02/06/2026
Day 68. Westgate-on-Sea to Swalecliffe.
The day started with rain hammering down outside the West Bay Café while Mike and I squeezed ourselves, our rucksacks and a charging cable into a very small space. Two poached eggs on toast and a hot drink later, we were on our way.
The birds put on a show all day for us. I noticed the starlings sounded exactly like an old computer modem trying to connect to the internet. Who remembers that?
We met lots of people along the coast. Lynette, a Bay Inspector celebrating her 60th year, stopped for a chat and a selfie. Lucy and her dog Jess came to say hello at Minnis Bay Café, and Joy shared stories of walking with us. At Herne Bay, Ertha and Neil donated part of a giant Aero bar, which definitely helped morale.
Reculver was off-the-scale stunning, despite the rain. We huddled over peanut butter wraps and satsumas beside the ruins before Mike improved lunch options considerably with a Cream Egg, a Snickers and a Twix.
As we entered Herne Bay Wetherspoons, Andy and Jacci stopped us, bought us a drink and donated £20 for Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance. Andy shared about Jacci's family's connection to the Saxon Shore Way, which made the conversation even more special.
We walked into the darkness, stopping briefly to imagine what the huge structure a mile or so out into the water might be. A friendly toilet attendant told us it was the pier head, no longer connected. That would have been a long pier! We finally reached Swalecliffe in the sunset afterglow just before 9pm.
Miles today: 12.65
Total miles: 458.35
