Sunday, 31 March 2002

Coastwalk

Wivenhoe → Brightlingsea

Distance: 9.8 miles
Ascent: 179 metres
Duration: 3 hours 29 minutes

Towards the sea
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That "I'll one day reach the sea again" is something I've been trying to convince myself of a lot while walking round Essex. I last caught a glimpse from Tollesbury Marsh in December, but I've not walked on the actual coast since Bradwell eighteen months back.

The day I reach the sea will come when I find the mouth of the River Colne and while I'm not there yet I am walking in the right direction.

But first there are obstacles. For example, the map shows a right of way over a ford at Alresford Creek. (Add another two miles as I walked upstream to the first bridge.)

I stopped walking at Brightlingsea, yet another marina-dominated small town. It's a Sunday and I needed to be sure I could get back to the car so a town was a more sensible end point than a road in the middle of nowhere.

It's been a good weekend. I've knocked off three sections of coast and covered thirty-six miles. I know I said I'll not tempt fate by saying this again, but I'm determined to finish Essex this year.

Posted by pab at 22:26