I’m awake early and up before everyone else, showered and hungry – enjoy a yogurt and some fruit before packing away our bedding and collapsing the tents. The others want a cooked breakfast, then we discuss logistics before driving the two cars to Keyhaven and Highcliffe – I somehow get myself a rest on the beach, eating chocolate biscuits, chatting and reading my book.

Then we set off to continue the walk. The Isle of Wight is now behind us as we head towards Milford on Sea and Barton. At first the Solent Path has the shingle beach to the left and a water filled nature reserve to the right, there are no signs of the massive flock of geese we had heard earlier in the day from the campsite but there is an amazing array of bird life enjoying the shelter and freshwater.

This quickly gives way to the waterfront promenade of Milford on Sea, which has surprisingly little to offer the tourist but we stop for refreshments at a seafront cafe where I enjoy a hot chocolate.

A very newly developed promenade hides away a brightly painted row of integral beach huts, although not very hut like, they are bustling with life which is so rarely seen at other beach huts we’ve seen along the way.

The town sprawl evidently reached the seafront in the 60’s and 70’s by the look of the blocks of flats. They have an enviable view of the busy Solent and the iconic Needles but sadly don’t offer much to admire from the outside.

This is easily made up for by the next set of individually painted wooden beach huts set in a double row against the hillside looking out to sea. Definitely one of the nicest settings for beach huts I’ve seen – I would quite happily while away days on end at one of the huts set into the cliff looking out to the Isle of Wight and beyond.

As we climb back up, we suddenly feel like our walk feels like it’s come to an abrupt stop as we leave Milford on Sea. The Solent path has a sign saying “pathway closed”.. after several minutes contemplation we are passed by a group of sprightly but elderly walkers who assured us they had walked through from Barton that morning. So, we continue along the cliff top path.

It was rather a lovely clifftop walk, nearly a couple of miles, bordered by farmers field on our right – surprisingly busy with many walkers and cyclists having ignored the closed signs like us. It was fairly evident why the pathway had been closed as we could see signs of cracking and small sections that had fallen into the sea below.

Fields gave way to a golf course as we near the little village of Barton on Sea. We stay on the clifftop as we go through the village. The path appears to end, heading out towards the road but we are reliably informed that we can walk through the caravan park.

With dogs firmly on leads we wend our way passed the impeccably kept, mostly new looking holiday homes in the caravan park, with incredible views out to the Solent. When it seems like the holiday homes would never end (but typically no one sitting outside any of them enjoying the view in the August sunshine!), we find a path leading out. This lush narrow valley beautifully named Cheeton Bunny leads straight down to the sea. Looking back an amazing vast sandy beach is empty of holiday makers, I guess because it was now just a little cloudy and threatening to rain.

Wander on to the car park on the opposite cliff, aptly named Highcliffe and enjoy a well-earned ice cream in the cafe. At this point we are delighted that we decided to park the car here – I’m somewhat tired after walking 26 miles in just over 48 hours.