Walking Wonders

This morning I made an impromtu decision to go for a little walk along the seafront in Hythe. Late night's wine drinking with a friend left me with a fuzzy head so I thought a Sunday stroll would blow the cobwebs away.

One mile turned into two, which turned into four, five, six, until eventually 2.5 hours had passed and I'd walked eight miles!

It was overcast and drizzly rain but not particularly cold. The seafront was busy with people walking their dogs, fisherman patiently waiting for a catch and children on skateboards and bikes.

The sound of the waves lapping the shore was almost hypnotic and allowed me to go into a world of my own as I found my stride. I almost forgot about the rain and damp and relished the opportunity to clear my thoughts as I walked further along the coastline.

Despite the grey weather I found plenty of colour and interest on my journey from coloured beach huts to runners in day-glo fitness gear to a lady in bright yellow wellies and a tango fake tan to provide amusing contrast.

I took a few photographs along the way and managed to capture this shot of seagulls flying away.

I walked alongside a cute little brown doggie for a while who was chasing after a bright blue ball. I could almost hear him laughing as he wagged his tail furiously with excitement.

I passed an ice cream hut closed for the winter and thought how the summer felt so far away. I then came across a turquiose painted house with a plaque that said author HG Wells had once lived there. I tried to imagine how different the promemade might have been on a cold January Sunday morning in 1898. As I listened to the sound of dogs barking, chatter of families walking along and fisherman discussing the weather, I thought that down here by the seaside perhaps it wouldn't have been all that different to how it is today.

I also decided it was about time I started open water swimming again as today's walk reminded me how much I enjoy the serenity of my own thoughts away from the bustle of daily life. Perhaps if I took more time out on my own I'd be able to escape just long enough to find the missing words I need to finish my novel I started 10 years ago!