Jo’s Monday walk : Barragem de Beliche

A lingering rock cistus highlights the banks of the reservoir.  A couple of weeks ago I ventured up to Beliche, in part to check the water levels, but also because it’s a largely uninhabited area.  Or so I thought!  The car parking area alongside the dam surprised me.  Leathers and helmet clad bikers were thronging the space.  But they kept to themselves, and we duly distanced ourselves too.  As they pulled away we got a thumbs up and a cheery wave.  Life has to move forward, but you can choose your own pace.

Around here, you can imagine, it’s pretty slow.  April and early May saw a lot of rainfall.  A Godsend, because the reservoirs were dangerously low.  And also because the Portuguese really don’t like the rain, and were very happy to stay home and avoid it.  Fique em casa!  Stay at home.  Job done!

There were no tourists, so nobody to get upset but a handful of disgruntled expats who’ve chosen to live here.  Blue skies are theirs by right, aren’t they?  And eventually were restored, the timing being almost perfect, as beaches and beautiful countryside again became available.  With enormous gratitude for what we have, and not a little trepidation, we set out.

If anything could dispel doubt, it was the sparkling blue waters of the Beliche dam.  Such a relief to see water levels being restored, for summers here can be long and hot.  Bypassing the fearsome machinery, we climbed the hill to gaze back down at the dam.

I freely admit, not the most exciting walk we have ever undertaken, but just then it felt like giant steps into the unknown.  I delighted in the freshness of the air, and the soft sprinkling of lemon and lilac flowers dusting the hillside.

A cloud passed overhead, just as I was pausing to admire another solitary cistus.  And then drifted away to join its brothers, dreaming in the sky.

This circular walk is a little more than 6kms, sufficient in the mounting heat, and before long we were below the IC27, which runs north towards the Alentejo.  There are a couple of farms in the valley, and a donkey, who gave me rather a disdainful look.

Experience has taught me to be more wary of beehives!  And their aggressive inhabitants.

The map indicated a river flowing towards the dam, but it must long since have dried up.  The telltale reminder, an overgrown measure of depth, was just visible through the shrubs.  A gentle climb brought us back to the car park.  I’d love to share the lemon drizzle cake made by one of my companions, to celebrate our first visit since the onset of the virus.  But I devoured 2 pieces, and never even gave it a thought!  Next time…

walking logo

However, I’m more than willing to share some great walks.  Here we go!

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Always good to meet another Algarve blogger, and Tracy is also a published authoress :

Montes Mourinhos – Pera circular

Wouldn’t you just love to meet Sheetal here?  I know I would!

Dinner in Trastevere, Rome

Indra shares her memories of the natural beauty of Canada :

Summer of 2019: Waterton, Canada

While Janet improves my vocabulary, amidst the natural surroundings of Arizona :

The Riparian Preserve

Sharon is surrounded by some beautiful countryside too :

Caton Riverside Walk

And Susanne is simply happy to be outdoors again :

Back for a Walk at Coulon Park

An easy, unhurried style of life, with Drake :

Some even forget the mobile

And a poignant and personal post from Alice :

One Last Song

A poetic lady I know as ‘Heart to Heart’ (Dil se Dil tak… )  Such a lovely name for a blog, Rita :

The woods are lovely dark and deep…

There must be a history to this village name, Jonno?  Always smiling, these two!

Our Favourite Devon Walk to Heanton Punchardon

You can admire a little beauty with Rupali any time :

Wordless Wednesday Walk 2

While Anabel knows the way to my heart.  Via a drystone roundhouse is especially good :

Edin’s Hall Broch

Calling Becky, Debbie, Sue and Margaret- Ulli has found us some more goats!

Hidden Gem Downtown

That’s it for this week!  I’m going to put the brakes on for a little while.  It’s getting too hot to walk on a regular basis, though I did another 6kms yesterday to check out the larger dam at Odeleite.  Not looking too bad at present, but there’s a long way to go.  Take care all, and I’ll see you soon.

153 comments

  4. The countryside there is so beautiful. The donkey wasn’t willing to smile for your photo, maybe you could have offered a taste of the lemon cake. It’s over 80 here everyday but the hard part is the humidity setting in. Have a good week

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  5. Superb photos and beautiful floral foregroundings. And everything is so blue. Interesting for you to be worrying about water levels. Would I be right in thinking that was not much of a worry in England? Finally scored a bit of homemade apple cake on Sunday, so I wasn’t all that put out when you forgot to share yours. (Women from a local Presbyterian church turned up at Joe’s on Sunday, dispensing food to people in fire-affected places. He was very reluctant to benefit: they were charmingly insistent, hence apple cake. I was touched by their thoughtfulness and generosity – they had a truck load and were heading up the valley where people are still living in tents and caravans.)

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    1. So much misery in this world and so much kindness mixed. I ought to be grateful for every second I spend here, but the clouds are pressing on my head again. I spent too much time yesterday reading about the States. There’s an evil hand there that defies all kindness. And what happens there inevitably spreads to the UK. I want something better for my kids but I’m powerless to help. Here the food collections go on for those who haven’t been able to work and support themselves in the last few months. And yes, drought threatens here most years but we narrowly avoid it. This year should be better because we haven’t had tourists using the water, and sprinklers on the golf courses, but they’ve just started again. Yesterday Sue was saying the UK badly needs rain after an exceptional warm, sunny Spring. Good news is, I heard from Gilly. Hope you did too. Our birthday girl 🙂 🙂

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  6. Wandering the countryside on a beautiful blue sky day, after the rains, at the end of lockdown. Mr Blue Sky by ELO comes rushing into my head for some unknown reason. 🙂

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  7. What a beautiful walk you took us on, Jo. Such colours, and I could have sat and chatted with the donkey for an hour or two.
    It’s also a good tale to hang onto as it records a stage in the virus – very nicely written, with subtly mention of what we’ve been through.

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    1. Thanks for that, Debbie. I have started to keep a diary of sorts again, but the blog is very much my diary of events, without wanting to whinge on about life. It’s all meant to be a celebration, isn’t it, but it doesn’t always feel that way. 🙂 He was a surly piece, that donkey! I think we should stick with goats 🙂 🙂

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  9. Pingback: Feeling high at High Park! – Heart to Heart

  10. Amazing how a few red flowers ”lifts’ a photograph and makes it exciting. Another enjoyable walk, Jo, thank you. Mine today was just around the nearby streets as I’m still trying to keep to lock down rules. Foolish or what?

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    1. I don’t think you’re alone in that, Mari, for a lot of reasons. Not necessarily your own health but vulnerable others you might be in touch with. It’s not easy out there right now! Take it as easy as you need to. 🙂 🙂

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      3. I shall Jo. I was going to write a post but it’s rather overwhelming. I have had trees cut down around the house and the left over debris now has to go and I am having a bit of trouble getting the right people to help. It is costing me much more than I imagined.

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  16. Pingback: Today I can’t walk. | This, that and the other thing

  17. Jo, I love the perspective of that first shot and it’s another beautiful walk. I’m breaking the “rules” a bit today because although I took a literal walk this morning (sanity demanded it), I couldn’t put together a walk post for everyone. What’s been happening wouldn’t let me. I did take a walk through what I think about this crisis we’re facing and I’ll link it here. I hope that’s OK.

    https://sustainabilitea.wordpress.com/2020/06/01/today-i-cant-walk/

    janet

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      3. They’re effective in that lots of people will stay home in obedience to the law. If most people are off the streets, it’s easier for the police to find trouble spots. In Minnesota last night, people were out after curfew and a small group stayed long enough to be arrested, but what I saw was all peaceful and that’s fine.

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      4. Civil war in the States has been mentioned, and I always thought that was an overreaction, Janet, But you do begin to wonder. I’m so sorry for your troubles! They are troubled times for all of us.

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  18. Pingback: Most of all greenish | Le Drake Noir

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