Penshurst Village and Beyond

We went to Penshurst with the intention of walking around the village, and in a way we did. The day began wet and misty and as we had by now got the hang of going through Tonbridge to get to Haysden Country Park we managed Penshurst with hardly a tremor of the direction finder. The map we normally carry with us to guide us to the place unnerringly showed us the way. We found a place to park and disembarked for a wander. So we didn't take the map with us. And so we did not expect sunshine and dressed for rain. The first stop was at the garage come general store and post office for an ice cream. The next was to wander along the highway and look for a footpath to circumnavigate the village - which we did. We walked up Warren road beside the primary school and past some neat houses on a private road following the pathway down to the River Edge, crossing that to Salmon House where we saw ducks on a pond some flying in and one nervous creature who took off in front of me.

The greatest pleasure of the day apart from the exercise was the way the weather changed and revealed the autumn to us. As we had both been to Penshurst place separately and together we decided to walk around the area. We discovered later at the Quaintways Teashop that we could get the information from the gift shop at Penshurst Place itself and decided that a return visit and walk the second part of the village and take a look at the church as well was a good idea.







It was a treat to see the ducks and a couple of posing sheep. The day warmed up and so did we and so far we were on the right track - more or less. The sun came out. We stopped and doffed our coats and enjoyed the warmth. We followed the bridleway rather than the yellow arrow path and reached the top of a rise.





Now, this is where the map would have come in handy and the sunglasses because by this time it was coats off and blinking in the wonderful October sun taking in the autumn colors and the smells of the woods. We passed Wat Stock Plantation and instead of turning right we turned left. If we had had the map turning left would heve been the option. As it was we got on to the road eventually and walked through Weller's Town and onward until we took the road marked Penshurst at Larkin's farm (Hampkins Hill Road). It was at this point we realised that we had strayed a bit from our intended course - we recognised places we had walked past some two years before on a visit to Chiddingstone.

The track near the River Edge - you leave its course otherwise you end up backtracking and keep the woods in front of you and the bridge behind you. The river bends away to Chiddingstone and that is out of your way.




I recognised a gate and a pathway and some houses we had seen before and so we knocked on a door and asked the occupants for directions. We were directed to keep going left down the pathway to find the Railway station. Looking at the map we took the right way and instead went closer to the Vexour Bridge across the River Edge and found a path that led to Station Hill.


(The walk itself would take the path from the Vexour bridge and follow the natural direction that suggests itself - if you want accuracy well do waht we do - guess it)


The Penshurst place has a lodge or gatehouse (on the right)






We met another local who told us that if we walked up the hill, turned right and walked a for about twenty minutes we would arrive at Penshurst. He was right. We did. And once we had unloaded our coats into the car we sought a cafe for some tea and muffins. Quaintways Tea Shop is a delightful and popular place - much better than the pub I think for walkers.

As a bonus we saw the rear end of the Penshurst Place estate, and I happen to remember that the original approach to the estate was along the avenue you can see in the picture above right. The avenue is in fact a little further along but the picture is nice anyway.



The walk, which I can recommend took about three and a half hours - we stomped the last bit - and streteched our legs for about ten kilometres which is not bad for a couple of casual walkers. On the way we chatted with people and took some pictures as well as took in the scenery. We had time to stop and stare but next time we will take the map with us.

Walking in Wet Wingham

Wingham, a historic town between Canterbury and Sandwich which we discovered goes way back to Roman and Saxon times. The Dog Inn has been there for a long time in some form or another and the Red Lion appears to be a well established tavern. We also learned from a local resident that the Anchor was newly opened and likely to serve lunches in the future. However, we had a sandwich in the Red Lion and enjoyed reading the historical bits plus the friendly service. It is the season for pub walks and pubs as anchors for our traipsing around.




As usual at this time of the year - October - the trees are shedding their leaves and the colors are magnificent as many Kent towns and villages will be at this time of the year.



We walked the town and was pleased to note that the shops were entering into the spirit of the season, Halloween, and had displays in their windows. We were impressed with the fierce pumkin displayed in the local dentists window. We were also impressed by the display in the local bakery - yes bakery with home-made pies, cakes, bread and buns. In fact Wingham seemed to be modestly serviced by shops that aimed to please.


The place seemed to impose itself upon us and we were apprached by locals who volunteered snippets of information about themselves and the town. The fact that there was a fairground nearby which is fiercely defended by locals and the hunt that comes to Winham - agree or not the hunt is a pretty sight even if the fox would disagree.











The major problem is that the road is busy with cars and trucks which takes the edge of the experience - some drivers refusing to obey the rules of the road and insist on speeding through the town.


We chose to go there for two reasons.





One reason was that we have passed through the place a number of times and ignored it and the other was that as it was raining we thought that there would be places to shelter (a pub) and we were right. This is a good place to visit and we also learned that there are some walks around the area connected to the coal miners and again we saw how connected with Sandwich and the early settlers that Wingham itself is.



We looked at the church and met up with the driver of a vintage Rolls Royce employed to convey the bride and groom from the church to their reception. (She was beautiful - oh, the car and the Bride!) We had a chat with the driver who told us about the car's history and his business and we saw how happy the young woman looked when she and her newly wedded husband took their seats in the immaculate car.



We were impressed by the gentleman with the Rolls Royce and his attitude toward his clients. Rosie the 1933 Roller was immaculate and so with no embarrassment we would reccomend Vintage Vows for a wedding car and blatantly suggest you call them on 01227 794706 or 07734934209 - this is a luxury not to be missed by a man who has the day of the bride in mind.









However, there are some pleasant spots and here and there we wandered into places that were so quiet that the traffic passing through seemed to disappear and we saw what many small towns and villages in Kent seem to offer - surprising little treats of ancient buildings and even more impressively ancient trees. Wingham has a lot to offer in history and in beauty.



I think the idea that you there for the bird and wild life park is only part of the story. Wingham goes back to Roman times and I would say that with the river there and the arable land there must have been an earlier settlement well before even the Romans arrived to plant there villas. There is in fact a villa there (site of) but given the time we did not have the chance to find it.

Sheffield Park - Autumn 2009

The thing with Sheffield Park is that it is different in all seasons and never the same in any. We took a trip down there for the Autumn aware that we may not get down there at the height of the fall season but wanting to witness the change. It was a dull day but the colors emerged in all their glory. The drive there was a pleasant experience with evidence that the Autumn was coming; chestnuts falling, leaves turning and the planting alongside the main roads showing the colors. This Capability Brown joker has the right idea and as we stood on the bridge between two lakes we were impressed once more by the sheer audacity of design; the ability of a man to project his vision on a piece of land and create a thing of beauty that although artificial appears so natural.



I took nearly two hundred photos on the day and it was with some difficulty that I have selected these to show a little of what we saw on the day. From the view of the lakes - hence the panoramas above and the huge chestnuts that have fallen to leave their fascinating stumps behind to the exotic Nikau Palms with

their clusters of ripening berries there is variety. The gardnes are not a static display but one that will change with the seasons and als as plants dies off and need to be replaced.


Mostly we go there for the lake and the changing seasons but on each visit I am sure I see more and different aspects of the park that make it come alive. I know that both of us, my

Sister and myself were surprised by the impact it had on our senses and once more appreciated what the past has left for us to enjoy.






And if you think that what I have written is sickly then maybe you should go and see the place for yourself.


The simple truth is that we are attracted by gardens such as these and from what we learned on our journey the estimated number of visitors for that day was about two thousand. Which information was considerable because the Bluebell Railway was also open for visitors.






It remains only to visit the place in Winter when there is snow and enjoy the magic of a real winter garden. maybe at sunset with tall glasses of Rose wine and the promise of warm winter soup and pictures taken of icicles with the sun glinting through them. Or maybe watch for the winter fairies and feed the ducks and swans.

We went back to Haysden Country Park

Having had taster of what seemed to be a contrived and tightly engineered park we decided to return to see what else it had to offer. In fact it was matter of appreciating what we had discovered before. The compatability between cylist and walker and the chance to allow bridleways to cross, fishermen and yachties to have a bash as well came home as we walked the pathways. We parked at the main car park, paid our pennies and toddled off on the well formed path ways to enjoy the October sunshine, ducks on the water, the comfort of knowing that we were close to the Medway and surprised that we were also about to cross the A21 and walk near a railway.

We decided to walk to Liegh a small village not far from Tonbridge and was pleasantly surprised by it rich colors and the village green overlooked by a delightful church. Not only was the place a typical village with a green, an old primary school and a couple of pubs but in a village hall we found a class of children making crafts that was run by a church youth group. We had a cup of tea and a biscuit - a donation was all that was asked - and sat on a bench in the warm October sunshine to enjoy it.

The village of Leigh has a history linked to Penshurst Place and to Tonbridge and according to the local website has a conservation area around the village green and at least forty-nine listed buildings. The place is worth a visit and if it was not for the walk from Haysden park we may have chosen the place as our starting point - it has a welcoming atmosphere sitting as it does on the Medway valley.

We bought a couple of rolls in the village shop (next to the Bat and Ball Pub) and took them up to the church to devour them sitting on a bench in the sunshine where a wall was devoted to the dead by plaques and memoranda which was a pleasant touch. It must be said that the views fromm the churchyard are excellent and not to be missed.

It was also a surprise to realise that we were not all that far from Penshurst place and Penshurst village. This we hope will be a later visit. In the meantime we can recommend Haysden Park as a place to walk and to keep in touch with the Medway. It is cycle friendly, walker friendly and also, like the Woodland Trust areas seems to encourage grazing cattle.

We took directions from a local walker but they turned out to be a little erronenous so we had to make a sudden dash back on our tracks. However, the experience did the cardio-vascular excercise bit we needed and I am sure we benefitted from the walk.

The park is a great place for walkers and wildlife lovers alike as well as cyclists.

It was good to see cattle happily grazing and drinking from the river.

We may make some more river trips and explore the Medway further looking for the source. And as the Autumn creeps up on us and Winter sneaks around the corner we have to say that this October and the last few weeks of the Summer exploring the river has been a pleasant experience. we hope that our readers will also enjoy our thoughts on a what became a sudden project.

Tonbridge - a mixed experience

We went to Tonbridge and expected to find it difficult to park and like many towns not that easy to see the sights. But we were wrong. Our taster trip to Tonbridge was a pleasant voyage of discovery. I suppose that straddling the Medway and being North West Kent steeped in history that relates Tunbridge Wells and London the place was likely to be busy and alive. We parked, paid and displayed and strolled into town looking for historical content and realised that we were adding to our river strolls. In fact water seemed to be the dominating feature. Tonbridge is a town of bridges where the Medway is joined by other rivers and the local country park features water and wildlife.






The stroll first along the river to Town Lock revealed new building grandly named with Wharf at the end to designate a river location that were in fact high rise apartments. The style was pleasant and for those who like that sort of thing I suspect quite comfortable with electronic locks and resident only car parks reminiscent of castles - the Motte the underneath car park and the bailey the forecourts and road with the river as a moat created the Englishman's ideal. to me they were high rise cells designed to isolate the incumbents from the outside world. The genteel houses across the river seemed much more in tune with the river.



And talking of castles we walked up to the gatehouse and then on to the motte where once was a castle with its wonderful command of the town and surrounding countryside that also utilised the river. We spent a little time walking the town and wandered past the castle chatting briefly with a friendly squirrel along the eden vale walk to the Haysden Country Park and on to walk beside the waters of Barden Lake.











We took a quick diversion along the way to another stretch of water and there we saw geese on the opposite shore and a Heron fishing. We were fascinated by its stately gait and the concentration of the creature as it searched for its poor unsuspecting victim. At least it was searching for food which I think I may say for the fishermen along the lake edge did not seem to be their main aim. I think they call it sport. I plump for the Heron.




We walked out of the main entrance and back into town stopping at Jenny's Cafe for a tasty sandwich or two and a cup of hot coffee. the owner told us a little of Tonbridge so we whave decided to visit the place again. We need to do the intrepid explorer bit and find out what the place has to offer. With the hills above the town and the clouds coming down on the day the place was reminscent of Whangarei in the North Island of New Zealand. That town is a mixture of culture, marine activity, industry and colonial history. Tonbridge has a touch of all these - maybe not the colonial history - but history mixed with the modern demands of urban living rooted in the past.