‘The drumming sound grew louder as a fresh hail squall moved in overhead, sending large rocks of ice thudding down onto the boards that lay abandoned outside the cave. It’s no wonder the Romans had dubbed this the end of the world I thought, as a bolt of lightening cut through the darkening grey sky.

‘I shuffled back up against the fallen boulder sheltering us from the icy onslaught, trying to make room for Harry’s legs which stuck helplessly out from under it. But it was clear that the cave was too small for four grown men and croaked conversation quickly turned to escaping its confines.

Marlon warned Roby that his unmistakably Roman stature would be most attractive to a lightning bolt looking to connect with the earth

‘Marlon was dubious, advising calmly against making a run for it across the expanse of beach which lay between us and the car, warning Roby in particular that his unmistakably Roman stature would be most attractive to a lightning bolt looking to connect with the earth.

‘I must admit, the scene wasn’t what I’d pictured, when a few days earlier I’d agreed to join British surfer Harry Timson on a quick strike mission to the Algarve, in pursuit of sun and pumping waves.

‘We’d been joined on the trip by Italian Roby D’amico, who hadn’t needed much coaxing to flee his native land, and Marlon Lipke, who was hosting us for the week.’ – You can read the full story from the trip in the latest issue, which you can buy here.

To tide you over till you get your hands on a copy, here’s the edit from the trip, which does, I’m afraid, contain some serious spoilers…