Brighton and Hove promenade is alive with early morning activity: joggers, cyclists, swimmers, rowers, and paddle boarders, including one with a dog perched on the front. The sea is as smooth as a mirror — not a breath of wind. Approaching Shoreham Port, a magic door appears. There’s no queue so this is my chance, but it’s locked! How cruel.
The path winds through the port over a series of locks.
The next few miles are a dull trek next to the busy A259. I try to veer off and get closer to the River Adur but construction sites and private docks force me to backtrack. Crossing over the Adur Ferry Bridge to Shoreham Beach is a relief, offering a fine walk through the vegetated shingle nature reserve, leading to Widewater Lagoon.
I reach Worthing well before noon. The pier is open — at last! The joy of life returning after lockdown hibernation.
This has to be my lunch spot. I sit on the boards at the end of the pier and watch the fishermen. There must be about a dozen of them, each with several rods. No one catches anything. They look happy just to be there.
The afternoon is a long walk next to the shingle. I want to reach Bognor Regis, but after 18 miles my legs tell me they have had enough, so I head inland through East Preston to find Angmering train station. The village is an unexpected delight. With the whitewashed walls and palm trees, it could be the south of France — on a sunny day.
Walk distance: 18 miles.
Total distance: 261 miles.