Log No 302. Fri 2nd May 2014 - Exbury to Southampton, 17 miles (4620 miles walked)

After a peaceful, undisturbed night in the woods I was away at 07.30 to another overcast morning, but at least it was dry.

Backtracking through the wood I then took a footpath onto the road to Lepe where I very briefly was along the shore of Solent Water.

With no access to the coast after Lepe I stayed on the road walking past Fawley, with the large oil refinery which was thankfully screened from view by a strip of trees, and then at Holbury I was more than pleased to come across a decent food store, It was 10.00 and my stomach was rumbling.

I should have stocked up when I was in Lymington early yesterday morning but didn't want to carry all the extra weight for a whole day.
Expecting, once I got to Beaulieu, to pick up something for tea and rolls etc to make sandwiches but I had to walk out of the shop empty handed, they had no tinned meat and only 2 large loaves so last night I had made do with what I had left in my rucsac, noodles, half a swiss roll, half a packet of custard creams and I still had some porridge for breakfast.


After wolfing down a pork pie, a banana and a couple of chocolate bars I carried on to the next roundabout where I was able to pick up the Solent Way again get off the road taking a bridleway into Hythe.

There was a good and very cheap cafe in Hythe, I got an all day breakfast and a pot of tea for only £5.50.

The Solent Way continued across Southampton Water by ferry from Hythe to Southampton but I had to carry on up the side of the River Test to a bridge.

From Hythe Marina I was able to use a footpath and track for 2 miles to take me to Marchwood and snother couple of miles on minor roads got me to Eling and the busy bridge at Totton to get over the river to Southampton for 15.00.

Southampton is the headquarters for the Ordnance Survey, the national map makers and I had spent 13 enjoyable years working as a surveyor for them from 1973 to 1986.

Having worked mainly in Scotland a few colleagues from my time in Glasgow had relocated down here and I was being picked up and looked after for the night by Graham & Sandra. A chance to catch up, relax and enjoy some home cooking.

I never saw much of the sea or river on the 17 miles today.