Posto de Vigia - Gardunha
Souto da Casa, Portugal
time : Jan 18, 2022 4:09 PM
duration : 1h 53m 19s
distance : 8.8 km
total_ascent : 383 m
highest_point : 1221 m
avg_speed : 4.8 km/h
user_id : Nuernbergerchef1
user_firstname : Josef
user_lastname : Nuernberger
Portuguese Peaks have not been on my immediate agenda this Trip but I made good progress the past two weeks and had a few extra days saved up. Without really any research or planning I just added a few Peaks and this looked like an easy one to Drive by and up or so I thought. The Road was in reasonable shape and no problem in my Seat Ibiza Rental. I could see the Lookout Tower already and it adjacent Trig Pillar. Happily I parked the Car and looked at the Map. First I thought there must be a problem with the Internet as I could not see Gardunha. Then it just hit me when I realized I was on the wrong Peak. Posto de Vigia - Gardunha was the Peak I was on and is not on Peakbagger. Damm it, Gardunha Peak is almost 2 Miles away. Back into the Car and driving the more deteriorating Road closer to the Summit. Oh well the Road got worse fast and I parked, should have Parked earlier before driving down the Road. The Hike itself is easy on a Road paying attention to the Turnoff which I missed and had to retrace. Was Happy to reach the Summit in about an Hour. Looking at my ascent route I thought I can easily shortcut the Road-loop and be getting back fast. What looked like a decent Trail or at least Game-trail through Low Shrub and Grass at the beginning turned into a Nightmare and Bushwhacking through thicket and other Thorny Stuff. End of the Story was it took me longer for the Shortcut than it would have taken me retracing my Steps back on the Road. Thanks God I made the Peak but definitely not my Finest Moment of Hiking.