Well I decided to run the levada today but avoid the tunnel and stay on the nice executive concrete path; that was mistake number one. Despite being given a good description of where the entrance to the trail was through the woods it's never so easy when looking at a lot of trees. My 5 minute warm up grew to about 20 minutes and I had ventured a long way down a steep road and I still, despite some false starts, had not found it. Eventually as the road flattened and went across the verandahs I could see the levada some 50 mtrs above me, the question was how did I get up there. All the land on these verandahs is covered in various crops or full of natural vegetation and steps inevitably lead to people's homes so were to be avoided. I remembered the levada crossed a road which I eventually found and put my feet on the concrete path with some relief . I was knackered and rested for a bit. I also phoned Mrs OMR to tell her I'd be a little longer and decided to just have a short run.Eventually I took a deep breath and started to jog. I headed off towards a section I hadn't found on Tim's run on Sunday but today I had more information so was hopeful of finding it. I got up onto the road and after a 25 yards found the elusive letterbox 880 which indicated the climb to the higher levada. Unfortunately the executive concrete path was replaced by some of the roughest tracks I've so far run on, uneven stones and rocks, slippery wooden planks, rickety little bridges, boulders jutting onto the track and a narrow balancing track which just dropped off (in photo). But I carried on regardless but being sensible. After 2k I decided to turn and after a few quick photos negotiated it all again.
The dogs who welcomed my arrival and departure with a crescendo of barks on the way out were now repeating it on the way back. There must have been one dog with laser sight as I passed it as I first started running and could still hear it barking when I was on the opposite side of the valley.
Whilst looking at the fantastic scenery as the morning sun started to pop its head over Cabo Girao and brighten everything I heard Strava announce 4k, well it would be rude not to finish 5k so I did.
Passing the tunnel entrance I thought maybe you would have been a better option.
The track ended through the woods and out onto the road with no 5k announcement, 's***' I was at the bottom of the hill, I started crawling up and the lovely Stava voice said 5k and I stopped immediately with a smile which developed into a chuckle as now I had a very steep 750m cool down walk to complete 😂😂
Today's Run, Bought To You by the Phonics P, B,M
New French 10k route
‘Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud;’ W.S. Sonnet 35.
Holiday diary - Run 5
