TraceysTrek

Best bits: walking beside the beach, ferry crossing, bluebells

Worst bits: dry eyes from walking into the oncoming wind

Distance: 19.4 miles

It took me awhile to get over to sleep last night. As I lay awake, I was fascinated by the light reflecting in through the window. Each pain of glass casts a different pattern. I thought it was beautiful.

Rowena kindly dropped me off at Sandbanks this morning. We had a good view of Brownsea Island in Poole harbour which is where Baden Powell held the first scout camp.

I tried hard to get a photograph of a sign for Sandbanks but unfortunately they were few and far between. So the hand of pod stayed in my bag.

I was fascinated by the tractors on the beach that were relocating sand from the top to the bottom, leaving stripes along the beach.

Sandbanks merges quickly into Bournemouth which altogether is about a 10 mile stretch of a beautiful sandy beach.

This lady called Angi stopped me to ask about my trek. It turns out that she is a keen walker and does walking marathons. Big respect. We walked along the promenade and chatted.

After about 7 miles, I stopped for a cup of tea and some refreshment. I arrived at the café just after the end of breakfast but just before lunch orders, so I had to settle for just a cup of tea. Bill and Dee and their granddaughter Evie joined me and we had a lovely chat. Then I had a Mr Whippy 99 ice cream which was delicious.

Angi had reassured me that the little ferry would be running today and so I decided to change my route. As I walked up Hengistbury Head I was fascinated by this interesting feature. It’s called ‘Rammed earth’ and is supposed to reflect the age of the earth.

Views from the top of Hengistbury Head were amazing in the bright sunshine. Looking back along Bournemouth beach you can see how long and flat the terrain was.

As promised I popped into the Hengistbury Head Coastwatch station. I had a delightful chat with the team however I wasn’t able to get their names as an emergency call came in and I had to make a quick departure.

Before I left, the staff confirmed that the ferry was indeed running today. I got my first look at the beach huts on the Spit that apparently are changing hands for around £400,000.

It was low tide and I thought I was going to have to wait for the ferry however I just managed to get on board and it set off immediately for the three minute journey at a cost of £3.50.

Almost the entire route today has been lined by beach huts and many of them were getting a makeover ready for the season ahead.

The path then left the beach and went through the Steamer Point nature reserve that included some beautiful woodland. I was delighted to see bluebells in flower and bees moving from plant to plant.

Bluebells are an important feature in mine and Angela‘s relationship. We had our civil partnership outside in an area surrounded by bluebells. Every year we would delight in visiting the fields of bluebells in Mugdock Country Park. Last year at this time we spread Angela’s ashes there amongst them.

I just had time to take a cursory look at Highcliffe Castle.

The cliffs here looked quite unstable and the coast path runs along the cliff top. I was surprised when I saw a paraglider passing close above the heads of people sitting having a drink outside a pub.The pilot bobbed and weaved around the coast line moving up and down with ease and often dropping below the cliff level then climbing high into the sky.

As I was walking along the path diversion due to cliff erosion, Catrina was coming in the opposite direction. She has been walking around the coast of England in sections and is almost complete. She warned me that the diversion would take me onto the main road and that there was no footpath making it quite dangerous as the cars travelled very quickly around the bends.

I finally made it into Milford on Sea and went into the Smugglers Inn for a well-deserved gin and tonic. While I was waiting for Rowena to collect me I got chatting to Curt who gave me a donation and bought me another drink.

Rowena took me back home to her house and on the way we saw many ponies, donkeys and horses roaming by the roadside. This is the New forest. 

James had cooked us an excellent curry. We all chatted more before going to bed.

I was so tired that I only got halfway through this blog before I fell asleep.