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New Years Day, 2002 This annual walk got off to a quick start from St Faith's Church, Havant at 12.o'clock, when twenty walkers of all ages, plus the dog, gathered as the clock struck 12. It was a fine and frosty morning with 'not a cloud in the sky' as we walked through the 'twittons' to the old railway station, of which now, there is no sign. We found the old muddy footpath had been tarred, it was no longer full of holes but an up to date walking area. Crossing over the road we found a similar path had been made back to the road which we crossed to the pub at Langstone Harbour. Here we had our lunch and while looking at the water lapping at the edge of the wall I realised that we had a very high tide to deal with. The walk continued round the old mill and along to where it led to the beach. Here the top of the wall had to be navigated and then a drop on to the beach which was all right until we came to the tamarisk trees that now had the wall fairly close to them, so it was a choice of walking round the back of the wall or between the trees and the wall which was not an easy task as these trees have many small, menacing branches which caught on everything. Anyway after a rewarding effort to keep our feet dry we reached the turning point of the walk away from the sea across the fields to Warblington Church. While admiring this interesting old church with its enormous great yew tree and the well-built brick huts which once gave shelter to a watchkeeper in the days of 'bodysnatchers' who stole the contents of a grave for their own profit. This was quite a lucrative trade a couple of centuries ago. On finding the church open, Linda and I went inside where we were welcomed and offered coffee and hot mince pies, and on being told there were more of us outside, they said 'do bring them all in, we have been open over Christmas to raise money for our Church.' So this year we finished our walk in this most unexpected way. We all had coffee and mince pies while we sang carols and exchanged news of our churches. So finished our walk feeling a warm friendship towards our hosts and we soon were back in Havant. It was a wonderful end to year 2001 and a hopeful beginning to year 2002. Ruby Bullock p.s. We do have walks on suitable Sundays during the year. Please, if interested, do look in the Sunday Bulletin. |
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page last updated 31 JANUARY 2002 |
