Weather: Overcast but warm.
Distance: 16 km (
miles) Total Distance: miles
The first decision of the day was what to wear on my
badly blistered feet. I chose boots to give more protection and on the basis
that a short walk around the Youth Hostel car park gave me little bother. I
aimed to walk around Thorney Island and make a decision after that about if to
go any further.
I parked in the pub car park in Langstone which doubled
up as a public car park, visited the public toilet and set off along the coast
to Thorney Island. The walk to Emsworth was pleasant and varied, along
foreshore, woodland, fields of crops and a church graveyard with a sad sight of
a children's section. Onto the foreshore at Emsworth, but had to head inland
when the path on the map did not appear in practice.
The entry onto the island was through a marina and then
onto the coastal path proper. I had read that the island was MOD property and
the public were only allowed around the outside. - I wasn't however expecting
the high fence, close circuit TV and intercom that greeted me at Great Deep. I
had seen a group of people go through before me so thought it was open. The
notices detailed how I had to report via the intercom. I gave my name and
address and when asked my purpose on the island said I was walking the coast of
Britain. He said I could enter and wished me the best of luck. I caught up the other group and commented
that if the milkman had to go though that every day he must get a bit cross.
The walk around the island which consisted mainly of a
disused airfield and occupied barracks was uninteresting and the path in
variable condition. By the time I
reached the village of West Thorney, where the marina looked a lot more busy
than the church even though it was Sunday, I was tired and the feet getting
sore again. I made the decision to
finish the holiday at Prinstead. I used
the intercom to ask to be allowed off the island and bade them farewell.
I finished for the days walk at the pretty village of
Prinstead. I tried hitching for a few
minutes once on the main road but a bus soon turned up which I took back to
Havant and then walked back to Langstone.
It had certainly been the hottest period of walking I'd ever done. I was pleased because of
the distances I covered especially in such hot conditions. I had not walked
such long distances for a many years.
I called in the Harrow at West Isley, north of Newbury,
on the way back for yet another larger shandy and to try to get a pie but they
had none. When I got back I had a couple
more very relaxing enjoyable days off before the family got back from Ireland
on Tuesday afternoon.
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