Wednesday 16th February 2022

After another great night’s sleep in ‘The Hive’ we set off with a spring in our step to walk the 9 miles to Skegness (+ a mile to get to the coastal path), leaving the car parked up. So full of bravado after yesterday’s straighforwardness and the sun out today with blue skies – what could possibly go wrong!?

And it was the accustomed straight flat sea defence wall walk, surrounded by cabbages, flights of geese and the occasional glimpse of sea in the distance. We suspected a wee bit of trickiness as the Ordnance Survey app wasn’t showing a clear coastal path but there had to be a way through surely. It has been announced some time ago that there is definitely a path connecting up the whole of the UK. And the destination is Skegness – not exactly the back of beyond – there’s a Butlins there and everything!

After 4 miles we started to hit problems as paths shut off – we had to make decisions like walking along farm fields and jumping over barriers but still heading in the right direction. Steve took a tumble down a muddy slope – he was fine apart from muddy legs, wounded pride and mutterings to his new walking boots! We soldiered on.

And then we got to a marina where the sea wall path was definitely cut off. The OS app showed a footbridge if we turned left and walked half a mile up. This we did, battling the fierce wind head on … arrived to find that the footbridge had a big padlock on and there was no way through. Trying not to be despondent we decided to carry on in the hope of another footbridge. The wind was getting stronger and stronger – Storm Dudley was forecast for later in the day – we wondered if we’d met the beginning of it but as yet no rain. We walked and wobbled with the wind for at least another mile. We saw some deer along the way which temporarily lifted the spirits.

After a 2 mile diversion we hit barbed wire fencing and water either side!

We took time to pause, think and eat chocolate. We had to go forward as there was nothing for us going backwards in terms of getting to Skegness. Steve fiddled with the barbed wire and found a big enough hole for us to climb through – we then had to climb over a series of locked gates and walk through a farmyard – luckily no guard dogs!… or farmers!

We found ourselves on a road … and took the opportunity to walk to the right to see if we could get back to the coast. It was a long long remote walk but finally we spied a bridge which enabled us to cross the water and ramble our way to Skegness.

We joined civilisation at the Skegness golf course with a line of magnificent properties facing it. We looked a bit out of place with our mud smeared hobbling weary appearance. 12 miles of walking plus the added stress was enough for one day. We decided to skip the promenade and pier and just head to the bus station – we needed to get to the car and get home.

So we’ll be back to see Skegness another day in the future where we’ll start off and head northwards.

Our 4 days of walking in Lincolnshire are over. We’re now home, clean and rested. Have just heard on the news that the missing prisoner has been found – in SKEGNESS.