16th March - Buckler's Hard to Lymington - 10.9 miles

Yesterday evening, over supper, I sat next to a retired couple. A CDT teacher who repaired an old treadle sewing machine to make NHS 'scrubs' during the pandemic and her husband who'd been the project director for the JET project at Harwell and then the Culham Centre for Nuclear Fusion. I bet that's the first (and probably only) time that deuterium-tritium fusion has ever been discussed at Buckler's Hard. A well travelled couple who for previous holidays had driven the length and breadth of the US. Appearances can be VERY deceptive!

Later, at the bar I sat with a small family group with an architect in their number and his sister celebrating her 80th birthday. They were down from East Lothian and Kilmarnock. She briefly mentioned Nicola (more than once) before the conversation moved on to Dirleton, North Berwick, nuclear submarines on the Clyde (Nicola....), whether Megan will turn up at Charles' coronation, the relevance of the monarchy.....!!! today's budget and what it might take to encourage any of us back into the workforce!!! It's amazing what a glass of Highland Park will inspire!

Back to this morning....
The museum at Buckler's Hard had been recommended.
I sauntered down to an exhibition of 'The Agamemnon' - one of the fighting ships built  at Buckler's Hard on which Nelson served.
There are some excellent models in the museum along with some atmospheric 'stage sets' representing living conditions at the time when the shipyard was at its busiest. 
A bit of a Caravaggio!?

Then, out into the sunshine for a coffee
 and back on the trail - The Solent Way
passing St Leonard's Grange with remnants of its Chapel and
...massive barn
There was a lot of road walking today so I was glad to have the occasional distraction
..... trees bending to the wind....
...a tempting glimpse of Sowley Pond

...free range horses
...and donkeys
...and the lovely gorse.
I knew Lymington was drawing close when I caught my first glimpse of the Solent across the fields
but in the final furlong...
 Pylewell Ponds held plenty of slippery and soggy suprises...

before arriving, with soggy feet at the Burrard Neale Monument. 
Apart from his miltary career, 'Harry' Burrard Neale was rewarded for his handling of The Nore Mutiny.
In 1794, Britain was at war with 'Revolutionary' France. Some sailors in the British navy had decided to support France and blockaded the mouth of the Thames at 'The Nore' - a long sand bank just off Southend.
Burrard Neale disinclined his crew from joining in. As a result George III, in his gratitude, supported the construction of this monument in his honour. 

Thankfully, Lymington was not far away, though the walk around the harbour took 20 minutes....
...looking to the reed beds upriver....
and finally the narrow streets of the town

and a welcoming pint...
of Butcombes.






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