Log No 329. Thu 29th May 2014 - Maldon to East Mersea, 21 miles (5092 miles walked)

Well hopefully that's it rained out for a while, there was no rain through the night and the tent was taken down dry.

It was still cloudy when we left at 07.20 but I was sure I could see the odd blue patch.

We went straight down to the bank of the River Blackwater to walk on the good footpath on the embankment.

The tide was out, exposing the track out to Osea Island, we saw a couple of joggers and 3 cars on it in the time we walked by it. There were two men out on the mud digging for bait for their fishing.

We walked along the very twisty bank for nearly 5 miles before turning north to avoid a couple of big creeks/rivers.

We used any available road or footpath to go by the west of Tollesbury and Salcott-cum-Virley and then followed the road signs to Mersea.

Mersea is an island that I hadn't thought to be going on but that is where Mick had found us a campsite.

After going through Great Wigborough, Little Wigborough we stopped at a pub in Peldon for a pot of tea, it was 12.00 and we had made good time.

Road signs warned drivers to beware when the sea covered the footway on the causeway over to Mersea.

The tide was high when we were there and it wasn't far off the road level.

The sun finally broke through when we got onto Mersea Island and after doing the shopping we stopped for our final break on the sea front at West Mersea.

Walking between the beach huts we stopped briefly to talk to Georgina who wanted to feel how heavy our rucsacs were.

We should have been able to walk right along the shore to the campsite but we were forced to detour back inland onto the road as the footpath was closed for repairs after serious erosion.

We arrived at Fen Farm Campsite at 16.00 and the owner waived the site fees and gave us a £20 donation, thanks very much.

The walking seemed much easier today and we covered 21 miles with no problems. It will be a short day tomorrow to Colchester where Mick will take his leave from me and head back home.