cary by Kirsten Svuure
Yesterday I got the 6-22am train to Christchurch, arriving just before 7, I walked out the station and immediately headed south (sic) till I hit the Avon River Path and then headed north towards Salisbury, according to the first sign 34 miles away. Travelling light (including bodyweight - a new low) and in good walking weather, the mood was fairly high. I've never been this way before and the marker posts etc were poor - and that never bothers me - i don't like it when things are too perfect and clear and easy - the best adventures happen when you get lost - and nowadays the only ones who get lost (and seem happy) are luddites like me. I did get lost a few times.
The actual Avon River Path is too fussy and struggles too hard to actually get close to the Avon, but a 400-yard miss is as good as a mile and it's pointless, so I largely invented my own route. But there was no avoiding the official route just to the south of Bisterne, where you have to walk along the busy-ish 50mph road for a mile with no pavement and little opportunity to ever get off the road, just relying on the sobriety of the oncoming drivers. This scary unenjoyable bit probably explains why the pathway as a whole isn't very popular.
I got to Ringwood around 9-30am. It's still a good town for charity shops - not as good as it once was. I got a great picture. I think I did it deliberately - to sabotage my walk - no way could I walk for another 20+ miles carrying a big picture. And walking for ten hours isn't four times better than walking for two and a half hours - and I felt I'd already made my point. I went to Sainsburys, got some cheese and raspberries, and ate them on the bus to Salisbury - sorry to be so naff, but the bus was leaving as I arrived and I never resist temptation.
Even tho I'd last been in Salisbury only a few days ago, there was still time for more exploring and I went to the local artists exhibition upstairs over the library and - keeping in the zone - bought another painting - the one in the pic above - much better in real life than the way Gimp (me - I) has mangled it. It's by Cary Something-beginning-with-S Something-beginning-with-K - sorry I didn't catch/remember your full name - and if you're reading this Cary and are cross with me then please message me and I will credit you and make you as rich and famous as me with all the proceeds from this album which I can tell you now will be total ongoing obscurity (how relaxing and stress-free it is) and zero million pounds and zero pence, which is just one (none) of those things that comes with just doing what we want.
However, I feel that the full walk from Christchurch to Salisbury is totally achievable - ie that I can arrive in Salisbury in time to catch the last train back home - though I never mind sleeping rough for a few night hours, because even though yesterday I sought the safety of charity shopping and more clutter, ultimately I do know that it's the lightness of having nothing that is the best adventure and the one that we all want to fall into ultimately.
Recorded this morning
