We’ve just found the blog of Ruth Livingstone who is walking around the British coastline:
“My name is Ruth Livingstone. I am a 50 something lady and I have set myself a task. I am going to walk around the coastline of the British mainland. Starting in North Norfolk, I will head clockwise around the coastline, following paths and tracks… I will be doing this walk in stages, returning home frequently, because I also have a job, friends, a family, a home and a life! …. This is not to raise money for charity, nor to advertise a worthy cause. …. This is just for me. I love the sea and I love the idea of making an epic trek. Researching this on the internet, I have discovered only a handful of people who have completed a walk around the complete UK coastline….”
She passed through our district last month and you can read her blog entries for Burnham to Rochford, Rochford to Great Wakering and Great Wakering to Southend.
Here’s a couple of snippets:
Walking on, I realise I am now in the heart of Rochford. I can hear traffic roaring past; there must be busy roads close by. But I remain in an enclosed, tranquil, leafy walkway ? bushes on either side and tree branches above me. Reaching a rough lane, I follow it and then, surprisingly, emerge ? suddenly ? on a road. After so many hours of walking, without encountering a living person, it is strange to be standing on an ordinary pavement with cars passing by.
The path is very overgrown and, suddenly, I see a small, thin snake moving across the path. I have stepped over it before I notice it. Turning round, I put down my rucksack to grab my camera and, in a wiggle, it is gone. The snake was smooth, light brown with a long darker stripe. It did not look like an adder. But I wonder if baby adders have different markings. I am really worried now. I put on my gaiters for protection. A few steps later and I see a small sign against a farmer?s gate. It is black with one word scrawled in white chalk ? ?Adders!?.