Walking Day 1 of Old Way with my 7 year old daughter…

It’s not easy walking with a small person. They can’t carry all their own kit. They can’t walk so far, nor so long. They need to be helped to self-care, and you can’t take so many risks with them.

But also, they are loads of fun, and notice things that you may not have done, and make the journey feel like it makes sense in ways that walking solo simply cannot reach.

So, walking with my daughter on day 1 of Old Way (Southampton to Hamble), I made a super-quick film, using my phone. It’s not the best quality, but it took the least time, and conveys something of the experience of walking Old Way with a child.

We took 2.5 days to walk a single day. And it was full, with every micro-beach, every statue and climbable object, every playground and curiosity explored.

This is the film we made together:

Here are 15 things I learned:

1. It makes a lot of sense to stay in Southampton on day 1, as you’ll probably arrive there quite late in the day and there is a lot to encounter in this city by the sea. We stayed at the Dolphin - Southampton’s oldest hotel - where Jane Austen had her 18th birthday. It was £72 for the two of us. The door-handle fell off in the strange bathroom, so we won free drinks.

2. The Colwell is very hard to access. I don’t know why Southampton does not celebrate its 1290 holy well, which for 500 years was the main drinking water source for the city. It still flows from its Franciscan beehive wellhead in overgrown woods behind the Polygon area. The Colwell is very hard to find and access, but absolutely worthwhile. I hope to carry the water from here all the way to Canterbury, to reconnect the ancient circuitry of Old Way and wake the path up again!

3. It is hard to walk far in hot sun, and I am more inclined to rest languidly beside water. Thankfully, there are plenty of opportunities along this stage of Old Way.

4. Woodlands are the best place to walk, rest and sleep. Throughout British history, they have been the safe resort for those seeking freedom. Perhaps that’s why they are being cut down at such an alarming rate in Britain today? If you intend the mildly radical act of Coldharbour as a Wayfaring pilgrim, you are best doing this in the deep green privacy of the woods.

5. Children walk slowly. I estimate 1/3 of adult pace. Add to this the need to carry extra gear for the small person, and it makes Wayfaring with children a far slower game. Every playground becomes somewhere to try out. Ice cream trucks are vital infrastructure. Teddies (and their outfits) need carrying, along with clothes, waterproofs, a larger shelter, and extra water. It’s slow going. But it is so much fun, and you get to spend quality adventure time encountering the world with your favourite little person.

6. City water tastes iffy. I’m not sure if the pandemic’s new fluoridation rules are now in place, but I found myself buying water from a large bottle and filling out reservoir each day to walk with. I would prefer to carry a filter that removed dissolved solids, like Zero Water. But this is bulky and seems a little crazy. I’m not sure quite how to solve this. Perhaps it is a case for walking in a larger group, to justify a heavier water filter?

7. Tent sleeping is a funny old game. Something about the false protection of the nylon walls, which allow a hope of distance from the world beyond, leave my nervous tension levels higher than bivy sleeping, where you are simply out in the world and have to deal with it. A bivy leads to a greater sense of immersion, and removes the false expectation of separation. I think this helps me sleep more soundly. But two bivys for two people would be heavier than a tent, and would also require two mats and two quilts (I use a large quilt and double mat when hiking with child). Perhaps simply opening the tent right up would help?

8. There are loads of amazing shells to find along the Solent. It is the right place to collect a shell to carry to Canterbury. I need to learn what the different ones are called, and who lived in them. Cockle shells may be of vital importance to the British pilgrimage tradition. The Worcester pilgrim was found buried with one. Apparently, they are only visibly distinct from Scallop shells by their lack of an auricle - the square bit at the hinge.

9. A walking staff is absolutely vital equipment. My daughter had a very thin one from many years ago that she broke on day 1 in a drain cover, so I gave her mine (chopped down). But this left me staffless, and I do not like the feeling of carrying a heavy bag with no stick. Get a staff (I sell them if you need!)

10. The right shoes are vital. I walked in heavy leather boots, which were wrong for the heat, and my daughter took old plimsols, which were wrong for her feet. We both needed better footwear. She has now upgraded to Vivo Barefoot, which she instantly loved and let her climb and jump with new grace. I am back in my trail runners for summer. We both pack waterproof socks in case of wetter days.

11. Beware of trusting the BBC weather app. It is like the news they offer - invisibly biased, and often wrong. It said dry, and we got rain. The ferryman at Hamble recommended XC Weather, so that is what I am now trying. I’ll let you know how it goes.

12. Always carry a toilet solution (trowel and biodegrade wipes) when walking with children, as they have a shorter warning system to alert them to emergency loo needs.

13. Sun hats are a godsend. And suncream too.

14. Mosquito repellent is also a lifesaver.

15. The Old Way is very good. Day 1 (even over 2.5 days) contains plenty of exciting paths and new discoveries. I love the sense of adventure that opens up before us. I certainly recommend making this journey with your small child, or anyone else, or solo.

Walk well! See you on the path.