorway interrupts the scenery for a few brief moments, empty as it often was, even before the virus, and I get my bearings.  The trail heads north to meet up with a few inland villages.  As always, there’s a ruin at the crest of the hill.

With a magnificent view to the distant sea.  The trail undulates gently, a carpet of wild flowers on either side.  Can you see the bee hives down below?  You would think that with all that nectar they’d be contented, happy creatures, but that was not the case.

Suddenly my husband gave a cry.  He’d been stung on the lip.  The creature was in angry mood and a few minutes later he’d been stung again, on the back of the head.  A dark cloud threatened our morning.

I was lucky.  I wasn’t the victim.  For a while we walked very cautiously, but then the beauty of the surrounds, and a sign pointing the way home, lifted my spirits.  A conical house, all alone, would make a perfect sanctuary.

Before long we were walking beneath the motorway and back down the Fonte Salgada road, into Tavira.  Kettle on for a well-earned cuppa.

walking logo

Time to share a few more walks.  Thanks to all of you for keeping them coming!

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I love it when I meet someone else who loves our great outdoors.  Meet Donna!

Huckaby Trail – Sedona

Janet has something rather delightful to share this week.  Well, two somethings, really!

Jo’s morning walk…bathing beauty

While Natalie shares the beauty of a very wise tree :

Life and Advice From a Tree

Blossom and peaceful scenes on Debbie’s home patch too :

Wandering around St. Albans

And you can always enjoy a good gallivant with Anabel :

Burnmouth to Eyemouth

Or a jaunt round Lancashire with Eunice :

Spring comes to the Jumbles

Even a smile or two with Drake :

The guardian dog is a bird

Cee has joined us again this week.  How did she know I love figs?

Jo’s Monday Walk – Arneson Garden in Canby, Oregon

Only for the more intrepid amongst you, but you’ll certainly enjoy looking over Kelly’s shoulder :

Revisiting Nepal, Part 4

And touring some of the world’s most beautiful artworks, with Cathy :

The Uffizi in Florence, Italy

It’s 18th May.  Another landmark in restoring life to ‘normal’.  Today restaurants are allowed to open, with 50% capacity and other restrictions that will make the dining out experience far less carefree than it once was.  There are no tourists so we must continue to try and support them.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  Meanwhile, have a good week and many thanks for your company.

 

151 comments

      2. I seem to do well for lemon drizzle with the quantity of lemons around at present but at lunchtime today I had a fabulous lemon meringue pie 🤣🥧🍰🍩💕

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  2. There I was enjoying the view and lovely weather, then the bees attacked! Yikes! Sorry to hear that. I’m guessing hubby isn’t allergic, but that would still be painful. I hope the coffee and cake made things better.

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  5. Thank you so much for sharing my blog as well as all the others I look forward to exploring! I just followed you again, although I thought I already was following you? In any case, can’t wait to read more. I’m with you — I’ll take fluffy clouds over a solid blue sky any day. Your walk looks lovely despite the bee stings. Hope they healed up quickly.

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  10. As always, when I see such a ruin at the crest of wonderful hill – I wonder what made them abandon wiht such a view, guess it can’t be voluntary reasons.. 🙂 It can’t be unpaid electricity bills, because there was no electricity. 😀

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    2. Hi Debs 🙂 🙂 Sorry I’m a bit late this evening. Our neighbour booked a table at a small local restaurant. I’d almost forgotten how it felt to wander through moonlit streets.

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  12. Ouch! You two are in the wars lately! Being stung on the lip can’t have been much fun. Good job he isn’t allergic to bee stings! But a nice little wander – is that an actual dirt road then? It does look as if it has been carved out of the hillside. It’s a lovely evening here, I can’t quite see Alice from my computer desk, but I can see the hill behind which the sun will set in a while. Wind dropped now too and if I had the energy I would drive to a beach, but I don’t and Chelsea flower show is on in 15 minutes – time to get some ideas for the garden 🙂

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    1. A virtual Chelsea 2020, or recap of years past? Still 20C this evening and a beautiful walk back from town. So nice to see people relaxing a bit and smiling again. Not many about but an easing in the atmosphere. I hadn’t expected or planned this evening, but it was very nice. 🙂 🙂 Yes, a dirt road leading to the villages.

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      4. Small restaurant. First day of reopening so no-one knew what to expect. Only us sitting inside so no problem there. Marie’s choice to be indoors. I would rather have sat outside. He doesn’t have a lot of pavement space and in summer it’s not so great with petrol fumes, but tonight it would have been perfect. Virtually no traffic. 2 or 3 couples at the outdoor tables. The owner is just happy to get going and earn something again. 🙂 🙂

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  15. Pingback: Wandering around St Albans again – Travel with Intent
  16. Pingback: Monday walk…at the olive mill | This, that and the other thing

  17. I’m glad you took that path, Jo, except for the bee stings on your poor husband! I’m taking you along to support a local business today, which fits right in with what you talked about. 🙂 Restaurants and other places are opening up here, with restrictions, although I understand that some places people are going crazy and acting like it’s all over and safe. The particular one I read about was a bar, which explains some things, but not everything. Anyway, we plan to stay safe and are unlikely to be eating out any time in the near future, although I would have a coffee if there’s an outdoor area without people to close.

    https://sustainabilitea.wordpress.com/2020/05/18/monday-walk-at-the-olive-mill/

    janet

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    1. There has to be a happy medium, Janet. I’m late here tonight because we’ve been out for an evening meal with our neighbour, Marie, who lives alone. She has so been looking forward to this occasion. A simple, inexpensive meal. We were the only people eating inside the restaurant, so didn’t need to wear masks, I’m glad to say, but there were 2 outside tables as well. These people have had no income for at least 2 months and it is the least we can do to support them. Be with you in a few minutes. 🙂 🙂

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  19. Hi Jo, Sorry to hear about the bee stings on your husband and your jammed finger (from your comment above). I hope your hubby is OK and you injury is not too serious. The scenery and your photos from your walk are beautiful. The blue skies with floating clouds and the wild flowers make my heart sing. This week I have a wellness-related post that you read but it’s not directly about a walk. Thank you for the link as always. Stay safe and well!

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    1. Hi Natalie. My Mum used to always say it’s a good thing we bounce, and over the years everyone gets their share, don’t they? We were still at the beach this morning, thanks 😘🏖️💕

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  20. Other than the bee stings, that looks like a winner of a walk! Your poetic words about the clouds and the crags drew me in, as did the very appealing photos. Hope things are generally good in your world.

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    1. Hi Lexie 😊. Things feel quite complicated here at present but we were at the beach this morning and then liaising with friends to organise low key meet ups. It will take time and patience but life here is starting up again. 🤔💕

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