Log No 302. Fri 2nd May 2014 - Exbury to Southampton, 17 miles (4620 miles walked)
The lighthouse at Lepe |
Backtracking through the wood I then took a footpath onto the road to Lepe where I very briefly was along the shore of Solent Water.
With no access to the coast after Lepe I stayed on the road walking past Fawley, with the large oil refinery which was thankfully screened from view by a strip of trees, and then at Holbury I was more than pleased to come across a decent food store, It was 10.00 and my stomach was rumbling.
I should have stocked up when I was in Lymington early yesterday morning but didn't want to carry all the extra weight for a whole day.
Expecting, once I got to Beaulieu, to pick up something for tea and rolls etc to make sandwiches but I had to walk out of the shop empty handed, they had no tinned meat and only 2 large loaves so last night I had made do with what I had left in my rucsac, noodles, half a swiss roll, half a packet of custard creams and I still had some porridge for breakfast.
Hythe |
After wolfing down a pork pie, a banana and a couple of chocolate bars I carried on to the next roundabout where I was able to pick up the Solent Way again get off the road taking a bridleway into Hythe.
There was a good and very cheap cafe in Hythe, I got an all day breakfast and a pot of tea for only £5.50.
Container Terminal, Southampton |
The old bridge at Totton |
Southampton is the headquarters for the Ordnance Survey, the national map makers and I had spent 13 enjoyable years working as a surveyor for them from 1973 to 1986.
Having worked mainly in Scotland a few colleagues from my time in Glasgow had relocated down here and I was being picked up and looked after for the night by Graham & Sandra. A chance to catch up, relax and enjoy some home cooking.
I never saw much of the sea or river on the 17 miles today.