Songline On Sea

I didn't sleep as long as expected but I went very slowly especially up and downstairs. I'm going to have to seek advice about my knees which I fear will not be straight forward having forced them far beyond what could reasonably be expected and for far too many miles. There was no way I was not going to complete the trip and I am grateful to so many people who were willing me on - that was a huge help. Now I have a desk piled high of packages sent home with local information picked up, stones off beaches, etc. I'm delighted with Paddy Hamilton's prints purchased in Dungeness which I will treasure as a particularly precious momento and which I opened first. After washing and cleaning all my gear and opening 5 months of mail I shall get back to my job as a choral conductor and choir trainer. Soon it will be time to prepare Christmas programmes! During the last few days of the walk the days were shortening rapidly, autumn was visible in the trees especially, the air perceptively cooler. In days gone by, pilgimages would finish. It feel right to be home. I have over 2000 photos to go through. From them I will select some for a presentation at our excellent Chequer Mead Theatre in East Grinstead at 7.30pm on Thursday 1 October. Anyone close enough to be able to come will be most welcome. There are a lot of people I have to thank for this year which I will do as a priority. Beyond that I am going to attempt to write a book about the whole 3 year experience. The dicipline of writing these blogs each day will be a huge help in remembering events on a daily basis. I have not added up the actual days walked but it must be close to a year in total. To those who have read the blogs, thank you for your interest - I hope you have enjoyed them. It is too soon for me to absorb what I have done and all the many experiences I had on the way. I do however know that these experiences have taught me a lot about our wonderful country, its people, its history, nature, geography, climate, but above all about myself. Everything is in a constant process of movement, change, development, evolution. It's happening out there and it's happening in here. The activity of walking takes you at a perfect speed to be able to see and experience those different dimensions. Walking is what we are designed to do. It's the first thing we learn to do and is still the best. I recommend it to everyone. End blogs.

Graham is a trickster. He got me up this morning by saying Farmer Simon had left breakfast outside my tent on a silver platter. I got up to find the brie and biscuits we had purchased yesterday. I phoned Julie and Chris of CJ's who live in nearby Ashurst to ask if they could bring coffee and take our rucksacks to East Grinstead which they kindly did. We set off a bit late to get to Hartfield where walkers were invited to join us. The walk was once again partly on roads and partly across fields. Progress was halted at Willets Dairy Farm where they make the most delicious icecream. Icecream for breakfast was a first for me. We got to Ashurst where amazingly Chris and Julie passed in their car and corrected the wrong turning we had just made. We were well behind time so had to race to Withyham and thens to Hartfield where 20 people greeted us with Union Jacks plus a photographer from the local paper. A number of friends who had joined me around the coast came to share the last lap. We lapped up the 4 miles to Forest Row where more joined at Annemarie's new tearoom. The last 3 miles I floated through mostly at the front of by then a throng of people when my youngest 2 children suddenly joined either side of me. Our arrival at East Grinstead was perfectly on time at 4.25pm. A team of people headed by Kaya and Graham had organised a finishing line and reception. I was presented with a very generous hamper of food from Cooks, 2 ex-mayors were there, many friends including Adrian who sang some appropriate songs with his guitar. We then all went to Sackville College where we enjoyed champagne and delicious strawberries and cream. It was a most wonderful welcome which I appreciated enormously and was a good ending to my walk. Graham was a wonderful companion for the last 3 days. I'm glad to have done the walk back to my hometown which would have been tough without him. I shall sleep tomorrow for as long as I want or need but intend to write one final blog tomorrow to round things off in what is bound to be a less tired state.

We suspect the site manager overheard my blog last night as first thing he offered us both coffee. To this was added half an oatcake each and half a pork slice from yesterday. The weather was good at first but during the course of our cross-country romp we experienced several weather fronts when the wind howled and there were short sharp showers. It was another 15 mile walk today. We had our first sight of the Sussex Weald as we trod part of the Greensand Way which looks over towards home territory. At the White Rock Inn in Underriver it was lunch time. This was a very pleasant experience with a home-grown cabaret as we watched our barman trying to cope with his feelings towards the waitress. His unrequited lust has been going on daily for a year and a half. The storms began over the next stretch to Leigh. It was time for Graham's £5 worth of his so-called umbrella to be tested which promptly inverted itself. Leigh was the first of two magnificent estates, quintessential English villages where the squires rule over all from the clergy down to the local publican. Penshurst was the next which also united us with the River Medway and gave an opportunity for Graham to witness the laying down of the songline. We had to find somewhere to eat and camp for the night. We chose to walk two miles south of Penshurst to the Bottle House Inn which Graham recommended for its culinary delights. As fate would have it whilst looking vacant outside the pub, Simon Fredericks stopped on his bicycle and asked if he could help. I said we were looking for somewhere to pitch our tents and were thinking about using the next field. At this point he revealed that we was in fact the owner of the field. So tonight we find ourselves guests of the local squire, camping on the edge of a five-acre field. The pub provided excellent fare. Tomorrow is a big day and definitely the last my knee is capable of enduring. I'm looking forward to it.

It was an eventful day as predicted. The double room in Gravesend at £38 was a bargain and made up for the expensive night in Cooling though it was them who had told me about it. The house was in front of a huge new mosque and close to the railway line but neither affected us. We met Graham in Wetherspoons at 9:30 for breakfast. There was already heavy drinking going on by elderly gentlemen who took our comfortable seats before we had actually finished with them. Sitting outside though gave us a glimpse of Thursday morning in Gravesend and the local population. It was not a picture of elegance or sophistication though the buildings suggest an oppulent past. We said goodbye to Kaya who went off to work in London and immediately got lost. This was quite an achievement since we were already on the A227 heading south but chose to go onto another road. Graham had spent a long time planning the route so his confidence took an early knock but we did see some nice houses and climbed up and down the only hill in town. To make up time we stayed on the A227 to get across the motorway and cross-channel railway. From then on everything went absolutely to Graham's plans as we walked sometimes on quiet lanes and sometimes on paths or byways passing Hartley and Ash, over the M20, down the North Downs, over the M26 and into Ightham where we had a delightful, very reasonably priced meal in the excellent George & Dragon. There was one particularly enchanting byway called Wise Lane which the farmer at the end of the lane suggested had been created by generations going from his farm to the pub. Another road was intriguingly called Labour in Vain Road. Our destination was Oldbury Woods campsite. We were losing light by 8 o'clock when we left the pub with still over a mile to go. We did not know that that mile was up and down a steep hill or that the road gave way to a muddy track through dense woodland. I lent Graham my headtorch since he had failed to bring one but I did this with more grace than he deserved and made do with the tiny light on my watch. At the campsite the proprietor declined to make us coffee though the facilities were right behind him. He thought we ought to pay £20 but fortunately his wife came along and gave us the correct price of £13. Graham almost managed to get Ruth's tent up in the dark without my help which I was happy for him to do but I did a little in the end. Graham tells me the weather is quite clement though I would call it chilly. It was a cracking day.

Cooling held a fascination for Charles Dickens who loved the church and its graveyard. It is now sadly a redundant church but kept open for visitors. I visited Pip's grave and sang in the church. There is a remoteness to this area with two miles of marsh stretching down to the Thames. Those two miles would have been occasionally covered by the sea before the seawall was built. In the future it may be necessary to allow it to flood again if London needs saving from rising sea levels. There is a castle in Cooling, now owned and enjoyed by Jules Holland. He is obviously investing a lot in making it how he wants it to the benefit of everyone in the end. Cliffe is at the end of the 133 bus route from Rochester. Kaya arrived at 11:17am and Robert not long after having taken a taxi from Higham station. Our little group was complete and ready after a cup of coffee from the Five Bells pub. The walk into Gravesend was round a lot of flooded gravel pits, along sea walls, past 19th century forts, an army rifle range and a police training centre where they trained for urban riot control and football hooligans, before hitting the fringes of Gravesend. Kaya and I were able to look across the Thames to where we had walked the first day of this journey, memorably getting lost on a huge landfill site and subsequently escorted off by security guards. There was about a mile of ghastliness before getting to the ferry crossing to Tilbury. We passed a run-down pub surprisingly still used by clientele perhaps clinging on to something from long ago. It reminded me of a similar scene on entering Liverpool through the now redundant docks. Robert kept us well entertained throughout with his keen observations and dry humour, which I always enjoy. Keeping me going was the finishing line which we got to at 4:25pm and where Mary and Dil met us. We got straight onto the 4:30pm ferry. We were all singers so they joined me in singing our way across the last river. Before disembarking, Mary and Dil magically produced a bottle of chilled bubbly. The cork landed far into the fulness of the Thames and we drank. We went hastily up to the actual starting point at the end of the pier and did a photoshoot of Kaya and I in 2009, which we can put alongside the April 2007 photo. Back in Gravesend we sat at the foot of the splendid bronze sculpture of Princess Pocohontas in St George's churchyard and finished the bottle. Kaya and I went to find our lodgings whilst the others went back to London. At 7:30pm we were in Wetherspoons being treated to a splendid meal which Head Office in London had kindly arranged. Thank you Wetherspoons! Tomorrow Graham Stevens, picture framer supreme will arrive here. He and I are to walk for three days to East Grinstead sleeping for the two nights under canvas. There is to be something of a civic reception on entering East Grinstead between 4:00 snd 4:30 on Saturday so I shall keep the blog going for a bit longer. I have a strong feeling the walk with Graham will be eventful!

I was worried last night and this morning by the state of my knee. It seems to be saying that I'd given it hell so now it was payback time. I hobbled down the gentle slope to the cathedral. The West Door was open and the priest was about to offer a public prayer when Shereen rang. Shereen is responsible for the cream which I put on my feet each evening after showering and which has kept them in fine order throughout the trip. She was, on this occasion, interested in contacting Wetherspoons to tell them what a feature they have been in my blogs and would they like to reciprocate in some way. I was happy for her to go ahead and have since heard that they would love to have fed me in all their many locations - more anon, perhaps. I saw a shooting star last night over the Medway, the only one I'd seen this year. Downhearted about my knee, I took the 191 bus for an hour and a half as it went down to Allhallows-by-the-Sea and to the Isle of Grain. From Allhallows I got a good view across to Southend and at Grain the power station and lots of stuff connected with the National Grid. It was an odd area but I was glad to see it. Eventually, at Hoo, I did my shopping at the Co-op and Hoo News. I had met Ricky yesterday in Hoo News and, on entering, saw his picture outside on the lottery poster. On asking him why, he told me that from his shop there has been more lottery winners than anywhere else in the country, so they had put his picture in their advertising. I invested £1 in tomorrow's draw to try my luck. I went for a cup of tea in the pub opposite where I could not help noticing a note pinned on the board saying that anyone who used Hoo News should check their change as two people claimed to have been cheated. I was getting to know more about Hoo than I could have expected so I left to follow the poorly marked Saxon Shore Way path and to try out my walking. Amazingly, as I got into a groove and accelerated to my present maximum speed of 2 1/2 miles an hour, my knee relented and allowed me to walk surprisingly easily. It was only eight miles to Cooling where I had booked a room in the Horseshoe & Castle pub. The charge for the room was a staggering £45, more than I had paid the whole trip and this is the last night. This could not be so I did a deal with Nessy, who is on duty, that I would pay my maximum of £40 plus £5 if she would do my washing - she agreed. I had an excellent cod and chips but had to barter further for the chef to cook me breakfast at 8:30am as that was not included in the price. This is the village where Charles Dickens loved the church and where Pip visits the graveyard at the beginning of Great Expectations. Many people used to die of the marsh fever. Nowadays, above the marsh grow plentiful apples and pears with lots of horses between the two. Tomorrow, Kaya and Robert Summerling will be walking the last day with me. We are to arrive in Gravesend at 4pm before taking the ferry to Tilbury and there celebrating the end of 4,500 miles of walking!

Magees' B&B I was fortunate to stay in in Rochester and I have to thank the contract worker who was away for the weekend. It was very basic but the TV worked well and actually had a remote which many places don't. Landlords claim they get nicked, which seems an odd thing to take. I had hoped to base myself in Rochester for a further two nights but by late morning I could find nothing so took it as a sign that perhaps I had done my time here. After breakfast therefore, I crossed the bridge into Strood and checked out a further five pubs but they were all full of contractors. I at last discovered the problem. The power station just beyond Hoo is being upgraded so there is an army of workmen all requiring long-term accommodation which they can get for as little as £13.50 a night. I had to walk inland after Upnor where there is an impressive castle, as the tide was right up. I passed some boys going into the woods. As part of their adventure camp they were going to build a camp using only what they found in the woods and sleep in it. I wondered if I would be doing the same. I went down to the marina at Hoo where I had heard that a houseboat called Captain Webb may offer accommodation. It didn't but I did get to look around the very nice remote marina, despite its proximity to the power station. There was absolutely no accommodation in Hoo. I did not fancy sleeping under a hedge at this stage of the trip without even a sleeping bag so caught a bus back to Rochester. On the bus I tried a few numbers from Medway's tourist brochure. Mr Sheik at no. 88 Borstal Road said to phone again at 7:30 when he may have something. It was my only option. I returned to, yes, you guessed, Wetherspoons to fill in the time with a burger and chips which on Monday nights is only £3.99 with a pint of beer and at 7:30 was delighted to be given a room by Mr Sheik. He is a very nice man whose parents had moved from Pakistan to Kenya and then he to England. He has a mansion where I am presently sat on the verandah enjoying a wonderful view of the River Medway. Forty-two miles away, at the source of the river, is East Grinstead and Liz who is putting this blog onto the website. Thanks Liz! Two days till Gravesend and the first finishing line!

My last day off. Three days march now to Gravesend. Pilgrims of old used to reckon on one days march to do the 30 miles from London to Rochester and 2 to 3 days to get to Dover from London. To walk away from your home area long ago you needed a passport from your local bishop otherwise you were considered a 'rogue' and sent home. Rochester has a house near the cathedral set up by John Watts to house 6 poor travellers. I have tried to stay there last night but it is now just for tourists to visit. The small rooms had just a bed, chair and fireplace. My room at Magees B&B is different only in that it has in addition a sink and a TV. i spent my day off substancially in Wetherspoons which fed my physical needs and the Cathedral which fed the rest of me. Sorry to go on about Wetherspoons but they do as good an English breakfast as anywhere which I had in their very pleasant garden reading the Sunday Times and then tis evening the most excellent roast lamb for £8 something which included a glass of Merlot (Alan Keen, please note). I wish I had approached Wetherspoons about sponsorship but though in a sense they have. The cathedral I like as much if not more than any other. Twice, out Moving Festivals have sung in the crypt and upstairs provided me with one of the biggest musical experiences conducting a cast of over 400 performers in Karl Jenkins' 'The Armed Man' back in 2003. Evensong was well sung by the Chancel Singers and then an organ recital given by a very excellent organist from North Germany who played Vidor's Toccatta faster than I have ever heard it. I enjoyed exploring the area to the south of the cathedral where the monks used to have one of Kent's many vineyards. I have at last made contact with the elusive Graham Stevens who is going to walk with me from Gravesend to East Grinstead to plan a route. This time next week I shall be in my own bed which I am looking forward to as much as I am sure you are able to get.

It may have been a smart operation at my B&B in Upchurch but, if that if the atmosphere is not so good. Everything about the place was perfect, well ordered and very confortable. Breakfast was fresh fruit salad, then kippers, then croissant which was great but with beautiful rugs over the floors and masked women over the loo was it really necessary to put Post It notes all over the place saying, 'Lock the door', 'Return your key', 'No food in the room', and then the expected to complete a form which fished for compliments. The channel of the River Medway winds itself between mud and marsh. I walked it last time with lots of singers including a party from Holland who had wanted to walk round every possible seawall singing in a few carefully chosen churches. One of those was Gillingham Parish Church which I wanted to visit again for here was the church where John Adams had come from. John Adams was a seaman who was shipwrecked off Japan in the 17th century. He was rescued by the Japanese and is revered there having saved and founded the Japanese Navy. The church was locked and sad looking so I walked up to the market, bought a pasty and a coffee and sat on a bench observing third world England. The Medway towns of Gillingham (Army), Chatham (Navy) and Rochester all join together as the Medway town. I had planned to stay at Gillingham Youth Hostel until I found it was mild inland so chose to head for Rochester to find a nice place to enjoy my day off. This was not so easy as many hostelries are permanently used by the Social Services and B&Bs are not allowed to advertise themselves to passing traffic such as me. I have ended up in a hostelry mostly frequented by contract workers so Saturday night was a good time to arrive. The cathedral closed at 5pm but I shall visit tomorrow. I'm in Wetherspoons where half a chicken is served up with a large glass of wine for less than £8.00. Dickens would have loved Wetherspoons where your common man can be witnessed enjoying himself protected by very large gentlemen at the door. A large group of ladies dressed as rabbits were outside having a photoshoot and subsequently allowed in as I was (with Brolly). If I was asked where on my travels hit the nerve centre of where Britain is at right now, I suspect Rochester would be close. I saw Southend today which for the first time made me feel I was nearly there.

I was altogether more buoyant today being happier walking a decent 13 miles. I got the bus back to Sittingbourne from Conyer. There are 800 people living in Conyer but it has no shop, no post office and a pub with To Let signs on it. Young people have nothing to do. They used to smash the glass of the telephone kiosk but they can't even do that since BT has given up replacing it. The bus was quite full but only one person paid for the trip. It seems there are many people in Sittingbourne on welfare and one whole estate is given over to young single mothers. I read the local paper for Sheerness whilst having coffee. There were many references to the vile stench which is driving the locals crazy and holidaymakers away. Road deaths, people getting stuck in the mud and call-outs by the emergency services all featured as they probably do every week. The Saxon Shoreway Path, which I am following, is appallingly marked. I was lucky to find my way back to the west side of the creek. There is heavy industry all the way down to Ridham Dock including the massive paper mill at Kemsley and a massive new Morrisons depositary, coloured in shades of blue. I could not walk under the bridges going to Sheppey as the tide was in. The next three miles were round the Chatney Marshes, which is a very lonely corner. Nearby are two massive power stations, Sheerness and the Isle of Grain and large ships crossing the landscape in the River Medway. On the marshes large flocks of starlings and Canada geese are gathering ready for the off. I didn't blame them when it poured with rain for half an hour. The wind was fierce so that my fingers went numb - the day before yesterday had been the hottest day of the year! Lower Halstow has a population of 1500 and no shop but you can find one a mile up the road in Upchurch. I took the long way round the coast where there are surprisingly large barges up the smallest of creeks. It's an odd area. My landlady in Upchurch though runs a very smart operation so I am very comfortable. I had a very good and cheap meal at the local golf course which somewhat made up for the pricey B&B.