Day: 186 3/7/98 Mersea Island to Brightlingsea

Weather:  Fine, sunny intervals.

Distance:  35km ( 21.7 miles)    Total Distance:   2419miles

It had been quite a while since my last walk partly due to the poor weather we had been having and partly due to all the upheaval in work, redundancies, job hunting, interviews and eventually being offered a position in where I already work, at least for the time being.

I traveled down to Essex early and was walking by 9.30 am.  I risked parking the car in a lay-by just on Mersea Island even though it stated that there was no parking in the area on Saturdays and Sundays in summer – the actual sign in the lay by I was in was missing so I thought I would be safe. 

I was soon off the road and onto a sea defences, but at this time of year it was evident that they would be a little overgrown, particularly the ones that were not walked very often.  Finding the short section that took me back onto the road was a little tricky but the cows did not seen to mind too much. 

Langenhoe Hall also made it as difficult as they could for walkers, sign-posting me into an overgrown ditch before I found the path through the farm and out onto the marshes.  I was actually skirting a firing range for quite a few miles and at one stage almost walking though the army base then through an area used for clay pigeon shooting and then through a very pretty wood before skirting the firing range again this time heading out towards the estuary.

At South Green I was back on country roads for a while, then through a quarry area and into a very pretty village only spoilt by the loading boat area for the quarry. I had a little triangular walk around the village before heading inland up to Finginghoe, another pretty village,  almost stopping for lunch before deciding that I had enough energy to carry on to Rowhedge.

The path took me along the river and then through another timber yard, one of many in the area.  I stopped at the first pub I saw and very decent it was too – a pint of beer, BLT and chips and a listen to other people’s conversations. Pudding was a bar of chocolate from the local shop and then onto tackle the path up and down the River Colne.  I made good headway in what was now sunny conditions and getting hot.  On the path up to Colchester I passed only a few walkers, had a mile or so through an industrial estate and then out along a cycle path of good quality to Wivenhoe.  This was a bit more busy with walkers and cyclists including students from the nearby University of Essex.  

At  Wivenhoe I detoured via scrubland to keep as close to the coast as possible and then through a building site which seemed to have eaten up the footpath.  I was by now curious to know if there was indeed a footpath over Alresford Creek as marked on the map.  I asked one couple in Wivenhoe but they did not know and then asked another couple a bit closer to the creek who were not much better.  The tide was out so I knew that if there was indeed a path over the creek I was OK. I got to the creek and surveyed the seen for quite a while – it was a tidal muddy estuary but there was evidence that someone else had crossed it by foot. It was not a distinct footpath but may have been at one stage before it got submerged in mud. I made a close inspection and it became clear that if I were to attempt the mud it had to be bear-feet.  I went for it – inching my way through the clinging mud.  It was painful because of the stones on the bottom and my two dreads were that I would either fall over or get cut by broken glass.  People seemed to be stopping to look – but I was not sure whether it was because there were surprised anyone should attempt it or because there were prepared to raise the alarm if I disappeared all together in the mud!  It got deeper and deeper and stickier and stickier.  The deepest it got was just above my knees but any further and movement would have been impossible.   After about 15 minutes I was across and the only problem remaining how to get the mud off – I looked a real sight!  I found a couple of twigs to get the worst off and then a puddle to wash off the remainder – my worry at this stage was the numerous small cuts I had and whether they would turn infected – compounded by me finding a little red worm on a toe!  I dried off and put the footwear back on and carried on gratified by the thought that I had saved myself some three miles walking. 

The route into Brightlingsea was now straightforward.  At the town I kept my eye out for the campsite marked on the map and eventually found it close to the town.  I asked the man tending the flowerbed about camping – he told me it would be £7 (and I think he though I had a bike and not a car!) and he would catch up with me later that evening if I decided to call back.  I caught two buses back – the first I caught was to Colchester and the driver said it was the last of the day!  I hopped straight onto a bus in Colchester to Mersea Island and was also fortunate that he stopped very close to where I parked the car.  The car was still there without a ticket too which was a relief. 

I thought the campsite was the best option even though very expensive!  I pitched the tent and tried to go and have a shower but then found that you only got the key from the owner after you paid and there was no sign of the owner! Fortunately a man let me into the block so I used their facilities and had a good shower and then went to find somewhere to eat.  I chose the fish and chip shop near the quay as it looked clean and had seating.  It was still light and my feet were in good shape and I had energy so I thought I would do a few more miles to make tomorrows walk shorter.  This was in many ways a mistake – I made an incorrect decision and tried to go through the docks and had to turn back and also found by feet got sore – why did they feel good all day and then get sore – I think it was different socks and long trousers made my feet hot.  Not having a key to the facilities I had to find somewhere to the loo before going to bed!