Walking the South Coast of England by David Bathurst

Author:David Bathurst
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Summersdale Publishers Ltd
Published: 2011-09-23T16:00:00+00:00

Day 27

Lymington to Beaulieu 11 miles (429 miles)

Difficulty rating: Easy

Terrain rating:

Highlights: St Leonards, Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu

You could choose any number of routes through Lymington but to leave it you need to get yourself to the main road bridge crossing over the harbour just above the town station, then, having crossed the bridge, bear right along Undershore Road, and follow it past the entrance to the ferry terminal and car park. Beyond the terminal the road swings from south-east to north-east and becomes South Baddesley Road; it’s all a little tedious, and it’s a relief to turn right off the main road... to join another road. This one, Lisle Court Road, just a few hundred yards beyond the terminal to the right, is at least much quieter and you have the luxury of some good views to the right to the coastline. At a sharp left bend in the road, turn right onto a footpath which drops gently down to the shore, then on reaching the shore bear left and walk eastwards along it. The going at first is rather rough, with no path to speak of, but shortly a stile gives access to a permissive path which follows a parallel course through woodland before emerging on to the shore again. This is actually very agreeable walking; it’s much less walked than the path alongside Keyhaven Nature Reserve, and although one hesitates to say it’s undiscovered, it’s certainly easier to feel the silence and the solitude, with lovely views to your right across the Solent to the Isle of Wight and a bewitching mixture of woodland and water to your left. All too soon you reach a parking area and a house, at the bottom end of Tanners Lane, and you are forced inland now up this lane. You could go a little further along the shore, but very soon you reach an area of thick glutinous mud washed in by the constantly incoming tides, and I cannot rule out the possibility of your getting into serious difficulties. There is no right of way along here in any event, and no further access roads down to the shore this side of Beaulieu River which is the next major obstacle for coastal walkers. You can take consolation from the fact that even if you were able to continue beside the shore you would have to walk well away from the coastline to cross the Beaulieu River. It’s a pity to have to leave the coast behind particularly as you won’t be seeing it again for the next 10 miles. With a heavy heart, make your way up Tanners Lane away from the sea to begin a lengthy road walk to your next significant objective, Bucklers Hard. You bear right at the next road junction, signposted Bucklers Hard, which indicates that this village is 4.5 miles away, but it somehow seems more. You can at least put the map away as the road signposting is perfectly adequate to get you there, and there

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