SAT 16 MAR 2019 - 10 miles- BEKESBOURNE TO CANTERBURY - Leader: Ann C

A beautiful walk through a quiet corner of Kent, taking in ancient villages, several historic churches, woods, marshes and fields, and finishing in Canterbury. Moderate pace over fairly easy terrain - largely flat in the morning, but moderately hilly in the afternoon, with some rough woodland paths. Could be quite muddy. No facilities at Bekesbourne station, so use loos on train. 

Through some very wintry looking apple orchards

A drinks stop.

 The (pregnant?) cows. Leader guided us through their field with tiny calves, with strict instructions not to linger. All ramblers passed through safely – though in later field there was a decidedly frisky nosy little bullock not wanting to be shooed away. This lot are safely behind a fence…

An earlier catastrophe – luckily leader had planned detours.

Ramblers rambling as per promise on the programme: through fields, water meadows, woods and farmland.

Church number 3 was the tiny St Mary’s at Stodmarsh

River Stour at Fordwich – the last lap

Church number 1: St Vincent of Saragossa - Littlebourne

St Vincent of Saragossa;· wall painting. Can you make out St Christopher? Well, there is a boat

Wickhambreau - Rose Inn - luckily the pub was open for lunch and a respite from chilly wind

Church number 2: Wickhambreaux St Andrews, unfortunately closed

Wood anemones – sign of spring;

Photos: Ruth

Holding on in windy Canterbury!

Stodmarsh medieval glass

Towards Canterbury

Winter fodder 

Spiderwebs for Kentish fruit

Wickhambreaux Mill and Church

Littlebourne Tithe Barn

A stop at Well Chapel

Through fruit orchards

Additional photos: Martin F