Day 2: goodbye spinnaker.

Today i finished in Sarisbury which is a mile or so short of Bursledon (my planned destination) but about 15 miles further than my feet wanted to go. I would like to think i have hit the hard point today and its going to get better from here on in, but everyone keeps telling me its the third day thats worst. Something to look forward to.

Yesterday was slightly hectic to begin with. The send off was slightly higher key than i was expecting but it was really nice to see so many people turn up to see me start, i’m sure it had nothing to do with the rumoured tv camera presence. I set off around 9.45 and then did the real set off just before 10. The first part was quite uninspiring, mainly because i have seen it all many times. I had borrowed the company of my friend Amie from her  boyfriend Aiden for the day and between us we finally managed to find a way off Portsmouth without resorting to using the motorway. Not before a few dead ends and stopping for lunch. From Portchester onwards the scenery was more pleasant and less familiar to me, with a lot less industry blocking the route thankfully. The main part of the scenery all day was the Spinnaker tower which got closer and further away every hour or so which was a slightly depressing occurance. The going in parts was hard with thick snow and icey slopes but a lot of the paths were very managable considering the recent weather. Right at the end of the day we had the demoralising experience of being able to see our stop point a few hundred yards away but not knowing how long it would take to get there thanks to the stretch of water between us and it. Soon enough though, we met up with Andy and Hannah who escorted us the last 10 or so minutes to theirs and Francs house where i spent Night 1 very comfortably.

The walk at the start of day2 wasn’t overly pleasant, between industry and a main road, but when i got to around Hardway the surroundings were improving. I almost had my first fall crossing the millenium bridge, but managed to stay standing by holding onto the railing, although my right leg manged to fly up un-naturally high and almost meet my head. I then progressed through the military zone of Gosport before coming out at Stokes Bay. Here i was forced onto the beach by military of defence property but at least they weren’t having fire practice today. The Beach was hard with snow adding to the draining effect of the pebbles but it was also quite nice to be on some proper coast. By this time it was nearly 1pm and after lunch i eventuallu arrived at Lee-on-Solent before Titchfield Haven nature reserve. I recognised both from visiting them quite often with my family when i was a lot younger and so it quite nice to be back there. From here on in my knowledge of where exactly i was at any time becomes a bit rubbish, mainly because i wasn’t sure where i was, other than right by the sea obviously. On this stretch between Titchfield Haven and getting to the Hamble estuary i came across and got chatting to a gentleman who was interested in why i was lugging a bag about. He was very enthusiastic and supportive which helped to spur me on for a while despite the fact that i had been suffering all day. By the way i know the aching is mostly my own fault for not enough preparation and i chose to do this so i shouldn’t really moan. But i like moaning.

After walking along the cliffs for a while and trying to negotiate a frozen pond that didn’t have any clear edges, i came into and got a little stuck in a holiday park. Eventually i got out although probably not where  i wanted to be. from here i followed the Solent way and other footpaths through a nature reserve and into Warsash. Actually i thought i was in Warsash and then half an hour later i got to Warsash in reality and realised that before i had just been in the middle of nowhere. From Warsash i headed up to Sairsbury and it was here that i got a lift to my sisters house where i am now sitting by Grahams (her husband) well-tended fire. And yes i ache a lot and i would like you to know that.

So tomorrow from Sarisbury to wherever i can get to. But first some much needed sleep tonight before i get woken by my nieces.

Here’s to the third day being the worst

x

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