I walked under grey skies, giving occasional rain but with rare splashes of weak sun, from Sole Street to Cobham. The footpath took off through grassy orchards to the Church. These held no veteran bramley, cox or russet, just neatly numbered rows of whips held up by beanpoles and wire. There were a few flocks…
Tag: England
Eastling Spring
I found the village hidden deep in downland hills, quiet in its solitude. By virtue of its geography, remote from Watling Street to the north, the village was little grown, with only a few recent cul-de-sacs and closes tacked on to those that had been standing for centuries and not much more than recorded at Domesday. The Carpenters Arms was…
Wild Wingate
The weather they said was bad, so I intended the circular nine miles to be more an exercise in finding the best route that finding wildlife. The first three miles along the Wealden Way, from Sole Street to Great Buckland, was done with hardly a full stop or backward glance; in any case Luddesdown was dowdy under…
A Murder in Reculver
Yesterday, I drove the A2 east under clear skies to the hamlet of Reculver, located on the flat coast not far from Margate and parked next to the pub beneath the remnant twin towers of the 12th century church. Admiring its fearful symmetry and outstanding location, I reckoned this would never get planning permission today. The stark, stone…
Raspberry Hill to Bedlams Bottom
On Thursday, I walked north-west from Swale railway station across the grazing marshes that fringe the Medway to the west of Sheppey. I endured a wild arctic wind but under the brightest of blue skies. Keeping to the lee of flood banks helped. I hoped to explore Ferry Marshes but had to contain myself to…
Against the Grain
North Kent is a land of low lying estuary and grazing marsh shouldered by rolling chalk downs riven by the Medway, M2 and M20. The mud brown estuary boasts gleaming oil refineries, grey power stations and a necklace of old port towns, tied together by new housing estates, and all stitched by endless pylon lines. Inland are chalk quarries, cement factories and paper…
Butcher’s Broom and Privet
Walking up the narrow lanes from Horton Kirby takes me past dark ivy-clad hedgerows topped by trails of clematis. These hedges house ancient woodland species such as holly, privet and spindle together with a spiky, evergreen shrub which once seen is not readily forgot – Butcher’s Broom. It was, apparently, used to sweep the blood and guts off butchers’ floors. …
Darenth Fox 2
The fox was back in the field at 1pm on another sunny, cold day and hunting the old pasture with deep concentration and sloping pose required to keep his nose to the ground. One leap, after a vole perhaps, was unsuccessful. He (possibly a she but with a long winter coat) looked very well and only…
Higham and Cliffe Marshes
Yesterday, I walked from Higham railway station to St Mary’s Church on the edge of the grazing marshes. The old church with its short spire and overgrown graveyard had the appearance of Magwitch’s hideaway but that apparently is nearby St James’ in Cooling. I walked on under a grey sky across flooded fields. Horses…
Darenth Fox
I walked the footpath from home down to the River Darenth – cold, blue sky, low bright sun and frost lifting in the late morning. Not much about until a dog fox (I think, since he appeared large) trotted the path in front of me. He worked a wet pasture half-heartedly and only looked up when…