My walk this week took me to the village of Otford in Kent. I needed to check out the walk as I will be leading a group from the U3A next week.
Snowdrops were out in all their glory.
Although I have done this walk a couple of times I always like to make sure there are no unexpected obstacles before leading a walk. It wasn't a pleasant day, in fact it was pouring down. The snow has now melted in the SE of the UK but that leaves a lot of water that has still not drained away, so I was prepared for a very muddy walk.
An unusual ornate kissing gate.
You can see the chalk here. The Downs, where I am walking are a ridge of chalk hills.
Steps had been embedded into the path to help people up this incline. I counted 145!! A bit of a challenge for the legs.
A lost scarf. This was the second one I had come across hanging from a tree. I wonder if people ever go back and retrieve their lost bits and bobs.
The walk takes you through a farm.
This is a beef farm. The cattle are born locally and the beef is sold at the local farm shop.
A little snow still lingered around the edges of the fields.
Views from the top of the Downs.
Just look at the mud. Going up the last hill I kept slipping back down. I had to leave the pathway and find another way up with better traction. How I didn't fall I have no idea but at least it would have been a soft landing.
Coming back down from the Downs I can see the village below.
Back in Otford you walk past a couple of oast houses or hop kilns. Many of these oast houses have now been converted into homes.
Past the duck pond and down the High Street back to the car. Normally I would stop for a sandwich and cup of tea in one of the many tea shops here. But I was so covered in mud I couldn't. Although I had a change of footwear, my trousers were covered in mud. Luckily I have newspapers in the car to sit on!
Although I have done this walk a couple of times I always like to make sure there are no unexpected obstacles before leading a walk. It wasn't a pleasant day, in fact it was pouring down. The snow has now melted in the SE of the UK but that leaves a lot of water that has still not drained away, so I was prepared for a very muddy walk. 
The old kilns are very unusual to my eyes. I love the views!
ReplyDeleteI hope the mud is gone when you lead the hike next time. Looks like a lovely place to walk.
ReplyDeleteWith Marcia. I couldn't be much worse I suppose.
ReplyDeleteThat’s a lovely walk, I hope there is less mud when you go out next week. What a posh kissing gate.
ReplyDeleteI hope none of your followers see your photos and stay home! It will be a pretty walk if the sun comes out and fun even if it doesn't. M
ReplyDeletebeautiful pictures.. hope good weather is coming soon..
ReplyDeleteI too hope the mud is lessened by next week. It's a fine looking walk otherwise. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat would be a great walk on a nice day, not sure I would want to negotiate the paths just after the snow had gone. The way it is raining at the moment it could be still muddy next week
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your walk! Felt as if I was tagging along with you. Lovely countryside you have.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed. I wish we had a culture of hiking in the US. Maybe because we still have so much open country...but near home, no trail would ever cross private land. Not heard of over here.
ReplyDeleteThat is beautiful countryside. I love those steps, our mountains never have steps!
ReplyDeleteThat was a challenging walk with all the wet and mud. I hpe the U3A group can manage it. Good luck. The farm looked good.
ReplyDeleteI find steps to be more challenging than just a steep incline. Mainly because they are never the right size.
ReplyDeleteThat mud looks like serious mud. Good thing you didn't fall in it!!
The mud might have been soft but it probably would have been sticky and hard to get up from if you'd fallen over! You're definitely not just a fine weather walker. Hope the guided walk goes well and there's less mud!
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that those oast houses were very expensive dwellings (it might have been in a novel and not even true -- I had to go look up what they were/had been). I'm glad to see what they actually look like. Great country walk, except for the mud, which I detest!! (Not in your pictures, but in real life.)
ReplyDeleteNice walk and pictures! The mud did look unpleasant and I hope it will be much better when you do it again next week. A hot cup of tea would have been well deserved!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by! Some brave the cold, but from your photos, you braved the wet - my goodness, am glad you came out of all those muddy paths unharmed! Am not familiar with hop kilns - what were they used for? Also looked at your snow post - it always brings fun! good you went outside to take a walk! This week we had snow falling every other day (and in-between a melting day - so we didn't end up with more than 3-4 inches. have a lovely weekend!
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