Another year, another big stroll, once again starting and finishing away from home, this time focused on southern England.
If I had decided that in the hope that the weather would be kinder than in the north in 2024, I was not disappointed. For most of the eleven days of this journey the sun shone and the sky was blue. The one day of very mixed and damp weather coincided with the longest day of walking, and one of the toughest days for ups and downs, so that worked in my favour. The last few days were very warm - for England that is - at 24-26 degrees, sometimes a couple of degrees higher, but the breeze on the South Downs or by the coast kept the temperature comfortable. I was mindful in those days that a real heatwave, days in excess of 30 degrees, was going on at home in London, and grateful to be missing it.
This year's walk rolled in at just over 187 miles, about 20 miles longer than the two previous years and a little above in average daily distance. It clocked up just under 20,000 feet of ups and downs, once again more than the previous couple of journeys. It was front-loaded for mileage - the first few days were longer than the last few.
On the equipment side there was little change from previous years - again my Osprey 65L backpack, Merrell Moab 3 shoes (this time in Pecan...), Rohan trousers, Smartwool socks, Berghaus lightweight waterproofs and an assortment of tops and t-shirts all took their roles seriously.
They were joined by one discovery. Obviously in these conditions I use sunscreen, but I also tend to be very attractive to biting insects. This time I tested a combination sunscreen and insect repellent by Incognito. It comes in a tube but it is really a liquid, so application needs care, but only a small quantity goes a long way. It can also smell a little odd after a day of perspiration, but not unpleasantly. And it works. I was spared multiple bites and I avoided sunburn. Expensive but worth it.
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