Day 44: The final miles

Start: Acton

End: South Haven Point, Poole

Miles: 10

Total miles: 615

The final day had arrived and I woke up at 5am, too excited to go back to sleep. Emily was awake too so we decided to start the day. We walked from the campsite into Swanage, Emily's hip was still giving her grief and when she saw the hill that left town she knew it was time to stop. It's so important to listen to your body and not keep pushing if you're injured so I was happy she made this decision. She'd done so well across challenging terrain these past two days. I continued while Emily rested on the beach and waited for Sam to rescue her in the car. I savoured the final hill out of Swanage, knowing it would be the last on the path. I enjoyed stomping to the top, making the most of the endurance and strength I have built over the last 44 days.

The route levelled out leading to Old Harry's Rocks. It was still quiet but I met a lovely couple who congratulated me on almost finishing. From here I could see across to Bournemouth Pier and knew I was almost home. I had always wondered how I would feel at this point. Would I be staggering on the last stretch? Crawling even. But I felt good. Athough I was ready for a bath, fresh food and my own bed, I have become so accustomed to walking that it felt strange that I was going to stop. It has become my life and a small part of me, the part that pushes me into these challenges, understood why some people just continue.

As I walked along Studland beach I saw the Sandbanks ferry appear, this would take me back to Poole and ultimately mark the end of my journey. Between all the excitement and exhaustion of finishing, any profound thoughts about what I achieved in these last 44 days escaped me. It feels so strange that after the months of planning, the weeks of camping and hiking, that it all just ends as soon as I step onto that ferry. There’s no reward waiting on the other side, but maybe I gained all I needed when my feet were on the trail somewhere between here and Minehead. It will most likely take me some days to process and for that sense of achievement to sink in. But right now, it’s just a blurry haze of exhaustion and sleep deprivation. Maybe in the weeks to come in those quiet moments of contemplation, when I’m drifting on the edge of sleep or when I revisit any stretch of this coastline the memories and the lessons I’ve learnt will resurface fondly. Adventures like this don't just end when your feet leave the trail. They live within you, giving you the strength, knowledge and confidence to embark on new challenges.

When people ask ‘how was your hike?’, it’s not a simple, easy answer that I can summarise in a few words. It was somehow simultaneously mundane and exhilarating. I essentially did the same everyday; woke up, walked towards Poole, pitched my tent and slept. But I have a different distinct memory of each day, have discovered many wonderful places, met interesting kind people and experienced the whole spectrum of human emotion! I carried everything I needed to survive and along with a few resupplies I was self sufficient with just the weight on my back. I faced the rain, the storms, the heat and the hills. The path taught me the value of patience, resilence and gratitude.

I took the ferry from Studland across to Sandbanks, ending my journey. Sam and Emily were in the car on the same ferry, so getting home was easy. Laura and Ben had come over to Poole, bearing gifts and food. As I've said before, I can always rely on Laura to bring me food and she filled my dining table with fresh salads, bread, cheeses - everything I'd been craving. It was a lovely welcome home with Sam, Laura, Emily and Ben being there to celebrate with me. Each of them had supported my journey and this was the perfect way to conclude my adventure.

It's hard to express in words how highly I regard adventures like these. For me, there's nothing more blissfully uncomplicated, varied and rewarding as covering land on foot. Although I'd like to think I'm a proficient hiker, before stepping onto the path I'd never continously hiked for this long. For this far. From week 2, I was entering new territory. It's so interesting to see how my body adapted to the constant daily miles and carrying the weight on my back. I can confidently say this is one of the best, most rewarding experiences I have ever had. Somewhere along the way, between the endless coastal vistas and the blisters, the sandy beaches and the relentless hills, the elation and the despair – I affirmed that adventure is necessary. To escape the chaos of everyday life, to discover my limits and to live more simply for a little while. As I sit here at home with my feet up, I retrace my finger over the route on the map; 615 miles, 35,000m elevation around all those bays, headlands, peninsulas. I did it. I walked home from Minehead.

Although this was predominantly a solo endeavour, I am grateful for anyone who played their part in my adventure. Whether that's sharing some miles with me, following my progress or sending supportive messages. I’m also grateful for the fellow coastal hikers I met, the kindness and hospitality of the people across the South West and the SWCP Association for endeavouring to maintain the path, ultimately making this journey possible.

This was my first time publicly documenting one of my adventures and it's a process I have thoroughly enjoyed. I hope it's given you an insight into what happens when I stuff my tent into my rucksack and disappear for a while. This was written for the escapists, the aspiring long distance hikers, the armchair adventurers, the weekend warriors and anyone who showed an interest in my adventure. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, I hope you enjoyed reading and took something positive or useful away from this. I know I’ll be fumbling around looking for maps to plan my next big adventure very soon. But right now I feel contented sitting here with my feet up, a cup of tea and the memories of my adventure.

Thank you,

Amy x