Below the Radar - Cyprus Summer of '74

Chapter 17 : Early Days along the Horseshoe Hike (Blueberries for Breakfast)

Horseshoe Hike Day 2 - Lophos - First Man Down

The day dawned bright and fresh and fifteen teams streamed out of the camp site before 7:30am. Dew clung to the leaves on the olive trees as well as to the long scrub in the surrounding fields. To reach Lophos they had another 18 miles to travel, ascending 400 metres over a changing and gradually rising terrain into the foothills of the Troodos Mountain range.

All the youngsters were still full of energy and enthusiasm for the challenge, physically in good shape. A good breakfast inside them, the teams checked maps and marched off to tackle the day still filled with the natural exuberance of youth.

The sun mirrored the hikers, climbing through the morning as the spring day developed into a warm and settled afternoon. The teams moved at differing speeds, beginning to find a rhythm and pace that suited the needs of their team members. Quickly spread out over two or three miles, faster teams began leaving the established paths, using shortcuts to the first checkpoint at Ayios Yeorgios.

Several teams stopped for an early lunch in the shade provided by a copse of large Cypress trees slightly off the main path. They marked the start of a short climb towards Ayios Therapon and the location of the second and last intermediate checkpoint of the day. Under the trees an old local stone boundary wall had crumbled over the years, providing multiple small resting spots for the teams to ditch their packs, stretch weary muscles and rest aching legs.

Lunch itself was simple and short. Tins of cold sardines or tuna. A large lump of cheese shared around with the remains of yesterday's loaves of bread. An apple or orange each, consumed quietly, backs resting against trees or larger rocks as shoulders rolled to ease the chaffing from rucksack straps.

Though modest, lunch provided the boost required to tackle the remaining 7 miles to Lophos. The afternoon stretch took a further three to four hours to complete, map reading skills largely unnecessary as they followed well-trodden mule and goat paths. Energy levels had dropped over the course of the morning, as had the level of banter. Early passive acknowledgement of the need to save energy for the tougher days and steeper climbs ahead.

G led Alex, Dan, Will and Kenny through an uneventful day at a steady pace and from what they could see of the other teams, were somewhere in the middle of the pack. They'd started out just before Simon, Ryan, Rick, Johnny H and Gordy and hadn't seen them again during the day. Alex had spotted Tristan and his team checking out of camp with the early birds, but as expected that glimpse of them striding purposefully off along the track was the last he'd seen.

The last few teams checked in to the Lophos camp site as day light was rapidly retreating. Though only the second evening, in their own way each team had begun to click into the mini-routines necessary to make the night comfortable and prepare the team for the next day. Stronger, practical and potential leaders had begun to emerge from several teams, both during the days trek and in camp overnight. With minimal fuss and quiet resilience, through action and guidance, they ensured tents were erected, plans completed, meals prepared, and vital stocks checked for the next day. At the other end of the scale a natural balance was maintained as the level of minor niggles and complaints from less committed or resilient individuals rose exaggerating the impact of the minor physical aches and strains being experienced by every hiker.

So, whilst the queue at the first aid tent was slightly longer than the night before, most of the faces were the same. The first withdrawal was confirmed later in the evening, as a lad in one of the last teams to finish pulled out with a badly twisted ankle he'd picked up on the first day. He'd struggled with the pain through all of day two and as a result his team had only just completed the days hike in the required time. He had little choice but to withdraw and his team quietly watched as he got into the back of a Land Rover, to be taken back to his home in Episkopi.

The evening was calm and the second night passed quietly, all plans duly registered and hikers into sleeping bags and asleep early, no prompting required by the organisers.

Horseshoe Hike Day 3 - Full English and Plans Afoot

Alex and Kenny woke early and quickly started work on a simple breakfast for all the guys. The early morning sun slowly glimpsed over the foothills to the East as the camp site stirred around them.

First things first, they soon had enough water boiling for the essential morning cuppa all round. As tea bags were dunked, alongside the bacon was frying and beans bubbling away. What remained of the local bread from the previous night was torn into rough chunks to share among the two teams.

Soon all the guys were up, slowly milling around as Will initiated the work to get the tents down and packed, roping in Gordy, Johnny H and Ryan. G and Dan reviewed the days hike to Phini along with Simon and Rick, map reading skills becoming more important in the next two days over steeper and more broken ground as they ascended toward the highest peaks on Mount Troodos. The day facing them was shorter at just over 15 miles, but the height to be climbed more testing at 650 metres. They would spend the night in Phini at approximately 1250 metres.

The same basic activities were being repeated across the campsite, by hikers and organising staff alike. Most of the hikers still had a spring in their step and a smile on their face as they criss-crossed the camp site running errands, collecting water, brushing teeth, repairing damaged boots and kit, using the basic toilet facilities and disposing of rubbish from the night before. The mood was good humoured, all but one team still at full strength preparing for the day ahead, daybreak seeing the return of ribbing and competitive banter between teams amid their closely packed tents.

Teams from Limassol and Episkopi were camped next to the BG guys and Simon and G chatted good naturedly with them about the best route for the day over very similar and simple breakfasts. They ate as they chatted and  all across the site small camp stoves were working away, smoke, steam along with incredible smells rising from all corners.

As he took his last bite of his bacon sandwich Josh one of the Limassol lads strode up. "Hey, I just passed some of the guys from Akkers'. You know, Roger and Kieran's team, those guys. They're cooking up a bleedin' storm. First they all had bowls of this small purple'y fruit and now their cooking up piles of mushrooms, sausages, bacon, eggs, beans, tomatoes, everything. I can't believe the shit they've got. They're even handing round those little sachets of butter for their bread plus tomato and Daddies sauce – talk about bloody organised. The food they've got is better than I eat at home!"

Those listening nearby laughed wryly and many turned towards the gourmet breakfast club, just a short distance away and well within aroma range.

Alex could see Tristan among those about to tuck into a full English and catching his eye he raised his plastic mug sarcastically, enjoying the hot slightly bitter taste as he finished off the last of his strong tea.

"Well good luck to them, I suppose that's what comes from a bit of planning. No roughing it for them eh".

"Well" said Gordy, trying out his best Oxbridge accent and thinking back to his and G's little run-in with the same group on the first evening, "I might just jolly well wander over there myself and see if our new pal 'Woger has got any leftovers to share. I'm sure he'd like a little early morning tete-a-tete, he seemed bally keen to share something with young G here and I the other night!"

Laughing and shaking his head, Simon looked up, smiling and replied. "Nice idea Gordy, better leave it though, you'll only give him indigestion. He doesn't need another reason to loathe us."

Dan stepped in, talking ten to the dozen, bursting to share the idea that had just popped into his head.

"Hey, guys, guys, listen in, I've just had a great idea that would really piss them posh twats off. Why don't we get started sharpish, I mean like right now, whilst they're still stuffin' 'emselves? I reckon we could beat them to the camp at Phini tonight. We're nearly ready to go and could be way ahead before they even get started. They've got a 3-course breakfast to finish before cleaning up ready for the off. It's only one day, but this may be our only chance to actually beat them."

He looked around hopefully, looking for support. The others looked around the rough circle, taking a short while to mull it over, before smiling slowly and conspiratorially, nodding at Dan.

"Ok - why not? If we get a head start, we can definitely beat them". G was right on it. "But, if we're doing this, let's do it properly, no time to waste."