3 men on a walk 2016: July 2016

Monday, 18 July 2016

There and back along the River Medway

Wateringbury loop via Tovil and East Farleigh

It was hot yesterday and even hotter today with the forecast saying it could reach 32 to 33 deg C. OAP's don't want to be struggling up steep hills in that heat so Ivan devised an 11 mile route along the Medway valley but when plotted it turned out to be 14 miles !

Still, we parked up at Wateringbury and walked east along the Medway Valley path towards Maidstone. This a very pleasant walk alongside the river and we made good time. Our first issue was when we hit a "Path Closed" sign and had to find a detour through the houses to the Medway footbridge that was to take us across the river to the village of Tovil. We negotiated that OK but a mile or so further on yet another footpath was closed and we really had no suitable alternative. So getting the map out and looking at the time - approaching 1-00pm, lunchtime - and realising the temperature was well above 30 deg, we quickly made an executive decision and abandoned the original route in favour of walking down to East Farleigh (and The Bull Inn) and then picking up the Medway path again and reversing our walk back to the car.

The Bull turned out to be an ideal resting place from the midday sun and we repleenished fluids and then took on more for the journey back. For once we had a downhill section after lunch and when we reached the river turned west along the path. For a bit of variety when we reached Teston bridge we stayed on the north-side path (having used the south-side path on the outward leg) which made us feel a little better. By now the temperature had soared and we were very pleased to get back to the car and its air-con !

The cows knew how to get out of the hot sun!

Tovil Bridge

Farleigh Bridge

Lunch Stop

The River Medway at Farleigh

Stats for the day were ...

Finished Hike: 18 Jul 2016, 14:56:59

Route: Wateringbury loop

Weather:

temperature 24 deg


humidity	78%
wind	2 mph N

Explorer Link: http://walkmeter.com/818ee85cf2cf57d1/Hike-20160718-0946

Import Link: http://share.abvio.com/818ee85cf2cf57d1/Walkmeter-Hike-20160718-0946.kml

Hike Time: 3:54:34

Stopped Time: 1:15:35

Distance: 12.80 miles

Average: 3.27 mile per hr

Fastest Pace: 11:27 min/mile

Ascent: 571

Descent: 545

Calories: 1301

Monday, 11 July 2016

Wilmington loop via Jevington

Wilmington and across the downs to Jevington

The forecast was for showers with high winds - well we got the winds but fortunately the showers didn't materialise so we had a really nice blowy day up on the South Downs.

We drove down to the tiny village of Wilmington that sits under the downs and oversees "The Long Man" of Wilmington, an effigy carved into the chalk escarpment above the village that "appeared" sometime a hundred odd years ago and nobody really knows when or why.

The walk took us right along the base of "the man" as we climbed up the face of the downs. Once on top we headed south across the downs and into Friston Forest and down to Friston Village before climbing up the other side of the Jevington valley and turning north again along the ridge of Willingdon Hill.

After about 2 miles we met the South Downs Way which we used to drop us down the hill and into the village of Jevington and the "Eight Bells" pub for lunch - much needed as we had walked over 8 miles to get here.

Inevitably we had a climb up the hills again after lunch but this wasn't too bad as we were following the Wealdway path which follows along the base of the downs rather that the tops. This took us round to Folkington and then back to the car at Wilmington.

At this time of year the summer wild flowers are out and they give some amazing colour to the countryside.

The Long Man of Wilmington

Two short men at Wilmington !

Today's view from the top of the South Downs

Wild flowers in the hedgerows

And more flowers ...

Lunch Stop - The Eight Bells at Jevington

Stats for the day were ...

Finished Hike: 11 Jul 2016, 15:01:23

Route: Wilmington loop via Jevington

Weather: temperature	18°C
humidity	78%
wind	25 mph SW

Explorer Link: http://walkmeter.com/818ee85cf2cf57d1/Hike-20160711-1015

Import Link: http://share.abvio.com/818ee85cf2cf57d1/Walkmeter-Hike-20160711-1015.kml

Hike Time: 3:38:39

Stopped Time: 1:06:45

Distance: 11.08 miles

Average: 3.04 mile per hr

Fastest Pace: 14:33 min/mile

Ascent: 1698

Descent: 1722

Calories: 1185

Monday, 4 July 2016

The Vanguard Way into the Surrey Hills

Edenbridge to Hurst Green

We have been trying to find parts of the South East that we haven't done much walking in as some areas are "Walked Out" now. Looking at the maps there was a section of the Vanguard Way Path north of Edenbridge that was "foreign" to us and so that's what we ended up doing today. Luckily the weather was nice and sunny - a proper English summer day - so we enjoyed the walk wearing shorts for the first time this year!

We parked up at Edenbridge and took a very circuitous route SW along the Eden Valley Path until we met up with the Vanguard Way. We then turned North heading towards the North Downs with just a short detour into Crockham Hill village to take lunch at The Royal Oak.

Crockham village sits under the North Downs and so we had the steepest part of the path - the climb up the North Downs - as our after lunch stroll! It was a mighty long pull up the hill but once on the top we had a nice walk through Limpsfield Common and the Surrey woods as we followed the Greensand Way through to Hurst Green where we caught the train back to Edenbridge and the car.