Borstal to Aylesford along the River Medway

The Church,being 1,000 years old has Romano-British Tiles which can date back a further 700-900 years.

Rochester Castle on left Cathedral on Right

The Medway Floodplain

Reeds on the floodplain

The windcock on Burham Church

This horse has no connection with the present scandal involving the Metropolitan Police.

A pillar in the church plastered over

A 1.2MW solar farm at Aylesford.

8 lanes of traffic and a High Speed rail link (3 bridges)

The last time this happened(no cars)the village was cut off by floods in 1968

The Victorian culvert that gets blocked by tree trunks under repair.

Alms houses.

If I run back to the table the timer might not go off yet

FAIL

A table made from fossil-derived  material

We met at Aylesford ,and had a coffee whilst waiting for the 155 bus which was re routed owing to the village being closed for works.We de-bussed at Borstal,and made our way to the Medway Valley walk and along the river bank to Wouldham where there was a picnic table.Still on the bank to the church then inland all the way to Aylesford.
5 of us 6 miles and the sun had got his hat on.

ROUGH COMMON CANTERBURY

Well,its not rough,or common but a nice large woodland area administered by the RSPB.We met at the car park and set off with the intention of going off the paths when the occasion presented itself.It was a little difficult as there were no real landmarks,just lots of trees.We used a compass to increase confidence,and finished up doing about 8 miles,there were 6 of us.

There they go again oblivious to all around them.

This would have been used to stop the Waffen SS in 1940

I had fed this horse carrots,so it was showing more than a passing interest.

The horse complained about an invasion of privacy

More state of the art defences from 1940

These banks are more stable than the ones in the City of London

We are minded to put some largactyl in his coffee next time.

What can you say really? trees

Why the long face?

The WX was windy-ish and mild-ish

HOTHFIELD

The Egret departing .There is some discussion as to whether it's a little one or a big White one.The large one has been seen in the area,so that lends some credence.

The Stour river running through its flood plain

St Margarets from another angle

an unusual tree with three elements.

The person on the right is politely pretending to be interested,he will receive his reward in Heaven.

Egret standing by for takeoff clearance from the tower

D'Oyly Carte's brother Orsen,they were 2 abreast when I overtook them.

This lovely Gatehouse was made of gingerbread and chocolate.

 A machine gun Btn of the Middlesex regiment attached to GHQ in the fighting in France that resulted in the Dunkerque evacuation (Dunkirk being in Kent)A Londoner,he died in a Road Traffic Accident on the Ashford to Caturbury road.

Pic copyright Hothfield Parish

I shall have to look in my Observer's Book of English Churches to fathom this.

These pictures above I took,which is why they are so good.they are Hothfield church and an interesting gravestone,(IWGC)from an unusual regiment.Also,the turret that might also be a buttress?The gargoyles,if that is what they are,and the door with the alcove for holy water?
All these things I will have to investigate.
We RV'd at the church and did an anti-clockwise (widdershins)circular walk that intercepted the Stour Valley Walk and the Greensand way.
It was about 6 or 7 miles and it was at times,windy,rainy,but muddy most of the time.Birds;-Buzzard,long tailed tits,robin,egret(s)
Heron,little brown thing near a stream .

6 chaps 6 miles

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And Greetings to North America and Australia