12.5 miles walked today
805.5 miles walked in total (10.88 average)
I had a late start today - the weather was appalling yesterday and we'd been advised to expect much of the same today. For this reason, I decided not to pack last night, but to wait and see what was occurring outside this morning. Instead, I had a domestic (washing machine related) disaster! And, as I packed this morning in a hurry, after ascertaining the all clear weather wise, the flat is a complete tip. Andy's due back tomorrow night - he's been white water rafting in Scotland with Jim this week - and I really hope he doesn't get back before me. He'll go mental when he sees the state of the place and will probably evict me!
Because of the packing and a lay in until seven thirty (I'm seriously fed up of these five o'clock starts to get to Portsmouth during the week), I didn't get to Lymington until eleven o'clock. The weather did me proud though - lovely and sunny and warm enough for just a tee shirt.
The first bit of the walk was bizarre as I followed exactly the same route I'd walked back in November 2002 on one of our "engineering weekends". We formed a ragged queue and shuffled out along the marshes - myself, Shiriin (who'd stopped to buy a fleece en route!), Vicky and Trevor, Sarah and Justin, Simon, Ange and Mark. We met Chris (who'd lapped us twice by then!) at the pub. Of the non participants, Andy and Joanna (who'd broken her foot so had a legitimate excuse) were back at our digs making soup for us all. Katie (a supposed walker!) and Roy went shopping instead.
I've seen oyster catchers, redshanks, egrets, swans and cygnets, cormorants, loads of twitchers, and a chap with a bicycle and a didgeridoo! And I've smelt the coconut scented gorse and some very pungent seaweed.
At 12.30 pm, I got to Keyhaven and had lunch at the Gun Inn with the two walkers who'd pointed out the egrets to me. They'd come down from Manchester for a long weekend and were staying at Lymington. He planned to walk out along the spit (a twenty minute slog according to my guide book) to Hurst Castle, but she planned to sit in the pub garden and wait for him. A woman after my own heart.
I chose not to walk out to the castle either, but carried on along the thrift covered cliffs to Milford on Sea, Barton on Sea and Christchurch. I had many sit downs today in the sunshine and one bench bore the inscription "Mrs Olga Mary Allen 1916-1998 who travelled the world and chose this view". She certainly picked a stunner - the Needles, Isle of Wight and Hurst Castle to the east and Hengistbury Head, Bournemouth and Poole Harbour to the west.
Three paragliders were cruising up and down the coast, waving to me occasionally, and one called down, "do you want a lift"? Silly sod! Made me smile though.
I got chatting to a seventy-one year old lady about the views - she and her husband moved from Reading and bought a bungalow and tried to walk each day, although she said she was very arthritic now. She hadn't done badly though as where I met her was quite a climb from the car parks dotted along the cliffs. As we said goodbye, she grabbed my hand and wished me luck. It's people like that who make the pain and the blisters worthwhile.
As I got nearer to Chewton Bunny, a stream that flows into the sea and which marks the Hampshire/ Dorset border, I ran out of path and road. However, another very helpful lady gave me directions through a caravan site and into Mudeford. She goes walking a lot with her husband, but their trips have to be much more organised than mine, as they take their dog with them and not all B&B establishments are animal friendly. I followed her directions, but, instead of walking along the shingle beach, I headed up to the road as I needed to find accommodation. It was four o'clock at this time, getting chilly and trying to rain, but the first place I tried had a room - very nice it is too!
So, after a quick bath, I headed (in the car!) to Christchurch for dinner and a wander. It's a pretty little town but incredibly busy and parking spaces were thin on the ground, as there was some concert going on down at the Priory. I had a quick mooch around and found myself a bustling little pub for food and some people watching.
It's been a magical day - I've really enjoyed it. The blisters haven't given me too much trouble either. However, I have the stupidest tan I've ever seen and will need a gallon of fake tan to make this look halfway acceptable!
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