Land Rovers And Levadas

Levada walks in Madeira

This is a post I wrote recently for a Travel Company...

With the reputation as one of the prettiest islands as well as the most sedate, Madeira has a few surprises up its sleeve when it comes to exploring the its countryside and history. The Portuguese, very rightly, love this little paradise and treasure its calmness, stillness and solitude. Night clubs are few and far between and the tourists most definitely fit into the older age bracket, but on a recent trip, I was able to explore two aspects of the island that may be less well known, getting well off the beaten track and into the beautiful countryside, making some wonderful discoveries and digging up some gold mines along the way.

Naturally, the very nature of the island lends itself to a diversity of flora, terrain and altitude and the million or so tourists that visit over the course of the year come for a variety of reasons, but as soon as I saw the Levada Walks and the Land Rover Safaris, I knew I would have to get out of the town of Funchal and into the hills.

The views from beyond the towns are quite stunning

Levada Walks

As a way to explore the island in a sedate manner and without too many extreme gradients, this is the best!

Levadas are the concrete waterways or aqueducts constructed over the years to supply the southern half of the island with water. There are over 40 kilometres of tunnels, many of which are still accessible today and over 2000 kilometres of walkable levadas around the island, and much of this is easy to walk, eminently accessible by local transport and many can be booked as an accompanied tour by English speaking guides who will share a wealth of information regarding the history, fauna and flora of the island. 

If you prefer, you can explore them alone and many maps of the walks, in easy sections of from 6 to 26 kilometres are available in the tourists centres. As always, it's a good idea to let someone from your hotel know where you'll be and try to choose walks initially, closer to civilisation in case of mishap. Take appropriate clothing too as the mountain mists can close in quickly, but if you stick to the walkways along the concrete levadas it's difficult to get lost. 

Wild Wood Sorrel - in January

Also take care of recent incidents that may have occurred along the way. Out of necessity these water ways are incredibly well maintained, but overnight tree falls and land slips do occur, so just watch your footing around these areas.

As you walk you will see the mountainous regions in all their glory; the bougainvillea and wild thyme, the cacti, mimosa and banana and the eucalyptus as well as all the other wonderful semi-tropical plants that abound on this wonderful island. The name Madeira means "Wood" in Portuguese. 

Other than birds and the odd feral cat, you won't see much fauna on your walks but you will see the farming layers built, in some cases, on shear cliff edges, the care and attention given to preparing the land for crops all year round is still very evident.

Take care as you go but do give them a try.

Stunning views along the Levadas

Land Rover Safaris

As the proud owner of a Defender myself, I just had to give these trips -  bookable almost anywhere - a go.

We booked two excursions; one was an out and out safari on all the back roads around the island, starting at the top of the highest mountain and hitting every puddle, every pothole and every sharp, wicked bend on the way down with stops for lunch (included) and coffee whenever our bones were too shaken to carry on.

The second was a 6 car trip up through the mountains to a linen factory and a local market, two surprisingly cheap and incongruously non-touristy stops as it was possible to experience. Lunch at the market - almost as much barbecued food as you could eat, washed down with the local beer and wine - cost only a couple of euros a head - wonderful value, and a lively local market to look at into the bargain.

Stuck in a ditch - but still immense fun!

 On this trip we also hit pot holes and ditches and yours truly had to get out with the chain saw to help clear the way when we hit a ditch the hard way and during the afternoon our vehicle suffered not one, but two punctures - great fun!

The tiered fields for crops....

The guides and drivers were friendly, helpful and full of mischief. They were accommodating, high spirited - but safe! They knew the limits of the vehicles and the terrain and we felt comfortable in their hands - as comfortable as you can in a Defender.

So if you want to get out and about, explore the island, meet the locals and see the real Madeiran wildlife - just ask your tour guide, your hotel receptionist or your local Tourist Information Office  - and go explore!

40!

Still the King - in 74

1974

Until 4th March Ted Heath will be Prime Minister and after that Harold Wilson will lead a coalition government and us through the final few hours of the three day weeks  that have been with us since January.

Manchester United will be relegated from what was then the first division to the second and Alf Ramsey will be dismissed as England Manager after 11 years in charge. Don Revie will take over. And Tom Baker will take over from Jon Pertwee as The Doctor. You can decide which was the most important event of those last two. 

In December Monty  Python will screen its last episode. For a 16 year old boy, the demise of the Python was devastating news, whereas the news that Wilson would win a majority in the second election of the year was less so.

Yes, I was sixteen in 1974 and pretty much all I was interested in was music - and girls - of course.

But, for me, the love of music had just begun in earnest. Last year's release of Dark Side of The Moon, Led Zeppelin IV, Close To The Edge and albums by Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield - these were pretty much all I played - prog rock and rock, but I was still weening myself off  Sweet and other glam rock stars like Bolan and (I'm embarrassed to mention him, seriously embarrassed..) Alvin Stardust.

'Fragile' by Yes had opened my eyes to 'real' music and 'Dark Side of The Moon' - one of the greatest selling albums of all time - became the most played record in my house....until 1975 saw the release of 'Wish You Were Here' which remains my favourite album of all time.

My Mam loved Elvis - who was still King in 1974 - and the Who were a secondary, less favoured favourite band who could not be ignored. Queen were working on their second album, Kiss on their first and Bruce Springsteen was a virtual unknown in the UK. Rush had just released the eponymous first album as had The Ramones and Bad Company, but on the down side 1974 saw the Arrival of Abba.

I find it so hard to believe that this important aspect of my life - all these musical events - happened 40 years ago. I still listen to all these albums virtually everyday, including Daltry's intonation of "Hope I die before I get old" - he didn't - others did! I hear Pink Floyd constantly, in my car my bedroom on my laptop but I daren't turn on the radio for fear of auricular invasion of a more insidious sort - bands who can't play an instrument; stars made for television, but even then every so often a Gary Barlow comes along, from a Boy Band to a songwriter and talent - much to my surprise - who knew he had talent? So not all is lost. 

Will we ever find another Bob Dylan? Probably not - the Times They Have a Changed - for better or worse, but that's ok. I was there at the birth of Rock, Prog Rock and the Talent Explosion of the 70's, and I can still listen to it whenever I like and where ever I like. Too old to die young as the tee shirt says but never too old to listen to, discover or be shown great music. May it always be that way.

So many of my heroes have died, many whom I thought would live for ever - Elvis especially, but with fame comes added pressure in a precious life already full of pitfalls and obstacles. Then, as I grew older and grow older, natural death also takes away my precious stars, superstars and childhood memories. I shall enjoy it all while I can, I will still cry when another hero leaves us and I hope still to be shocked when new talent rises, phoenix like from the ashes of dead TV-made stars and boy/girl bands or completely from the Blue (no pun intended) - another Jake Bugg perhaps or a Laura Marling, maybe an Adele.

But no more Justin Bieber eh?

The Green Fields Of France

1914, August 4th - the start of possibly the greatest conflict of modern times - and this year we will commemorate the 100th anniversary of a World War that cost millions of lives and disrupted millions more.

There seems to be an extraordinary interest in the first World War, notwithstanding the anniversary that is now upon us. Many have travelled to Northern Europe for many years to visit the Battlefields and Cemeteries that have been maintained and preserved by local authorities, governments and enthusiasts alike. Whether to trace ancestors, to complete historical studies, to follow the footsteps of colleagues and friends, to re-visit scenes that were the most telling part of a young life or just to stand in awe of the countless white crosses that spread out from the cenotaphs, monuments and gateways - millions more have visited them over the years. The names; Paschendaele, The Somme, Ypres, Neuve Chapel - names we know so well - ingrained on our memories - their lives, our history.

And yet, this year, as we look back on the past mistakes, tragedies and life changing decisions that brought about the Great War still more will flock to France, to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany for a plethora of reasons a myriad of memories and a whole family tree of of lost ancestors. Ask "Why" and you will receive so many different answers that consensus is impossible. Yet we go, we stand, we cry, we lay flowers and we talk in hushed voices as if the sound might still carry to the enemy. Where once guns howled and screamed, firing hot metal to kill, to maim, to eviscerate, to destroy in hurricanes of maddening noise, now silence is the blanket across the fields; quiet words softly spoken, birdsong in the summer, the lowland winds in the winter and a distant hum of traffic.

The grass is green - the mud long gone, the trees are full branched in winter and greenly vivid in the spring, poppies grow freely in summer as if to cry the blood stained tears of the past in red-petalled agony in the corn fields of new life. Yet still silence reigns, the quietness is natural.

If you would like to go to see for yourself the scenes of past battles, the trenches, the towns, villages and rivers and, of course, the cemeteries then you can grab a map, book a ferry or a Eurotunnel train and go off and explore and discover these sights for yourself. 

If you prefer something a little more structured then there are many companies who offer full guided tours to the areas that are of most interest. The War Graves Commission, Saga, Shearings, Battlefields.Com and even the Radio Times all offer guided tours that will allow you time to see and discover for yourselves the sights and history of the area - do some research to find the right company for you.

I hope you do go, but prepare to be moved....

This is a great song, written by Eric Bogle - probably the best anti war song I know of....

Lessons and Changes

This time last year I was on the wonderful Island of Madeira - a week of warmth, motivation and rest. The break seemed to set me up for the year and left me with some very wonderful memories - you can read about some of it HERE

This year, I feel just as motivated but for several very different reasons. Forgive me if I don't go into too much detail here but I promise to gradually, and tantalisingly release information as and when I feel the time is right. There are many changes happening all at once which can be stressful but I feel that 2014 is looking full of promise and hope - I certainly hope so and although it is early days I do see a good looking year stretching ahead.

I hope also to share more foraging tips as well as recipes, some fishing exploits and some gardening hints that I pick up along the way. I do hope that my readers will continue to watch this space and continue to read my inexpert ramblings, my inadequate grasp of the meaning of life and my ill-advised attempts at witty banter.

A Happy New Year to you all - again.

Arrogance, Ignorance and Greed

Even the Prime Minister came under fire regarding the total lack of support during the aftermath of the storms

Yet again, as our cottage was plunged into darkness at 21.52 on Monday 23rd December, we were reminded of the pitiful response from the major power companies.

Our own network made almost £1bn profit in its most recent accounts, its Chief Executive was paid £1.7m and its Asian owners were paid a dividend of £135m.

Last week a Director admitted that the company were culpable by allowing too many staff to take annual leave over the Christmas break despite forecasters warning of damaging storms days before the event. A parliamentary Inquiry is now likely to be held at MPs insistance and the Directors will be asked to explain why 150,000 homes were without power for so long over Christmas.

When will we realise that all these companies are only concerned with profits and not with our welfare? Whether it's Tesco selling us cheap horse meat instead of beef, BT spending millions on Sport and nothing on infrastructure, British Gas and other companies hiking the cost of fuel so high that 30,000 died of cold last year or UK Power Networks making profits for shareholders at the expense of those of us left in the dark for far too long - we must insist that our elderly and vulnerable are taken care of BEFORE company directors or shareholders. We must ensure that our food is safe and our rights to fair treatment maintained.

We were completely without electricity for a total of 70 hours - right up until 20.30 on Boxing Day night. We were cold, dark and damp, but we had an open fire and a gas stove or two - yet being in the Cottage was miserable. 

But we had a lovely Christmas Eve at my Brothers house with my parents too and we had a wonderful Christmas day with the Grandchildren and my daughter and son in law looked after us so well.

Our power is back on, our cottage warm and light - our troubles over for now. Many, who were flooded over Christmas will not be trouble free for many months - the clearing up has only just started - my prayers go out to them, I hope you can all manage to have a Happy 2014 despite the mess and the damage and I hope that we will see an end to the cynical treatment we all receive from these companies. I leave you with a Band we discovered for the first time in 2013 - even though they've been around for 20 years or so - Show of Hands. This song has been in my head for a while now - I hope you like it and can see why.

Happy New Year

Happy Christmas Everybody

To all my followers, readers, friends and family, may I sincerely wish you a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas, a wonderful New Year and an exciting 2014.

God bless us every one.

Skyfall IV - For Your Lies Only.

Five weeks, five days and about five hours later we were reconnected by BT Open Reach and it only took them a couple of hours to sort out the entire problem start to finish. The phone works and so does the Internet - finally.

Why it took so long, why we were lied to time and time again and why they sent a lonely engineer with a single hand held tool box to fix the fault only the day before - goodness only knows for we do not.

We received texts saying the fault had been repaired on 5 or 6 separate occasions, the engineers who turned up only to stand and stare at the broken line several meters above their heads could have made up a football team - and not five-a-side either. 

Even the CEO's office staff were lied to by Open Reach and were as perplexed as we were about the protracted delay, but we have learned several lessons: Facebook is wonderful and we have many friends who put themselves out to help us. This Blog had hundreds of hits so I guess people were interested enough to read about our problems and BT, who have spent hundreds of millions  of pounds buying TV rights to various Sports, have not set up sufficient infrastructure to serve the customers they have. Misplaced priorities? We think so and we will vote with our feet very soon.