To the left, gorgeously distracting blue sea views, straight ahead, a rock-strewn ascent to the Castle of Disappointment. Yes, the Sitges `newbies` had their work cut out on our week's first big walk, with back marker John W soon sorting out the meet me under the railway bridge syndrome and counting us in.

New people to talk to...Posh villas to admire! Even posher golf courses...and open countryside! We were off!

Martyn`s stories of dog-killing caterpillar nests and wondrous looking cactus outcrops kept us entertained on our scramble across jagged paths to the Castle – which wasn't disappointing at all. Indeed those of a historical bent also found the obligatory derelict chapel to ponder,  others  taking  a breather for the seemingly  mountainous Miralpeix summit

A good scramble back to sea-level, James our leader announcing the   post-lunch rendevous at Vilanova`s lighthouse (you could hardly miss it). Having found a buzzy terrace cafe with salmon & avocado salad, three of us somehow lost the oomph to hack it back along the coast. We proudly mastered the railway station ticket machines instead, rewarded by air-conditioned window seats with stunning coastal views ( pretend you didn`t read this last bit)

Maybe we missed something...what exactly DID the others got up to on the world's first nudist cove, Dead Man's Beach? They do say the camera never lies...