What a lovely houseboat. Who pulled the `plughole` out ?
OK, so the tide is out. Nagden Marshes appear on the horizon.
Lost already. Old timers in the walking group search for life.
James points to the noble`George Tortoise`, the wondrous creature who will appear on all these round Britain walks. He even has his own web site. http://www.georgetortoise.co.uk/
A house on the Nagden Marshes. A smugglers paradise two centuries ago (the marshes that is....not the house!)
George Tortoise atop a pleasing sign. We`re going toward Whitstable, but not in this direction. That`s too easy.
The Nagden Marshes.
Onward, ever onward ! George Tortoise takes a rest.
Not a place to get stuck in your wellie boots.
Now approaching the South Swale Local Nature Reserve. Already seen Cattle Egrets,Marsh Harriers, Herons and three people.
And there`s that house again.
Two `wild` South Swale ponies. These inhabit the marshes and areallowed to graze free, although occasionally they`re rounded up and checked. They have become a part of the local ecosystem. Their interest in us was precisely zilch !
Now you`re talking; a sea wall. To your left (North) the Swale estuary and The Isle Of Sheppey. Straight ahaead (east) Whitstable Bay.
Another nature reserve, preserved for nesting seabirds. Keen geographers will notice the magnificent golden-hooked`spit` formation, just prior to readjusting the patches on the arms of their jackets.
At this point a mairacle ! Just when the `nearly half way round` sign began to diminish the native enthusiasm, a ball appeared on the beach as if from nowhere. Miraculously this had floated across the North Sea from Holland, and was actually signed by Johan Cruyff. It would accompany us for the rest of the journey.
Oh, and there`s George Tortoise again, leaving his mark again.
With a following wind it`s off and unto the Cleve Marshes. We can smell lunch.
And would you believe it, just around the corner (well two miles away) is the Sportsman Pub at Seasalter http://www.thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk/ Windy on the old hairlines I think ?
There again, this walker`s hairline has been completely shredded. Was it the fiercesome wind, or the troublesome road sign that caused it ?
Heading west (and homeward) now to Cleve Hill. Water....water....we just need water.
Er, well I`d rather it wasn`t that stuff-some form of red algae growing in a drainage channel. Samples were taken away for examination, although they burnt through the container and were lost for ever.
Even road signs were being photographed.Broom Street is big in this part of the world. It`s the main street in the village of, erm....Broom Street. Just ask anybody !
Westwards, ever westwards, towards Faversham, past the church at Graveney. Is that Turner I see with his paints ? What a glorious landscape.
This barn was just too big for it`s own legs.
What`s this ? Looks like we`ve slipped to Portugal !
Alas no. We`re back on the Swale Shoreline path and close to Faversham (on the horizon) and home. Ten glorious miles of triumph, one Johan Cruyff football, and a very happy George Tortoise. The first leg of the Big Island Expedition was in the bag
CHARITABLE DONATION
As a result of this walk, a cheque was given to KIDZ KLUB LEEDS, a christian charity that works with children and families in the most deprived areas of the city. The charity does magnificent work with over 8,000 young people per year. The cheque will be used at their 10th Anniversary Ball at The Queens Hotel, Leeds, as part of an `auction of promises` (it will pay for accommodation `by the sea` for a lucky bidder), and will hopefully raise much more than the donation`s face value.
Please visit http://www.kidzklub.org.uk/ for more information about this charity.
No comments:
Post a Comment