Ness' bit of everything

I had always wanted to walk the Solent Way, a 60-mile footpath tracing the Hampshire coastline, passing through the New Forest. Most people tackle it in sections, but I wanted to walk it in one go, testing myself and bringing my (willing) partner Alex along for an unforgettable four-day hike. Rather than starting in Milford on Sea, I decided to do the route westward from Emsworth in Chichester. It wasn’t just a hike – it was a journey home, one that would test both me and my partner, Alex, in unexpected ways.

Alex had never completed a multi-day trek before however through sailing he feels very connected to the Solent, and said he’d find the route rather interesting, so he was in. 

Planning the route had its challenges, as most guides described the path in the opposite direction. I tried to divide the 60 miles into an average of 15 miles per day over the 4 days. I knew however, the last night we would stay at our house which is 0.5miles off the route. Now, that meant the last day was 8 miles. Making the rest of the hike a bit spicier. I then had 52 miles to split across the 3 days. I knew that one of the days would need to be a heavier walk, but I didn’t think it would end up being 2 days of nearly 20 miles!

Anyway, enough about the planning. Here’s what went down;

Day 1 – Emsworth to Southsea, Portsmouth – 15.19miles 

We took my car to Emsworth, and walked a short distance to Emsworth Quay, where we began our walk. We were soon through Emsworth and skirting along the top edge on Langstone Harbour towards Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve and Portsea Island. 

The weather was warm and our spirits were high. With our homemade picnic it almost felt like a regular day hike. But after walking along Southsea beach front and the Premier Inn fast approaching, we realised this wasn’t our usual out and back walk. 

We showered and headed to Brewhouse & Kitchen for some much needed fuel before an early night with our minds on tomorrow’s stretch – Southampton was waiting.

Day 2 – Southsea, Portsmouth to Central Southampton – 21.72miles

It felt bizarre to me getting up and hiking through a city centre, looking for waymarks. But we were soon wandering through Old Portsmouth making our way to the ferry terminal to take us across Portsmouth Harbour to Gosport. I knew this would be a long day but it still didn’t prepare me. We walked past all the Royal Navy Museum and Haslar prison, then North up and around Stokes Bay. It was then one large stretch of coastline to Southampton. 

Between Lee on Solent and Southampton, is crossing the River Hamble. Alex gave himself a goal of getting the Warsash and having a well deserved rest and drink at the pub there. We sat down, relaxed and I kept studying the map. Due to the daylight hours, this felt earlier than it was. It was 4pm. Alex suddenly realised that the last ferry across the river was 4.30pm. So much for resting! We jumped up, tapped the card and legged it to the little pink ferry. 

Getting to the other side and into Hamble-le-Rice I was very conscious still of the 7 miles we still had to go and it was 5pm. Alex was conscious he didn’t have the rest he told himself he could have. This stretch was hard. Alex hit a brick wall. His pace slowed. I tried most tactics to get him to feel motivated. But this was tough. It’s not like I did not find this tough myself, we were both in it together, yet I was the only one seemingly able to muster any enthusiasm. 

I use little goals to get me through, certain distance = certain snacks. I then have the end goal and motivation in mind, a hot shower and being able to take off my boots. 

Alex wanted to stop religiously every mile. This was using up a lot of time. I find it difficult to get my muscles going again after stopping. My technique seems to be more building up a slow rhythm and not stopping as much. 

It was getting later and later. We got to the Itchen Bridge with Southampton city centre on the other side – within touching distance. Alex had a problem with his ankle and was using my walking poles, almost as crutches at this point. It was 7.30pm at this point. 1 mile to go. It was clear Alex wasn’t going to make it to the hotel and be able to get any dinner until 9pm.

I knew this would be a disaster for morale, fuelling up and resting. 

I ordered an Uber. When we stepped off the bridge, the taxi had arrived. Alex looked incredibly relieved. I was a little miffed – this wasn’t part of the plan! But I knew it was the right thing. The mileage had been more than I had anticipated too that day. 

As we settled in the Taxi, Alex thanked me, and I replied ‘oh, don’t you worry, we will be getting a taxi back to this very spot in the morning’. He just nodded, too tired to argue.

We went straight for food, it never looked so good. Sat sweaty in our smelly boots in Zizzis in central Southampton. I couldn’t have cared any less. 

Day 3 – Central Southampton to Lymington – 19.46miles 

Sticking to my word and the route, I ordered us a taxi after our big hotel breakfast. With Alex miraculously healed ankle, we walked through Ocean Village, towards the ferry terminal. We needed to cross Southampton Water to Hythe. The ferry was only every hour and didn’t start service until 10am on Sundays. This frustrated me slightly. I always want to get going in the morning, eating up the miles early but this made me feel like the day hadn’t fully begun until mid morning. It was only a mile or 2 until the ferry terminal, so the mileage only really started in Hythe. We entered the New Forest and familiar territory for us. 

I sing a lot when I hike. Sometimes in my head, other times not. Alex didn’t seem to be in the signing mood. I sang regardless. We had a snack break under a tree sheltering from the rain. Before heading through more of the forest that afternoon. I did feel at this point – I was hiking alone. Alex was so focused on getting the mileage done he couldn’t see anything else. No joy, no nature and definitely no humour. I ended up walking ahead, with my headphones keeping me company. We made it to Beaulieu and had lunch by the river. Only 8 miles to go. Not just to our end point that night, but actual home. 

Since our house was just half a mile off the route, I planned to end our third night there. I had made sure we had an M+S meal in the fridge, an easy dinner! 

Day 4 – Lymington to Milford on Sea  – 7.9miles 

Easy day! This is a route we’ve walked often, but today it felt completely different. We followed the seawall connecting Lymington to Keyhaven and Milford on Sea. It was a quiet Monday, and after the relentless sun, the clouds were very much welcomed.

The distance felt so short compared to other days. As it was! In hindsight, we should have planned the mileage more evenly. If you’re doing this hike without the luxury of a home being en route, consider spacing out the days to ease the strain.

Finishing a multi-day hike always brings me a rush of accomplishment, reflection and relief. But this one felt uniquely challenging. The constant push, adapting to Alex’s pace, and navigating the Solent Way brought out resilience I didn’t realise I had. There may have been no grand finish sign marking the end in Milford on Sea, just a quiet waymark where it all began, but for us, that understated finish line. Symbolising the end of the journey, one that tested us both in different ways!  

Total distance walked : 64.2miles

Tips for Hiking the Solent Way or a multi-day hike

• Be prepared for extra mileage due to detours. Route diversions and quick ‘nip’ off route to the shop, can easily add unexpected miles.
• Book your accommodations along the route. Be flexible with your end points for the day or find public transport options nearby.
• If hiking in the summer, prepare for swelling and the heat. My boots became a challenge as my feet swelled in the heat, leading to bruising and pain each night. Consider wider footwear or shoes with flexible width.
• Know your hiking buddies. Everyone is different, make sure you know what motivates them and the reason why they are doing the hike.

Packing list

• Small toiletries (suncream, tooth paste, tooth brush, deodorant and blister plasters)
• Light weight PJ’s 
• 3 pairs of pants
• Walking boots
• 1 sports bra
• 2 pairs of socks
• 1 pair of shorts
• 3 tshirts
• 1 pair of trousers
• 1 fleece
• 1 sun hat
• Walking poles
• 1.5L bottle
• Battery pack
• 3 OS Maps
• Flipflops

What multi-day hikes have you done?

Ness x