This was a wild camp evening in the marshes near Kirkby-le-Soken. A steady flat walk in good weather, what could go wrong?
The day started well when I met Gary walking along the sea front at Harwich he came out with my favourite phrase of my walk so far.
“I speak my mind, I don’t boil my puddings “ , brilliant.
I then met up with Craig who turned out to be chief fireman at Clacton on Sea, on hearing I was wild camping he said if I was passing the fire station I could call in for a shower.
I then got on the sea embankment where I got into conversation with a chap and his whippet about bird watching in the marshes.
We were interrupted by a rather cross woman with an Alsatian.
“Can you move so I can get by, my dog doesn’t like other dogs especially small ones”
The aforementioned Alsatian wasn’t on a lead so I approached it very carefully to let it by.
“Oh don’t worry he’s fine with people he just attacks other dogs”
Strangely I didn’t find this that reassuring. She never put it on a lead as the whippet owner took it to safety behind some bushes.
I had spotted a pub that would do nicely for lunch. It was closed. So lunch was sandwiches from the community shop.
Essex is not great for footpath marking and a missing sign and my carelessness led to an extra half mile down the road.
Then just as I got to the path in the wide open farmland when the heavens opened and I got drenched.
The sun came out and dried as I headed for an evening meal in Kirkby-Le-Soken. They were full no meal for me there so another convenience store feast before wild camping in the nearby marsh.