Weather: Very breezy, cool.
Distance: 15.5 km (9.6
miles) Total Distance:
2685 miles
I was
awake at 6.00am and snuck out of the dormitory so as not to wake my dorm
mate. I had breakfast and was out of the
hostel before 7.00am leaving my key and sheet sleeping bag at the reception
desk.
I had
a real treat driving to the start of the walk because I drove past a barn owl
sitting on top of a fence post right next to the road.
The
first half-mile was along the road – the path on the map nearer the coast was one
that was not accessible via the village (a no-through path as it were). The
weather had changed and rain was forecast for later hence one reason for my
early start. The first three or so miles
were along very exposed sea defences.
The bird life at this time in the morning was excellent and the birds
were certainly noisy.
The
next section through Burnham Deepdale was quite different in the form of a path at the
bottom of people’s back gardens next to the marshes. After a mile or so it changed again and the
gardens disappeared and the path was through the back of Bradcaster on National
Trust land along a track of old railway sleepers.
I reached the road down to the golf course
and was torn whether to take it. I was very unsure whether there was any
access along the short beach section and if there were not I would have had to
retrace my steps. A little further along
however I saw a sign towards the sea marked ‘circular path’ so I headed off and
indeed it was quite a pleasant path down to the club house and public car park,
along the dunes for a couple of hundred yards and then back inland again.
Once I
got to the main road I walked along it for a couple of miles which was not too
pleasant but more pleasant than if it had been a weekday I guess.
Instead
of stopping on entering Thornham I went through the village and onto a footpath
– just so that I ended on a nice bit rather than on a busy main road. Thornham appeared very posh indeed.
I
thought it would take me about an hour to hitch back and it did indeed take
just under that. I walked to the
outskirts of Thornham hitching on the way without success but soon got picked
up by a potter in an old Fiesta! He
lived in Brancaster and had his outlet at Hunstanton. My second lift was just to the next village
again in an old fiesta from a young man, bit laddish. Again I walked to the outskirts of the
village and just as it started to rain I got a lift from a young couple in an
old Golf who took me out of their way to Burnham Overy. They were on their way
to Burnham Market to get a new tyre as they had had a puncture the previous day
and were travelling on a temporary tyre.
I called into an antiques shop I had seen when hitching to look at a pot
and basin and saw it marked at £290! I didn't buy it.
I
arrived back in Coventry at 2.30pm and visited Toys-R-Us to pick up some
Meccano and Z’nap lego for the boys and then a plate for Margaret in a pine
furniture shop in Earlsdon.
I felt
better than I could ever recall after a walking holiday – no blisters, nicely
tired, well relaxed and no aches or pains.
I think it is because I had been walking in and out of work and also
trying to watch what I eat over the winter.
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