The Compasses Pub and beyond

Happy, friendly staff inside The Compasses

My intrepid Sister and I, now on our own peculiar pilgrimage along and beside the Pilgrim's Way, decided that after the visit to Chilham we should have look at Sole Street close to Chartham. As you can see we are getting closer to Canterbury but not yet committed to crawling on our knees to pay homage to St Thomas a Beckett. The day was sunny and warmer than most although there was a little snow on the ground on the hills and as we travelled along the A20. As you can see from our other posts we often lunch at a local pub. The criteria is that the pub must not be a plastic fantastic and preferably serve real ales or in Kent Shepheard Neame, and offer good food at affordable prices. The idea is to walk the paths in the area or to spend time exploring the town or village or a natural feature, historic monument or simply becasue we have not been there before.

The Compasses Pub - a pleasantly located pub with good food and a beer garden for summer.

In this case we looked on the map and saw Sole Street and the convenient pub plus a Woodland Trust forest not far away. Denge Woods seemed an ideal place to go for a stroll although we expected after the snow and rain to put up with mud and soggy tracks. Plan of action: have a cup of coffee in the pub and go for a stroll locally; have lunch and then drive on to Denge wooods for a walk.

The view across the fields to Anvil Green

We stuck to the plan and enjoyed a sunny walk that took us into farmlands and gave us an inkling into what the area has to offer. We had arrived the long way round from Godmersham and on the way there were some tempting hill paths to walk which if we had more time, limited by the daylight hours, we may have walked through those as well. The trick is to head back to where Crundale is supposed to be on the map (park at the pub and book a table for lunch - more about that later) and look for the footpath as you go down the hill. Thios will lead you across fields to Barton Wood and from there you will find paths into Denge wood itself as well as a cross paths back to Sole Street.

A muddy track in Denge Wood

As for the Woodlands Trust area it was up to its usual high standard of treatment and probably because we lingered a little over lunch it was getting toward mid afternoon by the time we reached there but it was well worth it. There is plenty to see and with that odd attraction of winter when the silver birches stand out starkly against the cold skies and accentuate the bare woods and the undergrowth battered by the elements yet struggling to put on a brave show we lingered a little looking the scenery. And although this was mid winter it was warm and glowing and in the centre of the clearing - shown on the right - there was a seat for visitors to sit and enjoy the vista. We also found grass straw and footprints on the path that suggested a badger carrying nesting material. The problem with a short walk in the woods is that there are more to be seen and so we determined to return especially when the bluebells are in bloom!

Now, as for the Comapasses: the place is 15th Century, low ceilinged with a warm fire for winter and a varied program of events to attract visitors but that is not the attraction. The food is excellent and well presented, does not cost an arm and a leg and as this was St Valentine's Day there was a menu offered to suit. I noted from the events board that a special meal was on for Mother's Day. Again, that is not the attraction. The staff are friendly and for us they reserved the table we were sitting at for our coffee earlier on and welcomed us with smiles and unobtrusive service - now that is real skill!

The pub is a weekend friendly place and made our visit to the area well worth while. Maybe we can use that as a pilgrimage of sorts and go there in the summer for a longer walk.