After a sunrise cup of tea I got my tent packed up ahead of the anticipated arrival of the dog walkers.
The first one who arrived was very interested in what I was doing as he wanted to do the same. We had a long chat about doing the walk and what equipment had worked for me. Hopefully he was still enthused about doing the walk when we’d finished chatting.
Today was a short day, a walk round Thorney Island then round the coast to Havant.
Thorney island is run by the MOD so you have to press a button by a security gate and then you are let in albeit remotely.
The island was happily muddy with bits of shingle to break up the monotony.
I watched with interest a young chap approaching me sliding all over the place. He warned me the path up ahead was slippery. He looked enviously at my walking poles as I negotiated it without difficulty.
The island is home to several memorial benches to those in the Signals regiment who have been killed in recent wars, Iraq , Afghanistan etc. THese are well looked after and give stunning views of the Estuary.
Leaving the island by buzzer again I went to Emsworth where I splashed out on a delicious fish cake at the yacht club restaurant. A bit of good food is a nice counterpoint to my usual run of the mill fare.
Unfortunately I discovered that the high tide had arrived and the coast path , as it had yesterday , had flooded . Another inland detour beckoned and I arrived at Havant after a wander through its suburbs.