First walk of 2013 and I am excited and apprehensive, mostly as to whether my sore toe will hold up to the 12 miles I have planned.

A few weeks after Xmas I was on a plane to Copenhagen to see an old friend in hospital. When I fly I like to take off my shoes and on this occasion, just as I stretched my leg (and foot) into the aisle, a rather heavy man came rushing down towards the toilets and inadvertently stamped on my foot – my little toe taking most of the weight. It may be broken, I have, as yet, not taken it to the doctor ……………………anyway.

The morning looks grey but the weather girl promises sun later and after a last wiggle of foot into boot I set off over the lock bridge following the clear path up the side of the creek back to Maldon, which I can soon see through the morning mist.

I meet no-one and feeling there is no need to check the map for this stretch of the walk, I pay for my complacency by spending 10 minutes wandering around a particularly unpleasant recycling plant which leads me out onto the road into Maldon. The road walking does not take too long however and soon I am following a pleasant residential road, down to the Marina and the magnificent Thames barges.

Gradually, a familiar landscape unfolds, the grassy sea wall, mud flats, and salt marshes, mossy teeth of crumbling wrecks – peace and quiet apart from the wind in my left ear and bird song.

A few times my attention is caught by the narrow channels of water snaking through the glistening mud and I find myself wondering what determines their course and what are the many seabirds looking for as they peck away at the surface. Apart from geese and seagulls the only bird I recognise is the godwit, I need to study birds more.

And then I am in Maylandsea, a motley collection of working boats, a few dilapidated shops – probably one of the most forgotten corners of my walk so far. I sit waiting for a bus back to my B&B in Maldon, munching a humble ham and pickle sandwich which tastes like heaven on earth.

And not a murmur from my toe…..

Distance: 11 miles