Day 9 - Tuesday September7th

In the early hours of this morning I was concerned about my leg. However, when I got up after creaming it and then putting on my flight socks things felt better and even more so with my boots on so I was encourged to find walking got easier during the day until about 3.00p.m. when I started to tire. My leg is no longer visibly inflamed although swells up during the day but goes down with a nights sleep.

I was given a lift from my host to the Portsmouth pier to get the ferry to Gosport, which was easier said than done. Tickets are only available by putting in the correct money into the machine. There is anotther that gives change for notes but this was not working! So I missed the first one and had to go to the train station to get change and then got a ticket just in time for the next ferry.
I started walking in Gosport at 8.15a.m. walking along the millenium walk to the road out past the submarine museum and then down a long road with 15 foot walls on both sides. The road then swung round and became residential and then I turned off across a golf course to Fort Gilkicker and then turned right along the coast. During this time there was a torrential downpour but it didn't last long. From Gosport I entered a military area which is open to the public called Browndown and this extended for over a mile and was a shingle heath. I then got to Lee-on-Solent at about 10.50a.m and found a cafe which made me some sandwiches for lunch and filled my box with salad as well. After this I pressed on past Stubbington and Titchfield Haven after which the path climbed up on to 75 foot high cliffs until I got to a caravan park where the cliff had collapsed and the beach was impassible at hight tide, and yes the tide was in! So a short detour inland was necessary inland before regaining the coast path and past another wetland wildlife site and into Warsash to find the ferry to Hamble-le-Rice. "Look for the pink ferry" people kept on saying. And yes when I got there there was a shelter for waiting passengers painted a garish pink and the ferry was painted to match! I arrived at Hamble at 2.00p.m. and ate my lunch. I then
found my way through Hamble and back to the shore and walked past some extensive industrial sites and then the path detoured inland around some private properties until I got to The Royal Victoria Country Park and on into Netley where I stopped for refreshments my own supply having run out. From Netley I followed the tarmac path for cyclists and pedestrians round into the Itchen and then walked over the Itchen toll bridge and across Southampton to Town Quay where I was picked up by my hosts for the night. While waiting at the ferry terminal I bumped into Alan Croft who is joining me tomorrow until Friday so I have some company for three days.
Today was a good day - it only rained twice and neither times did it last more than a short time. I walked a good long distance today - about 18 miles to Hamble-le-Rice, and then a further 7 miles making a total of 25 miles. I'm still feeling resonably robust for which I give thanks.