LINTON, LOOSE, BOUGHTON MON

OUR PHOTOGRAPHER(SEE TOP RIGHT SIDEBAR)CAUGHT IN AN UNGUARDED MOMENT.







THOMAS TELFORD BUILT THIS VIADUCT TO BYPASS THE VILLAGE.

HE'S SHARING HIS WARTS(GOOGLE "SPOONERISM")



THIS SCULPTURE IS 3 METRES HIGH AND MADE WITH A STIHL SAW
THIS IS DISTINCTLY DANGEROUS,KEEPING WILD ANIMALS IN A POND
IT'S WISTERIA TIME IN KENT
IN THE CHURCH YARD AT LOOSE


THE WEALD OF KENT LOOKING TOWARDS STAPLEHURST

We met up at Linton Church,along with loads of other ramblers,who filled the car park.
They went one way,we another,thank goodness.We used the GREENSAND WAY to go west
and after a mile or so climbed up to the crest and crossed the Coxheath road.Across the fields,and then down into LOOSE VILLAGE where we stopped in the village meadow to have our coffee.
Under the viaduct on the main(Roman)road and into "little switzerland",so called because it isn't.
Then along the stream and the Belgic tribe's eathwork defences against illegal immigrants (us)
through the logging yard(swoon)and then up into the poly tunnels and the strawberries.Long arms are good for this kind of scrumping,and they actually tasted nice.On to the main road again at THE COCK INN ("how far is the cock inn?") and then across and into the woods and back to the Greensand way.Down the hill at Boughton Monchelsea to the church where we sat and watched the deer in the parkland.Then back to Linton church
Cold(for May)11C, NE wind,govercast ,7 of us 8 miles.
( a big rainstorm passed up the English Channel,missing us by 30 miles)
now the difficult bit ,about 65 pics to choose from.

SHELLNESS BEACH AND HARTY CHURCH.

The bell trestle,one day they will date it by Dendrochronology
I was resisting the temptation to download useless info to this poor unsuspecting chap.







This was 2 Metres high,and when wet will soak your clothing like no rainstorm can.








This could be a plastic one from B and Q

The footmarks are not ours and at least 24 hrs old.The white stuff is quadrillions of shells.
Where is everyone?,well hopefully they are paying National Insurance so I can do this !


Check out
http://indicatorloops.com/shellness.htm
for story on boom defence

I was dithering with the maps sunday,and then someone suggested Harty Ferry,so that absolved me of any responsibility,and thus the walk was chosen
The ice cream hut car park was closed ,so we parked in the layby at Muswell Manor near the sea wall.We set off along the beach,as the tide was well out.Lots of Groynes to climb over,and lots of oyster shells on the beach.The massive steel/bronze(?)chain link was still on the beach,half buried in the sand.It was a lovely summer day with a light breeze which masked my 1st degree burns to the head until later.We went all the way to Shellness beach and then on past the pill box to the first inlet,where it was suggested we wade across the marshland to the sea wall.This was not entertained .Lots of sea birds,Oyster catchers(do thay catch?,this implies a chase)Heron,Egret,Shellducks,Greylags,Mallard etc plus lots of UFOs.We went along the sea wall and stopped at the hide to have our coffee break,lots of grunting and twanging of tendons as we got up and set off for Harty Church.It was open ,and a guide was waiting for a bus load of well-behaved(no irony here)youngsters from Sheppy Academy.The bell frame is interesting and might outdate the church which is over 900 years old.The reason for it being here was probably tied up with navigation up The Swale in medieval times.After a rest,we set off up the concrete road ,up through Elliots farm and back to Muswell Manor.
6 of us 8.5 miles sunny hot and breezy.

How to get there? A249 Sheppy bridge,turn right at roundabout for LEYSDOWN,and go right through the village and go as far as you can until the road runs out.Park and walk in a straight line along the beach to Shellness.

I seem to recall that last time we did this walk,was winter and my face nearly froze off ,what a contrast.

Next Week;-Loose Valley/ Boughton Mon