I was a bit apprehensive about today’s walk, not only was the ongoing issue with my groin strain, which had improved over the last week; but the poor transport links within the New Forest meant I had to dig my bike out for the first time this year!
I decided to do just a single days walk and half the distance it would have normally been. I had originally planned to do an easy day on my final days walk, which I could now extend slightly. I drove to and found free car parking in Lymington. Here I got my bike out and set off down the B3054 at 06:00 peddling towards Beaulieu. There was very little traffic about, but I made sure I could be seen with a plethora of flashing red and white lights. The 6 to 7 miles to Beaulieu took about 40 minutes.
As with last weeks walk this area has little or no coastal access, so it would mean walking predominantly on quiet lanes with occasionally transferring to footpaths. The good news was it was a very quiet Sunday morning with little or no traffic. Because I did not want to return to Beaulieu to pick up up my bike I decided to push it back, which I had done many times while walking in the remoter parts of NW Scotland.
The Solent Way, which I was following, kept to the roads and was generally easy to follow, although I did lose the path or it was re-routed in a few places. This walk while being peaceful and easy going had little or no contact with the coast and many warning signs I had seen last week on the other side of the Beaulieu River were in existence today.
I walked the 10.5 miles in about 3.25 hours. My groin was ok and I had successfully ensured that I could complete my final two walking days in a single trip back down to the South Coast. I just need to decide within the next 10 days when I head back to the south coast and book an hotel.
Distance today = 10.5 miles
Total distance = 6,645.5 miles
Walking the Coast of Great Britain 
That is the first thatched cricket clubhouse I have seen. Poole is in sight and some nice walking ahead!
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Hi Tony,
yes they were preparing for a game later that day. Almost certainly going to finish within the next 10 days.
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The path from Beaulieu to Bucklers Hard is lovely, the rest of it a lot of road walking, as you know. I don’t think the owners of Bucklers Hard are too keen on that footpath as it allows you to get in for free, as like Clovelly they try to charge for admission to the village. I remember walking it in the summer once they even had someone posted by the stile to keep an eye on walkers so that they didn’t wander off the path! (Or if they did, so they could be charged admission!).
Lymington is mostly very pretty too. The ferry journey from there to the Isle of Wight is lovely, with all the boats moored up in the river (the boat only goes at walking pace down the river part).
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Hi Jon, back in 2013 I took my car over to Yarmouth, to climb the two Marilyns on the IOW. The outward journey was in the dark, but the return was in daylight. I was amazed at how congested the river mouth was with boats /Yachts etc and was sure there was going to be a collision. I remember seeing Hurst Castle stuck out on a limb in the Solent. I may visit on my final day, depends how I feel.
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Hurst castle is worth the walk out (the shingle is quite compacted, so not too bad) and there is a ferry which perhaps you could use on the way back, but don’t know if it will be running now (possible it finishes at the end of August). Although part of the castle collapsed into the sea earlier this year. I believe it is still open to the public, but sections of it are now closed due to the collapse.
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Alan, All the best for the final 2-day stint of your epic journey.
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Thanks Graham, as promised I’ll post my final TR on Scoottish Hills as well. Like most of these things I think Sunday will be quite an underwhelming experience, but a happy one.
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Lymo to Barton will be much closer to the sea!
My son used to play for Pywell Park as a nipper so I know that pavilion and the thatched one at Boltons Bench in Lyndhurst.
Yes, the Beaulieu Estate charge for entry to Bucklers Hard village and museum, but you can access the Master Builders Hotel for free. Personally, I find Bucklers Hard more interesting than the Motor Museum (it is the Abbey, house and SOE exhibits that interest me at Beulieu).
Without being a pedant, I think (emphasis on the word ‘think’ though) that is the Great Barn at St. Leonards and not the Chapel.
Clive
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Yes Clive I think you are right. I was abit confused as it appears it was a barn built within a barn! The Chapel I could see was just next to the Grange
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