Paddleboard the Nile - Planning Continues

21st - 26th July (nf)

 

21st July day 502

It was a lovely sunny morning. I woke early and set off back towards Fortuneswell the town I'd entered portland through. With only one way on to portland bill and one way off i followed the road to Weymouth. Weymouth had changed considerably since I'd last visited.  During the Olympic games the town had undergone a major changes to the road and had transformed into quite a pleasant place to visit.

I followed the path through Weymouth towards durdle door up over the cliffs with some strenuous climbs and falls. As i followed the path to its high viewpoints and down into little valleys the coast began to cast my mind back to when i was a child and how my parents had made us walk this part of the coastal path. I remembered a particular time they bought a four man canvas ridge tent and on the first night camped in a site nearby a heavy storm howled through. A lot of damage to tents and caravans around us was caused. We survived unscathed with our tent holding up to the gales that had devestated other campers holiday.

Lulworth cove passing a sign directing walkers to scratchy bottom.

The path now seriously undulated over white chalk cliffs

Reaching the range at Lulworth i was stopped dead in my tracks. The British army were practicing with heavy artillery. I had a choice of waiting it out and hoping they'd reopen the walk after school was out or backtracking and making my way inland to follow the range boundaries around. I decided to wait. It was coming up to 5pm and i felt sure they gates would be unlocked soon after.

Picked up by jo

Treated to carvery

Shower

22nd July day 503

Got the last of my rations joanne had been keeping for me

Rob picked me up from jos to take me to poole rnli for tour

Got gas dropped back at Kimmeridge

Large cracks on cliffs

Loads of butterflies as i walked between bushes

Weather better than expected

Guns still firing at range

Dancing ledge popular with climbers

Having passed dancing ledge i began looking ahead for a rather large and familiar land mark, the isle of Wight.

Reaching anvil point near durlsdon i was able to just about make out its outline on the horizon.

Swanage was still a few more miles ahead but passing tilly whim caves

Swanage was bustling with holiday makers, the bars and restaurants where full

Continuing to follow the coastal path  i left swanage behind and headed up to the cliffs towards old harry rocks

The sun was setting quickly and it was approaching nightfall when i arrived at the white chalk pinnacles.

I set up camp and tucked into one of the rations i picked up at joannes.

23rd July day 504

It was a pleasant start to the morning

I set off to complete the last three miles of the south west coastal path

Looking across the water i could see the entrance to poole harbour hooleys next crossing and a little further along Bournemouth and Boscombe

Walked Studland beach no nudists

Crossed to sandbanks met rutters on the far side condor ferry came out of the harbour shortly after i crossed

Walked with rutters to Boscombe and met reuben photo op with paddleboard

Carried on to hengestbury head

In all the years i had lived around Christchurch I don't think I've ever actually walked around the beach at hengestbury head. Usually i followed the path to the viewpoint and then onto the lily ponds.

Reaching the end of the sandy beach i could see mudeford quay and the run. Of all the crossings hoolley and i would make during the trek this stretch of water was the one i feared the most. I knew its reputation first hand having kayaked it in my rigid. It was a very quick flowing stretch between hengestbury head and where i wanted to be. It was called "the run" for a reason.

I had a plan though and arriving just as the tide was turning gave me the advantage i wanted. Getting in to the water harbour side and paddling across i knew I'd catch the current heading out to sea. The channel at this point is very narrow and fast moving but i knew i could get across easily then simply guide hoolley out towards the beach.

Just as i launched the ferry came round the corner. This was not good

Followed ferry little else to do

As the ferry turned to pull up for the next wave of passengers i carried on with the plan.

I'd arrived on the small stretch of sand just as you leave the run.

Continuing on i once again i felt nostalgic as i began hiking avon beach. I'd worked in the ice cream parlour on the beach when i was still at school during the weekends and summer holidays. I remembered the rum n raisin and how it was always soft and sticky and also one of the most popular flavours. I remembered having to clean the bosses landrover and how it often came as a great alternative to serving ice cream.

The beach ahead soon became too dangerous to hike and as it began to darken as the clouds thickened and the dusk drew in. I would now be hiking the cliffs for i while.

Finding a flat place to pitch away from the cliff edge which appeared to be crumbling by the second.

24th July day 505

"Its bloody raining! " where first words that came out of my mouth. It was still early so i decided to calmly get myself ready for a damp hike and make sure i can pack most of my kit away under the dry shelter of my tent.

The rain did eventually lift off just long enough for the tent to dry a little and for me to collapse camp. Leaving my memories behind and heading on into the unknown and back to where it all started the rain began again.

Passing milford on sea i realised that I'd left dorset and had now entered Hampshire for the last time. It was still raining.

Following my nose I eventually arrived at Lymington passing hurst castle a place I'd used as training

After Lymington it got  tougher to follow the coast as there didn't appear to be any path

Eventually i stumbled on to the solent way

It was still raining and everything was soaked

Feeling sure i was now heading back towards the coast and finding a sheltered place in some woods i pitched up and called it  a day

I hadn't got as far as I'd hoped

25th July day 506

It had stopped raining my boots and socks were wringing wet

The sun was out and i knew i had a long day ahead of me. I wanted to get as close to Southampton as possible so that my last day would be short and easy

As i set off i could feel something was wrong.  The sun was in the wrong place either that or i was headed in the wrong direction.

I stopped and thought for a moment, i was heading in the wrong direction.

Turned about eventually finding a road i decided to follow it til i found a sign

Followed signs for bucklers hard i knew of the place and knew it would take me to the water

Reaching bucklers hard and reaching the water i turned left for Hythe

Passed Hythe a could see the bridge where it all began

The weather was perfect for a crossing

Finding a nice sandy beach i launched and paddled to a slipway just across from me

I had to watch out for large cruise ships and speed boats

I had arrived in Southampton a day earlier than expected

Decided to relax for the rest of the day

Pitched up in mayflower park

26th July day 507

Met everyone around 10:30

Joanne and her mum where late

Hiked along the road towards the bridge

It was just as long as I'd remembered

Arriving at the center of the bridge the line looked different

13th - 15th July (nf)

13th July day 494

That morning i climbed off the sofa and gathered my kit together, my tent was mostly dry now. I took out the broken spray deck brace to examine it more closely. There had to be a way of fixing it a few thoughts entered my head. A bolt wedged between the two then duct taped seemed the most feasible fix. I made myself breakfast and waited for chris the mechanic to arrive.

Handing the brace over i gave chris the brace suggesting my possible fix. He took the brace away and disappeared into his workshop while I finished getting my kit stowed and ready to set off. When chris returned he was holding the brace at both ends. He hadn't found a bolt to use but a drill bit did just as good a job. After inserting the bit chris had used resin to secure the two halves together. I'd have to wait another half hour for the resin to set before setting off on the trek once more.

I didn't know it at the time but i had a pleasant surprise ahead of me. Chris and i left the boathouse together and we headed down to the pontoon where i was planning to launch hoolley for her morning crossing. When we arrived there i was introduced to stevie smith.

Stevie smith was part of a two man crew who wanted to circumnavigate the world under their own power. Stevie made it to hawai but his friend continued on to complete the challenge. It was anticipated the journey would take three years but in fact took 13. Stevies idea had been one of the inpirations for me to look into using a pack raft to aid my attempt around Britain and it was an honour to accept his offer of a lift on his ferry to cross the river.

I was soon back following the acorns and of course following the coastal path. The trail wasn't too challenging and I began to think that maybe now i was over the worst of it. My sun burnt stomach though was itching like crazy, especially my chest. It was driving me crazy. So much so that i decided to stop, i threw my pack to the ground and removed my tshirt. Somehow i thought that allowing the cool breeze brush across my bare reddened skin would help. It did to a degree but still i itched. I put my pack back on and continued to follow the path.

It wasn't exactly a hot day but i still sweated with every step i took. The trail wound its way along the coastline following the cliffs as closely as it dare. Ahead I'd soon be passing start point. It wasn't my start point although as i got closer i began wishing it had been.  I still had a few hundred miles yet to cover before I'd arrive back at my start point.

Start point is a headland that houses a solitary lighthouse, no longer manned, none of them were these days. Automation had once again added another soul to the dole queues. Lighthouses were now often rented to the wealthy for holiday homes or had been turned into remote hotels with spectacular views.

Wild strawberries couple looked at me oddly

Torcross lake one side of a long sand bank and the sea on the other side.

The stretch of sand was used during the war to practice the D day landings.

Arriving at the top of the hill at Strete i was convinced it would all be downhill to Blackpool, a slightly smaller Blackpool than I'd previously visited. Gradually the path did descend and i was able to see the gorgeous beach i would call home ahead. Turning slightly to run parallel to the coast below the path appeared to disappear.

I stopped and burst out laughing "you've got to be Fucking kidding me! " a shout out above me laughter. Ahead the path plummeted out of sight and before me on the far side of the valley a very steep climb back to the top. My laughter turned to chuckles as i began the descent to the valley floor. The gradient got steeper and steeper then the ground slipped from beneath me, or had my boots lost the will and simply let go, either way i ended up on my backside. Again i screamed with laughter. I was near breaking point, physically and mentally. Bursting into song joining in with the song that was playing on my mp3 player, although i expect slightly out of tune. Somehow it seemed the natural thing to do, "Way Up high or down low, I'll go wherever you will go".

Once at the bottom i began the climb back up. I'd obviously not climbed enough everests yet.

Blackpool sands turned out to be a private beach which meant no camping. I had no choice but to keep going til i found somewhere quiet and secluded to make camp.

The evening meal was to be golden vegetable rice with chopped peperami I'd been given by a family I'd met hiking the coastal path earlier during the day.

14th July day 495

Drawing back the doorway to my little home and peering out the sun was shining and it looked though it might be a good day for walking. I was heading for Dartmouth for hoolleys next crossing and i hoped to get near to Torquay by nightfall.

Met Dartmouth rnli volunteers at newly opened shop

Crossed the dart via ferry due to poor weather and high traffic it was only £1.50

Met up with merlin and alison. I'd met merlins dad on my first day of hiking round Anglesey but he'd never mentioned it to merlin.

Had dinner and drank drams of whiskey from jura and isla.

15th July day 496

Feeling mortal i woke around 9:30. It may have been later. I joined merlin out front for breakfast and some much needed coffee.

Rain in the morning

A hard 10 miles

Sun came out as i approached Brixham

Got lost in woods in the dark

Camped martincoombe

12th July day 493

It was raining when i woke. The worse possible scenario. Without my jacket I'd be loosing body heat and even though it was summer i knew it was still possible to get hypothermia. Such a simple mistake to make and i had noone else to blame but myself. I was usually so OCD about things like that. What made things even worse was the fact I'd had my last meal the night before other than a packet of savoury rice, two breakfast rations and a snickers bar i was completely out of food. With no signal on my phone to contact anyone and let them know of my situation i was pretty much screwed.

I made myself a coffee and hydrated one of the remaining breakfast rations and decided to wait to see if the rain passed. The only plan i had was to get to the nearest village and reassess my situation there.

As i sat sipping my coffee i went over in my head what i had in my pack that i could use to help the situation. In my medical pack i had an emergency blanket, one of those silver foil ones. Maybe I could make something to cover my body to reduce heat loss and maybe keep me a little dry. It was a long shot but worth giving it a go.

I gathered my kit together ready to brave the weather and wrapped myself up in the oversized sheet of baking foil. I can only imagine what i must have looked like. Picking up the path i carried on around the coast until i reached Salcombe. Coming upon a  road i headed inland to try and find the quickest way back to the estuary on the hope I'd be able to thumb a lift to save me time and keep me dry.

I hadn't been hiking the road long before I saw a car coming towards me. Putting my hand up the driver thankfully stopped. 'H' was going to visit an elderly friend to see if she needed anything before headingon to see to a horse. I explained my predicament and asked her the quickest way back to the estuary. "Get in and I'll drop you near by" she said. Driving along the narrow lanes it became apparent just how far the river was. There simply wasn't a quick way.

At the car park near to the beach i thanked H, grabbed my pack and set off in search of the lost clothing. Passing a couple of surfers i stopped for a quick chat. Koree and Glynn had come down for a couple of days to catch "a fish" as they put it but the surf wasn't too good and all they'd been able to do was a bit of snorkeling. Very kindly they offered to look after my bag while i went back to the mouth of the estuary hoping the jacket and fleece were still on the rock where I'd left them. They weren't. I had a good look round just in case they'd blown off during the night but my searches were fruitless.

I then wondered if somebody else had came across the missing items and had handed them in to the rnli lifeguards that patrolled the beach. They hadn't. I walked back to koree and Glynn who'd made me a coffee for my return. Seeing me come back empty handed koree offered me a spare jacket he had in the back of his car. It was a lovely gesture but before i accepted i decided to see if the beach cleaner had found anything. I ran up to the car park office to see but again i came back empty handed.

After finishing my coffee I took korees jacket and went to head off. Luckily a van pulled up so i asked if they could give me a lift as far as they could. They weren't heading to Salcombe but they were happy to take me to the roundabout that would put me on the main road leading to the village. I climbed in the back and recognised the three guys from the day before.  They'd been floating in the currents of the river as I'd been packing hoolley away. They recognised me too.

It was still raining as we arrived at the roundabout and i climbed out. The guys wished me luck as they turned left and i right. It was going to be a long and wet 7 mile hike back to Salcombe but at least I now had a jacket which was waterproof.

I had hiked a good 5 miles in the relentless rain dodging cars, vans and lorries as they speeded along. With a couple of miles left before i reached Salcombe again i was thankful when a car pulled up and the driver offered me a lift. Peter was a journalist who worked for a newspaper in reading but who'd been allowed to work from home and had chosen devon due to his passion for surfing. I threw my pack on to the back seat and climbed in after it.

It didnt take us long to reach the village which was busy with tourists and i was treated to a coffee and burger. After lunch peter and i headed back to the lifeboat station to meet chris the station mechanic. After peter had left i was taken up to the crew room to charge my battery packs and hang my tent up to dry. When chris saw how wet it was he offered me the use of the station couch for the night to give the tent and my boots time to dry.

18th - 21st July

18th July day 499

It was a sunny morning which if you're laid out on a lovely sandy beach is exactly the weather you would hope for. I was to start the day not lavishing myself in the hot rays emanating from the sun but in fact climbing steep hills. After making a few ascents i caught view of a long beach heading towards beer.

When the path descended onto the beach i seized the opportunity to see if i could get all the way. It was certainly worth a go. After a good hike and arriving at the headland at the far end of the beach it was apparent i couldn't make it all the way but it did bring me up at a small seaside resort.

Immediately i headed to the beach cafe to get an ice cream and can of sprite to help cool me down. Feeling very much refreshed i was back to hiking the coastal path and back to following the little acorns. Approaching beer i could see seaton along the coasy a mere couple of miles away.

Leaving beer i came across a couple of wild cherry trees laden with its ripe and juicy black cherries. I had to stop and take a nibble from mother natures larder. It was just after lunch time when i arrived at seaton so after a short break for lunch i set off for lyme regis. Rumours of the path had been circulating and reached me and i wasn't sure if I'd be able to use the coastal path to reach the days destination.  I had to find out for myself no matter how it ended.

Reaching the section of path that descended to the under cliff i came across a sign confirming the order of closure. Thankfully leading up to the sign I'd met martin from my home town of Bournemouth who himself had just navigated that particular section of footpath. He'd warned me there were signs of subsidence however ropes had been left to aid walkers tackling the path.

I headed down feeling quite excited passing signs advising  that should the path be closed for whatever reason the only exit route would be the way you came. No access was available to the foreshore or the clifftops. Awesome,  an adventure.

I followed the path for a while before coming across a wooden barricade which i easily squeezed past. Then i was confronted by a sudden drop. Sure enough there was a knotted rope tide round a nearby tree. Game on. The descent was relatively easy so i continued. Coming across more steps that had fallen away i carefully lowered myself down and kept going. Then i came across an ascent. Again there was a knotted rope secured above so i hauled myself and pack up. I was thoroughly enjoying the challenge.

The rest of the path ran through a thick woodland similar  to a rain forest I'd hiked in Malaysia several years earlier. I arrived in lyme regis around 6:30pm. Immediately once I'd left the forest i got a call from Marion who'd offered me the use of her summer house, a shower and a bite for dinner.

19th July day 500

With clean clothes and feeling surprisingly refreshed Marion and her husband paul dropped me back at the lyme regis lifeboat station. Walking along the promenade i came across Adrian gray who'd been rock balancing. A master of this unusual pastime Adrian had been balancing rocks for over 15 years. It was really quite an impressive skill.

Leaving lyme regis I wondered if I'd be able to get all the way to Abbotsbury the start of chesil beach staying on the coastline in front of the cliffs. It certainly looked like it as i gazed along the coastline. It was certainly worth a crack especially as the tides were on my side and had started going out as i approached the first set of cliffs.

After a few hard shingly miles i passed beneath golden point the highest point on the south west coastal path. Looking up the cliff towered to a point above me. I carried on. I still had a very long way to go before I'd reach seatown and ultimately portland bill.

At seatown i was faced with a headland i couldn't see past. It was uncertain as to what i would find on the other side but i thought I'd have a go anyway. Gradually the shingles were replaced by large rocks but nothing i hadn't already come across on the trek.

From west bay i spent the rest of the day hiking on shingle. After a few hours i wished i had snow shoes feeling sure they'd make life so much easier. When i finally found solid ground again the first few steps felt strange but my pace soon quickened.

Arrived at West bexington about 4 miles from Abbotsbury around 6:30pm to meet encyclopedia lee and the boys. It was great seeing the guys after being away for so long. I can't remember the last time I'd laughed so much. I had tears poring down my face whem lee had decided to show off the time lapse capabilities of his iPhone by filming the sun setting. We waited patiently and once the sun had disappeared behind the hills on the horizon he played his time lapsed footage back. It was in real time, i had the same setting on my phone it was called normal.

20th July day 501

Ahead of me was 13km of shingle, chesil beach.

It was hard going and a heavy mist was reducing my visibility to a mere few yards. By the time I'd eventually arrived at the road joining portland to the Weymouth I'd either pulled a muscle, trapped a nerve or damaged my hip. Making my way to the farthest point of portland bill was excruciating. I tried to put the nagging pain out of my head and refused to take painkillers.

Following the coastal path i came across a couple of sections that had been closed due to cliff falls but ignoring them i continued and thankfully was able to make my way through without any difficulty.

It had been misty all day with the odd patch of rain. Reaching portland bill the farthest point i had very little to see.

I continued to follow the coastal path but after a couple of miles the nagging pain in my hip was too much to bare so I decided to pitch my tent in one of the old quarries and got an early night.

16th - 17th July

16th July day 497

I wasn't far from Paignton and Torquay where the long sandy beach is not yellow but instead red. Mary shelley who wrote the novel frankenstien after spending a summer in Geneva with lord byron also enjoyed holidaying in Torquay although when she died she was buried in my home town of Bournemouth.

As i hiked along the promenades from one town to the next i kept thinking about how far i still had left to go. It was still quite daunting. Reaching Torquay i was met head on by waves of people. I just wasn't used to it. The noise of the cars and lorries and buses. Having to dodge children and dogs. No longer could i smell the fresh clean air it was polluted by fumes and burger restaurants. Passing the giant ferris wheel overlooking the harbour i began to feel uneasy, clostraphobic i needed space.

It seemed to take a lifetime to make my way round the headland where at least i was away from the bad air and once again was able to breath. A thick mist rapidly blew in from the sea. It was nearly 4pm by the time I'd managed to feel comfortable again up on the cliffs and heading away from the town. I couldn't understand it i was feeling tired and found it hard to motivate myself to hike.
Making situations worse was the fact I'd now lost another 2" off my waist and my trousers were beginning to feel the stresses of the trek. I always kept my pocket knife in a pocket with a zip. Unfortunately the zip had now broken and somewhere along the way my knife had fallen out. Morale was starting to hit rock bottom. The day wasn't over yet though and a poorly waymarked route would soon have me flipping a coin at forks in the path to determine the way to go. Often ending up with me deep in woodlands faced with vertical cliffs. Mentally and physically i was slowly dieing.

At the end of the day i felt disappointed with the progress I'd made during the previous days. I was severely dragging and well below the mileage i wanted to cover. I felt confused and drained of energy. I wondered why i was feeling like it. I needed to get my head back in the game. I was so close but feeling defeated.

Dinner was simply rice with some chicken I'd bought a couple of days earlier and a couple of rolls  I'd picked up in Torquay. It wasn't much but welcome none the less.

17th July day 498

I woke particularly early, around 5:30am. That was quite unusual for me. I made myself a coffee and two portions of porridge conscious that i needed to try and get some weight back on. It had lightly rained during the night and parts of the outer flysheet of the tent were damp but that didn't matter. I packed up and set off immediately faced with an ascent. That was promptly followed by a descent. This continued, "who ever told me it would be flat from here on can kiss my ass" i muttered "the path can kiss my ass, the hills can kiss my ass, if there is a god he can kiss my ass, those thistles can kiss my ass...". I wasn't in my usual chirpy mood and i respect anyone who has walked the whole of the south west coast path in one go. Its a killer.

Then it began to rain. Reaching Shalden i decided to stop for a coffee and put my jacket on before heading across the bridge to Teignmouth. Just as I'd crossed the sun came out and a wave of heat swept across the town. The skies began to clear. I made my way through the town and down to the coast again. The promenade ran alongside the railway and along the coast. It was a pleasant break from climbing the cliffs. A train passed me i could smell the burning diesel and felt a little nauseous. I kept going and reaching the end climbed down a set of steps to the waters edge and through a tunnel towards a lane that eventually took me back to the tops of the cliffs at Holcombe. I wasn't far from Dawlish which meant i only had a few more miles to go before reaching the river ex.

Reaching Dawlish Warren a little way from Dawlish, but not to be confused with, i met up with martyn. Martyn had been following my progress online and was a great fan of walking himself. Having walked the south west coastal path himself martyn assurred me the I'd already tackled the worst of it although there were still a fair number of climbs ahead. We walked the short distance from his home near to the path along the sea defences to a small leisure complex where we had a couple of teas and martyn treated me to a bacon and egg roll. He was unsure about my crossing over the ex and intrigued about the next challenge paddleboarding the nile. The mouth of the ex narrows dramatically and is notorious for strong currents.

Having relaxed and refreshed we said goodbye and i headed off along the beach of the nature reserve towards the narrowest point. The tide was still going out but I knew i could use that to aid me in my crossing, a small sailing dingy was struggling against the flow of the water unable to make any progress forward. I picked a good spot to launch and set off. I paddled out from a small eddy and caught the current which took me at a good pace down the beach on the far side. As i paddled children from the local school were out collecting hermit crabs and sea weed for a school project, they waved as i passed.

After landing hoolley i packed her away and continued on to Sidmouth looking along the red sandstone cliffs at where i had yet to conquer hoping to see the familiar outline of portland bill but it  was too hazy. It was there somewhere. I'd now arrived at the jurassic coast, an ancient coastline that I'd be following until i reached Swanage.

By the end of the day i was exhausted and once I'd climbed yet another hill just beyond Sidmouth i found somewhere to pitch and had rice before bed.

11th July day 492

It was a lovely sunny morning as we broke camp. Katy and the others had to get the kids to kung fu lessions and i hit the trail again.

It was an extremely hot day as i progressed over more hills. Arriving at the avon estuary,  my next crossing i decided to take some time out. It was too hot to continue comfortably so i found a little area of grass sheltered from the sea breeze and lay down. I woke a couple of hours later, made a coffee to help me regain consciousness and set off towards the river to pick a place to cross.

Getting hoolley ready everything was text book until "snap-ping". As i was inserting the final piece to the spray deck brace it snapped in two. On closer examination it quickly became apparent that salt corrosion had weakened the metal brace. It was just a matter of time before it would fail.

There was nothing I could do about it so i hopped in and made the crossing. Everything went well just a few moments later i was back on shore and packing her away. It wasn't til later that evening that i realised I'd made a huge mistake of biblical proportions. Whilst pre - occupied with the damaged brace I'd hung my fleece and jacket on a rock off the sand. I hadn't repacked them. They were still on the rock and I'd hiked for several hours on to soar mill cove. It wasn't worth hiking back on the off chance they were still there and it certainly wasn't worth crying over now. It would soon be dark. I'd have to try and contact somebody the following day to try and get replacements. I just hoped the weather stayed good until then or i could be in big trouble. Why didn't i check the area around me like i always did. How did i leave without noticing.