A Walk on the Quiet Side

A gentle introduction to Autumn in the Woodland Trust Estate at Hucking on the North Downs.

The Woodland Trust area at Hucking covers 232 Hectares of land dedicated to the management of natural woodland. If this seems to be a contradiction in terms please forgive me because in fact this is what is happening here. The Trust has created a mixture of woodland that is integrated with grazing where the animals are allowed to wander through the paddocks with the occasional restriction, a natural woodland area suitable for wildlife and by copsing it creates a platform for natural regeneration and preservation of species reliant on the general deterioration of forests. The forest grows old or is burnt through fire, damaged by wind and species use the natural cycle to survive. In our modern day this has to be artificial in places because so much is in farmland and so much split by roads and urban development. The Woodland Trust at Hucking has done a wonderful job of combining all these points and at the same time created a place for people to walk end enjoy the changing seasons.

Park at the Hook and Hatchet ('ook and 'atchet at 'ucking) at Hucking and walk from there. In the picture above you can see rails for hitching horses and the open air eating area. Lunch is excellent with a variety of affordable dishes and more expensive meals but the quality is good so is value for money along with the friendly service. Maybe I like English pubs. The walks begin from where the photo was taken where a gate leads into the open paddocks.

Opposite are a pair of magnificent Beeches that can be seen along the Blue route which my sister and I walked before taking unch at the pub. The day began cold with sunny spells and wind that was fresh and made walking wrapped up as we were pleasant - the heat energy produced by walking was cooled by the wind yet there was none of that eye-watering bitterness that can be so unpleasant in cold weather. The pleasure was in the display of early Autumn colors and the sudden panoramic views of the Medway and Thames Estuary to the north and the splash of color of the woodland surrounding the paddocks. We met a number of middle-aged walkers as we wandered around and swapped banalities as you do realising that perhaps this is a middle-age thing - you go walking in the countryside. That was until we saw a family group walking in the opposite direction all enjoying the experience. Soppy and sentimental?
Maybe I am but the tranquility of the area and the beauty of the hills as they unfold in front of you although puncuated by the distant wail of the Euro-rail trains is worth avery footfall.


As usual we like to take a look at churches and so naturally after we left the pub to find Hucking itself we stopped at St Margaret's church and had a whale of a time looking at the gravestones (as you do) pleased by the attractive church building and the mundane police warning that the lead fitments were marked for identification. The warning to would be thives is obvious - like the oppressive menace of the TV licensing authority there is no doubt that You Have Been Warned and You Will Be Caught. Most reassuraing. Anyhow, imagine the church in sunlight as by now the day was getting dimmer.

The Woodland Trust area at Hucking can also be reached from the Pilgrim's way, or for those who want a good long summer or spring walk begin at Hollingbourne - park near the church and walk either left past the Manor House choosing the public footpath to the Pilgrims Way, or the Pilgrims Way itself to Allington Farm and the footpath which climbs the hill crossing the North Downs Way which will lead you into the Woodland Trust area. The routes are marked in Red and Blue with marker posts that are easy to spot.

If you want to lunch at the Hook and Hatchet then take the North Downs Way from Hollingbourne ( still parking at the church) which you will find crosses the Hollinbourne Hill above the Pilgrms Way to Broad Street Hill and then follow the road up the hill past Hucking Hill House and the Pub is on the right past the end of Scragged Oak Road. After lunch walk back through the woodlands to Hollingbourne. The fun is to try and find your way back and the pleasure is the magnificent views you get as you walk over the hills.

Walking on the designated pathways preserves the nature of the woodland and adss to the experience.

Oare Marsh Walk - a search for sausages and chops

The village of Oare close to Faversham sits at the head of Oare Creek overlooking the creek and the marshes down to the shore of the Swale. For an October day the weather was more akin to late summer day. We parked at the Three Mariners Pub with the intention of lunching there later and, shedding warm clothes, we set off along the Uplees road enjoying the clear skies and the cool breeze.












Saint Mary's at Luddenham.


The intention was to walk past Broomfield Farm on the road and then take the pathway across from Little Uplees to Luddenham Manor and the church thereby. The walk was interrupted at Little Uplees when as we passed an orchard where sheep were grazing we saw a lamb (last year's lamb) trapped in brambles by the hedge. We spoke to a local resident, a casually dressed man who told us he would contact the farmer. The farmer arrived and with his daughter attended to the distraessed animal who did what sheep ususally do - panicked and freed herself with a ripping sound from the brambles. She ran off to join her friends and the farmer and his daughter cut the offending brambles away. Boy scouts and Girls Guides doing their good deed for the day - no shilling but a friendly local contact.


The church and the Manor with the farm alongside is well worth a visit. The church has a visitor's book which is worth signing and also a locked begging bowl set in the wall for donations. Please put a penny or two in as they need the money and the place is worth the effort. You can even play the organ there if first you pump it a little.


Now for the sausages and pork chops.


There is a farm shop that sells meat produced on the farm and so I bought some sausages and my sister bought some pork chops. The quality of both was high and we discovered that not only do they feed their animals from food produced on their farm but that the farm itself is one of the most well organized and managed farms I have seen for many a year. The animals look healthy and clean, the pig sties are large and clean, the fences and the buildings look well maintained and all things such as hay, straw, implements and machinery appear to be well managed.



I was looking for decent sausages and my sister likes farm produce - you know where it comes from and at Luddenham it is presented well. The place reeks of quality! From the farm and the church we followed the map, downloaded from faversham.org/walking with the title Walk on the Wild Side. The guide is clear and the walker will find the descriptive passages useful.


The Three Mariners Public House - the food here is scrumptious. The staff welcoming although on the day we went - extremely busy.






We took a second bite at the cherry and took the path alongside the creek ( all part of the Saxon Way) keeping to the Oare side and wandered down to Harty Ferry Cottages via the bird sanctuary past the twitchers watching the sweet little dicky birds. On the walk back we had a look at St Peter's church in Oare and we can reccommend stopping there for the view alone. There was a fashion shoot for a wedding gown going (or something) with two pretty young women making their creative mark on society who allowed me to take pictures of them against the setting of the landscape, and I have to admit the photographer had chosen well.







St Peter's church - you can see the wedding gown.
















The girls sorting out the photo shoot







The amazing thing about this particular walk, apart from acquiring some decent sausages, is that we encoutered some pleasant people, the weather was excellent - we even ate blackberries along the way - good food at the Mariners but most of all some spectacular views topped off by the marvellous display of birdlife (we are part time twitchers).






A View taken with the girls and their photo shoot set up.












This view of Oare Creek and the boats is a fine example of what to expect on this particular walk. Even at low tide the place is interesting but a high tide when the boats are afloat and the sun shines on the water the view from the church is spectacular and as I remarked to the two girls - what a lovely place for a wedding.

Our two walks covered approximately 11 Kilometres and we spent approximately 5 hours messing around looking at churches, taking photo's assisting sheep, buying meat and eating a tasty lunch - oh and not forgetting the Shepheard and Neame beer consumed by yours truly.

In all a good day.

Leeds Castle

The great thing about Leeds Castle is that the punter can buy a ticket that lasts for a year and will allow entry to all but the specialist events. Last year my sister and myself visited the display of flower arrangements in the castle. We enjoyed the experience despite the bitterly cold day and so this year we made the trip again.

Geese on the greensward

Not only did we take in the castle but we also took a walk around the estate and had the opportunity to view the castle and lakes in passing. We dined at the castle on soup and bread so instead of doing the usual and parking in a pub car park to lunch there and walk we parked instead beside the Leeds church. From there we took the public footpaths past Battel Hall and on
to the Leeds estate.

Autumn is beginning to bite.

We walked to Broomfield village and saw the row of cottage that were once the barracks for the soldiers of Leeds castle. The day was wet and windy so to linger was not an option although we did have a wonderful chat with the verger of St Mary's Church. He described how he had cycled to nineteen churches in one day from nine in the morning unto six in the evening. The man, who was not that young, had cycled up hills and along the Pilgrim's Way to complete a forty-seven mile trip. We were impressed.

The most notable thing about Leeds is that when you are on foot travelling around it instead of joining the steady stream of traffic passing through is that the buildings and the village itself begins to impose themselves on you. You see what is there rather than a glimpse as you pass through.

A view of the castle from the sheep paddock - to the left is a magnificent Chestnut tree.

The place deserves a better look and for the intrepid walker I suggest a combination of a stroll around the village that takes in a route from Leeds via the church across the Leeds Castle estate to Broomfield including a visit to the church and then up to Park Barn Road taking a cut across via the edge of a farmers field (There is a way there) - find the footpath from Burgess Hall drive and walk to Back Street . You can then go along Forge lane to the path to Foley's Farm and back into Leeds and once there explore the lanes around the Priory - not forgetting to eat at the George.

Inside the castle, and the main reason for the trip, was the annual flower show and here is an example of an award winning display. Set in the Catherine of Aragon room this display was a stunner. Flowers were crafted to the shapes of hats, shoes, handbags and parasols in the most vibrant orange, red and yellow with white and green foliage as a counterpoint. Our popular choice on the voting slip!