At lunchtime on a bright, sunny and warm day I arrived at
South Haven Point in Dorset and celebrated arriving at the end of the 630 mile
South West Coast Path with a bottle of champagne – shared with a beach
fisherman and several surprised locals out for a stroll. There is no better way
to finish than a walk along a nice flat beach in the sunshine – not least
because this was in direct contrast to the weather and the terrain on other
parts of the Path!
This was the culmination of weeks of walking over the last 3 years and it prompted me to reflect on some of the highlights (and lowlights) of the experience.
Encouraged and accompanied by friends along the way – and
special thanks go to Anne and Bill who travelled from Texas to join me on more
than one occasion and were always encouraging even when I was cranky – one of
my abiding memories will be of the kindness of total strangers, from the bed
and breakfast places that welcomed you even when soaking wet, late and dripping
water all over their carpets to the taxi drivers who gave impromptu tours of
the local area and the church congregation who gave me a round of applause!
The weather, of course, features prominently. The days when
it poured with rain or blew a gale (particularly memorable when descending
cliffs and wondering how long it would be before being blown off) and the days
of gorgeous sunshine and beautiful views all vie with each other for pride of
place in the memory.
There are the practical problems (particularly my
questionable navigational skills) that also loom large in the memory. Contrary
to the popular belief that you simply put the sea on your right and all would
be well navigation did sometimes prove a challenge. I had a “senior moment” on
Sidmouth sea front and mixed up my “east” with my “west” ( which is not the way
to make friends with the taxi driver waiting for you and who had not made the
same mistake). There were diversions and on the Jurassic Coast even the
diversions had diversions. I do pride my self that I did not, unlike two
walkers ahead of me, after negotiating a long stretch of wet, fallen rock
followed that diversion sign that had been erected at the end of it which took
them all the way back to the beginning of it…….
These were eventful weeks interrupted by major business
crises or shortened by the need to attend professional engagements but the
weeks were a haven where the main concern was whether or not you were up to the
required effort …. Very relaxing, in a masochistic sort of way!
Thanks in abundance to Suzanne and to Ian for their superb
organisation – the accommodation, the travel arrangements, the guides and the
maps. Could not have done it without you!
It is now finished but I awoke this morning thinking …
anyone for the Wales Coast Path??
Keith
Wilding
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