South Downs Way - Day 5

  

South Downs Way - Day 5

MISSING MACKIE DEE'S

I must have slept like a fence post, quite undisturbed all night: 5.30am - perfect. The sleeping bag, soaked with dew, was still warm and dry inside with no signs of the down clumping. RAB's Endurance water resistant coating worked well. It was my most expensive piece of gear but essential for its light weight and compact ability.

 

   The 'other-worldly' water sipped at cautiously the night before appeared very murky indeed, with bits swirling rather than swimming (I hoped!), and required boiling.

 

    Once laid out on the fence, the black Pertex of the sleeping bag soon began to absorb the warming sun that cast pencil-sharp shadows across the wet grass. Somehow I managed to knock most of my 1st boiling off the stove and was more careful with the second, giving it about five minutes of rolling boil before making my last sachet of pre-packed coffee mix.

 

    On one last portion of Alpen mix with Ryvita and honey I breakfasted well and was soon on my way again. I aimed to walk into Winchester at around 10.30am carrying only my basic weight (all food and water gone), of just under 10lbs, find the nearest McDonald's and down as many free refills of coffee as I could. Proper Bo.

 

    Beyond Beacon Hill - yes another one, the Nature Reserve offered a shaded path, but I emerged the other side of the wood to realise I'd gone wrong again. I'd wandered onto the Wayfarer's Walk. Circling the wood to rejoin the correct route I was soon passing the former site of the lost village of Lomer, but again found myself following the aforementioned and had to back-track for a second time. The correct route bears to the right in front of the farm cottages and not through the farm yard. En route to Wind Farm a farmer waved as he sped past in his Range Rover creating a choking dust cloud - probably alerted with a call about some loony wandering about his farm yard!

 

    The path follows the roadside approaching The Milbury's, but is set aside from the road itself, much safer on potentially busy sections; the extra effort put in by the RA and local council footpath teams being much appreciated. I arrived at The Milbury's (name derived from the nearby Mill Barrows) at 7:50am, and, thinking that the occupants were still in bed, stole round the back to fill my bottle from an outside tap. Returning, I found the landlord and landlady sitting outside enjoying a morning cuppa. Thinking I'd get a flea in my ear, I prepared to apologise profusely, but it wasn't necessary. They even asked if I'd like use of the toilet (where I nearly knocked myself out on a protruding cupboard), and, being pro-walker told me that while they didn't mind true backpackers using their lawn for over-nighting, they didn't want to encourage campers turning up in carloads as a crowded camper strewn lawn didn't really go with the silver service image they desired to promote. So there you have it. As pubs change landlords rather frequently it should be borne in mind that different occupiers have different ideas on how they want to run things, so if you plan to use any facility it is well to check your arrangements ahead or be prepared for disappointment. But as I hope I've demonstrated, a certain amount of frustration is part and parcel of this mode of travel! I thanked them for their hospitality and continued onward with my final destination in mind - now more McDonald’s coffee, than the ‘official’ finish of the King Alfred Statue.

 

    It was now 8:10am and my bus was due to leave at 11:45. I thought it would be straightforward walking all the way, but like many other walkers before me I'm sure, lost in thought, I missed the sharp back-left turn towards Gander Down and continued through the gate down the delightful wooded path to emerge before Hockley House only to realise, once again, I'd blundered.

 

    In the shade of a solitary tree I sat awhile to air my now unpleasantly whiffy socks and suck on a few more glucose tablets, logging 9:00 to 9:15am. At the top of the track I was surprised to come upon an oil drilling operation in progress, the workings a reminder of the normality of the days ahead. Above Temple Valley, I exchanged a few words with a much more senior walker. Equipped with an impressive looking old-fashioned round water bottle and equally grand carved-handled walking stick, he told me he was doing a circular day walk in the area and that it was going to be a hot one. Indeed.

 

    I stood well into the field as a massive logging unit passed laden with enormous tree trunks newly harvested from Cheesefoot Head and soon Telegraph Hill offered a panorama of Winchester below. Opting for the footpath cutting across down to the metalled lane to Chilcomb I wished I hadn't for the nettles were vicious in their profusion. Farther down the hill I came across three young backpacking blokes full of 'vim and vigour' setting out on the Way heading East.

 

    From Chilcome the path cuts across to the outskirts of Winchester. With hedge on one side and a most impressive and unusual stand of Giant Hogweed on the other I took the last of my water and broke into a run. The light extending bum bag had been something of an experiment that had been a success. I had transferred most of the weight to my hips and found that the light back-pack part much cooler overall than a rucksack or even a day sack. The thin mesh straps hadn't quite been up to day after day use though and would need to be looked at for any future consideration.

 

    The footbridge over the A31/M3 took me onto a housing estate where a man washing his car really couldn't understand why a middle-aged baldy was asking for the hose to be turned on him. The best shower I had though. The number of people around gradually increased and I asked the whereabouts of the statue just to confirm my own sense of direction. Then down and round the corner, there he was - good King Alfred, sword an' all. 10:45am: with an hour to go before my bus departed back 'up north' - just enough time for some 'proper snap'. But, would you believe it? - lost in thought again I missed the turning for McDonald's and walked straight up the High Street.

 

Reviews

[Emily B]

How in the world do you miss McDonald's? Though I think I"d probably prefer the beer tent.

Sounds like a lovely adventure. It must feel very free to start out on such a journey fully dependent upon yourself.