11 miles walked today
695.5 miles walked in total (11.78 average)
I started walking at eight thirty this morning in bright sunshine. I wasn't even sure that I would be walking today until I woke up, as the weather forecast wasn't great. This, according to the Met Office, has been the wettest July for forty years. But I awoke to glorious sunshine so my contingency plan of the laundrette, Tescos and a garden centre or two wasn't needed!
There were lots of people about today dog walking and riding horses along the beach. West Worthing to Ferring is very peaceful with lots of big, well spaced houses and a lot of greensward between beach and road. There are strategically placed cafes along the beach and I stopped at the Bluebird at nine thirty for tea and toast. It was so hot by this time that I even elected to sit inside as I knew I'd be spending a lot of time in the sun today.
Kingston Gorse wins the prize for the biggest houses I've ever seen! You could fit at least ten homeless families in each one! However, one house currently being built was the ugliest looking residence I've ever clapped eyes on. It was almost as if the owners had so much money that they were going to build the most imposing castle they could and had forgotten to incorporate the "tastefulness" element - yuk.
An old boy on a motorised wheelchair stopped me and another lady to ask if we'd sign his petition. Arun District Council intend to build a fence with gated, stepped access to stop cyclists, but which would also stop wheelchair access. The old boy asked for our views and, to be honest, I hadn't seen one cyclist at all so far. And, in fact, the South Coast Cycle Route runs parallel with the greensward and is very well signposted along the road. I couldn't see the point in putting the fence up so I signed. The other lady (who was Dutch so knew a fair bit about cycling!) said our cycle network was one of the best she'd seen. So she signed too!
Angmering didn't compete with Kingston Gorse on the size of the houses, but it won on "Englishness" - lots of cottages with roses and honeysuckle up the doors - lovely! I stopped to sniff the odd rose en route of course
As I walked into Rustington, I was stopped by two policemen which was a bit scary. They informed me that they'd been watching my progress and that I was getting noticeably slower and that I should get a move on! Cheeky sods! They were right though - it was very hot and I was afflicted by flies - in my eyes, my mouth, up my nose and in my hair - how I love the summer!
At Littlehampton, at Rope Walk, I walked past the chalet park where Sheila, Alan, Auntie Joyce and I had stayed during June 1988. We were going to take Nan Rowland on holiday with us, but, sadly, she died in the March and the holiday was already booked - so Auntie Joyce stepped in. I think that was the year I learnt to put up my first deckchair!
A footpath through the golf course caused more fly trouble. Because golfers and walkers are sworn enemies, the golfers didn't want to see anybody on their course who wasn't wielding a long metal stick, so they'd created a very narrow path which was surrounded on both sides by hedges and trees. That way, the walkers could go through undetected by players. However, because the path was so narrow and no sun could get through the hedging, it was very muddy and full of flies But just to make sure they knew I was there, I sang hymns very loudly. Hee, hee, hee!
Past the golf course, the footpath then headed out to the beach and I was on shingle for the last stretch to Middleton on Sea. I'd planned originally to stop at Littlehampton, but when I got there at eleven o'clock, I realised I needed a further plan. I'd decided on Bognor as I could get the train back to Worthing to collect my car. However, by one o'clock it was just too hot and I was desperate to find some shade. But I was still pleased with the progress made and eleven miles isn't bad by lunchtime!
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