Day 20 – Sunday 11 June 2000 - West Mersea to Maldon

13 miles walked today

267.5 miles walked in total (average 13.37)

I slept very well last night and nearly slept through the alarm.  After breakfast with Margaret and Jack from Yorkshire – Margaret a non walker, Jack a champion of the Three Peaks – I set off walking at nine thirty.  The water on The Strood was quite high, but, luckily, not high enough that I couldn’t cross.  Apparently, so Margaret told me, the island is cut off at high tide about four times a month.

Again, all road walking today – not because of the red flags flying, but because I couldn’t find any footpaths going in the direction I needed.

I walked through some pretty little villages – Little Wigborough, Great Wigborough and Salcott-cum-Virley where I stopped at a tea room in the middle of nowhere for a drink.

After a short rest, I carried on towards Maldon – I made very good time and was in another village – Tolleshunt D’Arcy – by midday.  I cracked onto Goldhanger and had a quick sit down before the last stretch.

Road walking is much quicker than footpath walking, but it’s harder going on the knees.  On footpaths, provided they’re on grass and not on sun baked mud, there’s a bit more bounce and less jolting on the knees and balls of the feet.

I always forget how sleepy I get when I’m walking – all this fresh air and exercise!  I could quite easily have laid down and had a nap.

It’s been very warm again and the roads have been very winding.  Consequently, I’ve had to keep stop/ starting as traffic has been quite heavy.

I stopped at Heybridge at the Mill Beach pub for a quick drink – Maldon seemed so near, yet so far!  From the pub, I was on sea wall and tow path along the Heybridge Basin to Maldon.  I got chatting to a couple who met John Merrill when he did the coastal walk twenty years ago.  He stayed at their camp site at Bradwell.  I’ve read his book a number of times for inspiration.  Unfortunately, I still haven’t found it as he didn’t actually look at anything – he just walked.  The chap I talked to is a cyclist and is just about to embark on the Thames cycle route.  Good luck to him!

I was looking forward to Maldon – I’d heard lots of good things about it.  Unfortunately, no-one had told me I had to walk up a bloody great hill to get there!  Still, it was worth it just to see all the Thames barges or “stackies” moored up on the Hythe Quay.  The boat “Reminder” is sailing from Maldon to London in July – it will take four days and costs £195 per crew member.  It looks like a real adventure – if a bit slow!

I can’t believe Maldon doesn’t sell postcards on a Sunday!