When I first heard about the North Downs Way from a client who in his younger days was also a long distance walker, I thought “oh yes, I think I’d like to walk that!”
signs along the way
– since then I’ve walked the Pilgrim’s Way and found that much of the #NDW is blended with the #PW I often saw signs with the wee oak symbol
the acorn – symbol of the north downs way
and the usual upright decorative directional posts, which sometimes gave the distance in miles to the next town on the route. Since much of the NDW is along the Pilgrim’s Way I’ve walked pretty much most of it, so I’ve shelved that plan, except possibly for the last section…which I may still walk. There were times when the routes diverged and the NDW went uphill, and at those times I was ever so glad I WASN’T on the NDW.
But I always appreciated finding those signs; I was on the right track…
I’m on the right track
the PW is not well marked and signs are scant, but I guess since most of the route is along roads, these are named Pilgrims Way, so we have to depend on those, except when the author of the guide book decides to take you on a diversion (which I hated). But to be fair, the diversion usually coincided with a busy roadway.
the north downs way
One of the most exciting finds was at Detling…..the village sign was quite extravagant and I delighted in seeing the pilgrim’s shell
the pilgrim’s shell
Walking the Pilgrim’s Way has been an extra ordinary journey and giving me the confidence to plan many more long distance walks….
Well, you’ll be pleased to know I made it. Day 1 done & dusted. In lots of pain and my feet are very unhappy…not sure how they’re going to feel about doing this all over again tomorrow.😱😱🥺🥺🥺
So I left home at 6am on the dot and got to Ramsgate station with 15 minutes to spare. I reached Oxted at 09:25 and set about finding breakfast. I nearly slipped up and went to Wetherspoons, but left as soon as I realised my error 😣😣😣 After a coffee and toasted sandwich from Coughlan’s bakery I switched mapmywalk on and set off for St Peter’s church where I got my first Pilgrim’s stamp, then it was a hard slog along a horrible road till I intercepted the Pilgrim’s Way.
First destination was Chevening Park where I had to climb a bloody awful hill and then go back down again. From thereon the terrain was fairly flat. I finally reached Dunton Green where I stopped for supper at The Rose and Crown and had a delicious meal of fish and chips.
At just on 5pm I set off again for Otford, a Domesday Book Village, where I crossed the River Darent. What a delightful place. Picturesque with the remains of a palace where Henry VIII and Katherine if Aragon once stayed. The church and palace have links to Thomas Beckett.
Then I had to force myself to walk the final 4 kms to Kemsing & the Airbnb. I’m aching from head to toe. But I did it 😃😃😃
Walked 26km, 10 hours including stops and saw so many amazing things. Lucky me.
addendum: I actually started this post yesterday, but got so involved with planning my Pilgrim’s Way walk and Hadrian’s Wall walk that I completely forgot to update and post it. Although theoretically I actually owe you 1000 words, it’s already 22:31 and I really need to get to bed earlier than the last two nights……midnight and after midnight….respectively. So here goes…..
Never one to let a bad year bring me down, despite the downs there have been many ups…my grandson celebrated his 1st birthday, I visited the Isle of Wight for a 2nd time on an assignment; this time I stayed near Cowes, although I didn’t get to do as much travelling as before. We visited the Donkey Sanctuary in March; me, my daughter & grandson to visit his adopted donkey; Ruby…she’s a beauty and a lot bigger than we expected. While there we drove across country to visit Tintagel Castle – which is just phenomenal and a must visit.
7 weeks of lockdown were spent in a beautiful, peaceful village in Somerset where I was lucky enough to be able to walk in the Quantock Hills during our 1 hour of allowable exercise. During said lockdown I reached the grand age of 65 (an age denied to my beloved brother & Mother). I celebrated with my little family via zoom and received some beautiful iced biscuits from my daughter.
During my brief breaks between assignments, I’ve had dozens of happy mornings on the beach with my little beeboo watching him run about picking up stones and feathers and sticks, dipping his feet in the sea and buying him a naughty ice-cream on the way home 😉
I’ve visited a few places new to me on work assignments, some good, some not…currently working in Croydon but I have not been out much since I’ve been planning planning planning & now I’m on the cusp of finishing my #pilgrimage from Winchester to Canterbury along The Pilgrim’s Way. Finally. I started this walk in 2018, and then my grandson came along and all thought of being away for any length of time except for work went out the window LOL
And so, 2 years & 12 days after my 2018 pilgrimage ended in Oxted due to injury, I shall restart my journey in Oxted and coddiwomble to Canterbury while crossing rivers, visiting castles, a few palaces, Roman villas, a Carmelite Monastery, ancient stones & churches, some of England’s most historic & ancient villages, towns & cities, many of which are Domesday Book places, the Black Prince’s well, an abbey and a famous Cathedral while just enjoying the freedom of walking from place to place along ancient pathways, across fields, beneath trees, over too many stiles, & no doubt some tarmac.
I plan to see a few sunrises, definitely many sunsets, listen to birdsong & moos, have no doubt that I will cry from pain, curse my sore bones, swear at Pepe (my backpack), laugh with joy, sing a few songs & post dozens of photos.
The planning is 90% complete (as of yesterday – by this evening it was 100% completed), so yesterday I bought a little diary to keep note of pertinent details of each day… especially where I’m meant to be sleeping each night.. most important aspect of each day.
I’m soooo excited. Finally!! And that will be my 4th long distance walk, but all being well, not my last. My daughter, son-in-law & grandson will meet me in Canterbury in the evening for a celebratory meal. Hoorah!!!
Counting the days. I’d like to give a #shoutout to Tony and Sarah of The Old Alma Inn for their lovely customer service 👍 and👎to Airbnb for making it so difficult to identify a venue in a specific location and some of their hosts for not updating their calendars.
Alongside of planning the final section of the Pilgrim’s Way, I’ve also been planning my trip to Newcastle……yes!!! I’ll be walking Hadrian’s Wall 🙂 🙂 🙂
It’s been a long held dream of mine to walk Hadrian’s Wall and initially when I finally decided to complete the Pilgrim’s Way I thought why not just make it a foursome…..The Pilgrim’s Way, St Cuthbert’s Way, Hadrian’s Wall and the West Highland Way…..bought the books and started investigating costs…..hah! It quickly whittled down from 4 to 2! OMG!! It’s very expensive to go walking in this country. Walking the Camino didn’t cost me nearly as much and the accommodation was wayyyyyy cheaper. Some B&B’s were charging in excess of £100 per night per person. Absolutely mad. My daughter suggested I camp each night, but no thanks LOL I’m far too keen on sleeping in a proper bed. 😉 So I had to just suck in my breath a couple of times and book regardless, but fortunately by using AirBnB I managed to keep the costs down and the most expensive night was £41.
Although I still have a gripe with AirBnB and their daft location suggestions, I did after hours of searching manage to tie down all the nights I needed.
I’m planning on visiting Homesteads Roman fort and of course Vindolanda. There are so many amazing places along the route that I’m not sure I’ll have time to visit them all. And of course I’m planning on seeing as many sunrises and sunsets as I can……depending on the weather!
Also did you know that Hadrian’s Wall doesn’t actually march in a straight line from east to west? I always imagined it was pretty straight with a few dents and nooks here and there, but while researching I have found that it actually zig zags like a caterpillar on ecstacy!! Crikey! I really didn’t imagine and as well as which, a whole heck of a lot of it doesn’t exist anymore and the stones have been repurposed for houses and churches. Hah!! So a lot of it is just now in your imagination LOL
But oh what remains looks absolutely amazing and some of places I’ll be travelling through look fantastic. The countryside looks so beautiful.
Now all I need is good weather……says someone who actually lives in the UK and should know better LOL
Next week I’ll be buying new walking shoes, rain pants, and socks….lots of new socks and sorting out my backpack. I haven’t used Pepe in over 2 years, poor thing probably feels neglected. Oh and talking of backpacks, I’m going to use the baggage forwarding service on 5 of the 12 walking days and 4 days will be spent in Carlisle and I’ll walk 2 separate sections over 2 days and bus back to Carlisle at night. Makes sense, especially since accommodation was so hard to find.
And that m’dears brings me to 1058 words…..so hoorah, I’m up to date, albeit 1 day behind. So before it after midnight once again, I shall bid you goodnight, and hopefully I don’t forget to write tomorrow. 🙂
oh and p.s. did you know that Hadrian’s Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site? How awesome is that! another one for my list on Project 101
Gosh, could it really be 2 years ago already!! My beloved daughter gifted me a flight in a Spitfire for my birthday 2 years ago…I’m a bit of a Spitfire fan 😊😊 It was truly a most extraordinary gift and experience ever.
A most extraordinary experience
My excitement levels on the day were through the roof….besides the very amazing experience, what is most memorable, is that on the day, while we were watching the other people having their flights I patted her on the belly and said “the only thing that could top this is a grandchild “….little did any of us know that she was already 2 weeks pregnant 😊😊😊😊 We waited a very long time for this baby, a boy, and he has been the gift that keeps on giving.
The gift that keeps on giving 💙👶🏻
Interesting comment made by Brian Cox on the Andrew Marr show this morning…they were discussing online science lessons for 10-11 year olds that he, Brian, was creating, and the challenges that entailed. In response to a question from Andrew Marr he said…..
“Following the science” really means we don’t know enough yet, or don’t really understand. Quoted by Brian Cox on the Andrew Marr Show. Yet our government continues to say “we’re following the science” – 😂😂😂😂🤨🤨🤨
My client and I were just reminiscing about ‘the old days’ and I was telling her how my mother used to send my sisters and I to the public swimming pool….a good 20/30 minute walk from home, and how we’d spend hours there on our own…me about 14, my sister 11 and the youngest 4 years old. Perfectly safe, and most kids did the same. I was also telling her about the African ‘mielie man’ who cycled about the neighbourhood on Friday evenings with two great big hessian sacks hanging off the back of the bike filled to overflowing with fresh mielies ‘corn on the cob’, still wrapped in their leaves with the brown hairy tufts, shouting “mielies, mielies” and my mother would give us money to go buy a bunch for supper. We’d eat them piping hot, smothered with salt and proper butter that melted and ran down our chins…so hot we would burn our fingers and lips…but we would fight over who was going to get the last one 😂😂😂 and then I reminded her about the ‘rag and bone’ man, or the haberdashery carts that had every single item needed for sewing or knitting or hair accessories that you could ever wish for….such a shame we’ve lost all that.
I saw this on Facebook today 🤪🤪👏👏👏
First, we hear alcohol may prevent the virus… now research suggests the opposite. Then we’re told heat and humidity has no effect, but wait… direct sunlight might quickly kill the virus….. So, if you come across a 65 year old woman, standing in the front yard, intoxicated and naked, leave me alone… I’m conducting important medical research.🙅♀️🤷♀️🙎♀️🙆♀️🤦♀️
(Yes, I stole this post. Yes. You can steal it, too 😁) Change the age! 😂😂
Day 1 of my Hadrian’s Wall Challenge done and dusted….I completed 4.28 kms-140.52 kms to go. The Hadrian’s Wall walk; 90 miles of Roman defence structure between England and Scotland, stretches across the country from Wallsend on the east coast and finishes at Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast. I’ve reached Newcastle on Tyne so far…I’ll have to get a move on if I plan to finish in 6 weeks 🙄🙄🙄
Newcastle Upon Tyne
If you want to join in the fun and walk Hadrian’s Wall…virtually of course 😂😂 this is my referral link
The only cost involved is for the purchase of the Badge, proceeds of which do not go to me. There’s an app that needs to be downloaded and you have to register an account/profile. I’ve found the app a little on the wieldy side, but I’m managing to navigate it with s bit if back and forth…its not 100% user-friendly but I’m figuring it out as I go.
Hadrian’s Wall, also called the Roman Wall, Picts’ Wall, or Vallum Hadriani in Latin, is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Opened: 128 AD
It was a lovely day for a walk albeit quite hot. I stopped at contemplation corner to contemplate life for a brief moment or two, then followed my usual route past the farms, through the fields, round the mound from base to summit in ever decreasing circles, and then back down again.
Contemplation corner
The views from the top are stunning
The Bristol Channel in the distance Today’s walk
Take care folks and please continue to practice social distancing and follow government advice regarding outings etc…and remember to wash your hands
And so it came to pass, the time has come to part ways 😥😥😥 unbelievably I left my trusty companions behind on the Isle of Wight….seriously unbelievable. I walked past them at least 20 times since yesterday’s walk and again on my way out the door today at the start of my journey home. As I sat down on the ferry I suddenly realised I’d forgotten to pack them. Sigh. 🤪🤪 my daughter always tells me I’m unobservant…understatement. what??!!
We’ve travelled well over 3000 miles together in the last 4 years and I feel quite bereft that our parting has come about so abruptly. However, that said, they were wearing out (much like me) and I had planned to buy a new pair next month before completing The Pilgrim’s Way. Perhaps they knew that and decided to hide in the corner and sulk 😂😂😂
So goodbye my trusted friends, we’ve known each other through thick and thin, over hills (too many) and many a dale (mostly at the bottom of the next hill)….you’ve provided support through some tough times, helped me balance across rivers and streams, kept me from falling flat on my face when exhausted, and been there with me every step of the way. We were that close I even named them; Gemini, the twins.
Gemini – My walking poles
Hmmmm. Actually, now that I’ve just written their obituary….I miss them already and I’ve changed my mind….I had said to the family to drop them off at a charity shop but suddenly that feels rather churlish, so change of plan…I’ll ask them to post them to me. 🤔🤔🙄 You can’t just discard old friends in such a cold-hearted way…..
Getting off to a good start yesterday, today I left it a little late to start my walk so only got as far as Dumpton Gap before I headed back home. The weather has been so mild it’s almost difficult to believe its mid-winter. However there was a storm brewing across the channel and the sea was a completely different animal today with wild waves smashing up against the harbour wall and sending spray in every direction including over the gathering observers! It’s fascinating to see how these waves attract more and more people, it seems we cant resist a bit of wildness in our lives.
super waves
As usual I was unable to resist and so before I set off for Dumpton Gap, I walked down to the harbour to watch and film the wave action. That sounds when the water hits the wall is so thrilling….a loud wwhump that sends shivers through the ground and up your spine.
stormy weather
I spent ages just watching and filming, getting wet by a rouge wave that crept up from behind and splashed me with icy water. Not the first time and probably won’t be the last!
waves smashing against the harbour wall
A brisk walk across the beach towards Louisa Bay and as the tide was coming in I had to walk along the concrete walkway rather than continue along the beach. I love this wild kind of weather, it’s so exhilarating and vibrant and energetic…make me feel so alive!
I find the chalk cliffs along the coastline to be endlessly fascinating. It’s incredible to think that these cliffs were once beneath the seas and formed from the skeletal remains of minute planktonic green algae that lived floating in the upper levels of the ocean. It’s sad to realise how quickly they are disintegrating and wearing away from sea erosion. The lumps of chalk left behind have hardened into rocks forming an alien landscape.
chalk cliffs on the Isle of Thanet
Dumpton Gap – the rocks from the worn away chalk cliffs look like an alien landscape
Coming back the clouds had moved on and the sky was a vibrant blue with puffy clouds here and there.
reflections at Dumpton Gap, Isle of Thanet
beautiful Broadstairs, a sight that always lifts my spirits
Once I got home, my daughter and I sat on the couch chatting about the baby and the different options she has now been left with since baby is presenting as breech. Little blighter….oh well. We’ll see.
Besides walking, I’ve been finishing off some of the little cardigans and matinee jackets I’ve been knitting for my grandson. His arrival is now well and truly imminent and we are waiting with bated breath for him to start his incredible journey, the first of many.
a cardigan for Peanut
I’ve also been reading the 2nd of the books I bought for myself for Xmas: ‘Arabia’ – Levison Wood. It’s really hard going. Not from the reading aspect because he is a very descriptive author and it’s so interesting, but rather it’s the appalling history of the area and the terrible horrors perpetrated against the Syrians that I’m finding so hard to contemplate. I won’t go into too much detail here because I want to write a proper review, suffice to say it’s mind-numbing and shocking stuff.
Day 2 /365 – Broadstairs to Dumpton Gap : 4.68 kms, 8008 steps
Thursday Day 10 – 30th August 2018 : Tonbridge to Broadstairs
Well here we are, Pepe, Gemini and I, on the train heading home.
on my way home
My leg is no better and when I lifted Pepe onto my back this morning I experienced that kind of red hot pain that leaves you breathless. So yes, time to head home to recuperate. Damaged but not defeated. I’m already scheming ways of completing this walk in the not too distant future. 😉😁
Ironically my sleeping bag arrived home today too. It was in the stars. One thing for certain, I am going to repack Pepe and anything that I didn’t use last week is coming OUT!!! I’m a bit of a ‘just in case’ packer, but I don’t think it served me well on this walk. Learning curve, I guess. But, on the plus side, I met a lovely Carer at the house last night and I’m certain we’ll become good friends. We have a lot in common and had so much to talk about. 😊😊 So onwards.
Hope you’ve enjoyed my journey along The Pilgrim’s Way; from Winchester to Oxted – hopefully to complete the journey in 2019. I may even redo the section I’ve already walked LOL – or not!!! In case you missed my previous posts…..
And so the inevitable has come to pass…. I’ve reached the end of the book. There is a certain sadness when you reach the last page of a story in which you’ve been, on a journey if you will, a journey you wish could continue for longer. But inevitably, no matter how long the book, you would finally reach the end of that too. When I first saw this book I got really excited about reading it because its one of my dreams to walk the length of my beloved River Thames and the River Severn, so to read this book became imperative and made a superb Xmas 🎄 gift from my son-in-law.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
I started reading it immediately and have barely been able to put it down…..I got so much more than I bargained for.
Being a long distance walker myself (albeit not on the scale of Levison’s walks by any means) it struck a chord and I had certain expectations of how the story would progress…it turned out to be completely different to what I expected…a journey through Africa’s turbulent history and meeting her people, as varied as what they are, and I have learnt much that is both intriguing and horrifying. I also remember many of the events that took place in recent history.
such an interesting albeit scary book at times. a very good read
There is one sentence in the book that sums it up perfectly for me, a sentence I can so identify with since it is an emotion that has caught me out at the end of my walks, most especially when I finished the Camino de Santiago last year… “There was nowhere left to walk”. I remember feeling absolutely bereft when I realised that, as excited as I was to reach Santiago, it meant I was at the end of my journey…and there was nowhere left to walk. Of course the context is completely different and I could have walked on to Finisterre and Muxia, but for that particular time, it was the end.
If you enjoy long distance walking, adventure and reading, and even if you just enjoy a damn good story, I can recommend this book. I plan to read it again….albeit at a slower pace than normal 😂 😂 and no, I have no plans for #WalkingtheNile myself 🤔😉😂
Wednesday 29th August 2018 – Day 9 : Oxted to Tonbridge by train
My penultimate instagram post : Tonbridge: Homeward Bound – Sometimes sooner than expected. So, after a day of excruciating pain in my lower right leg, and totally hobbling around, I’ve had to make the executive decision to head home for recovery. I can’t afford to cause more damage since I still have to work next month. If I continue along The Pilgrim’s Way after my day in Tonbridge, the following 5 days of walking are all in excess of 20kms and the last is 12kms. I know for sure that I’ll do more damage if I continue regardless. I’m good at endurance but have to be sensible too. Clearly the fall I had on Sunday did more damage than I thought and I must have been favouring my hip and my right leg where I fell on Box Hill is really swollen and very painful. So, disappointing as it is, I’ve cancelled all my accommodation for the next week and will get back to The Pilgrim’s Way over a period of time. Unfortunately my dates going forward for the rest of 2018 are not conducive to completing the way in one go, so I’ll look at dates when I get home and plan it over 2/3 stages and probably plan shorter days. The only night’s accommodation I can’t cancel is the Canterbury date, meant to be my last night, it’s really disappointing to not be arriving as a pilgrim completing the way. I’ll take it up anyway (not too difficult to spend a night in Canterbury 😉) and work the rest of the route around my work dates. Urgh. But, as the Gambler said “You gotta know when to hold out, and know when to quit”. OK so I used poetic license there… But, cest la vie. Homeward bound for now, and back to the pilgrimage in the future. I may even start in Canterbury and walk backwards (not literally 🙄🙄) to where I am now 😂 😂 😂 Other people walk from Canterbury to Winchester, so maybe I’ll mix it up a bit and do the same. One thing this trip has done is give me a whole new perspective on certain aspects of life. But that I’ll blog about that later on. Thanks to everyone for your lovely support and encouragement, and sharing my journey. I’m disappointed at having to stop, but being a pragmatic person, I’m more concerned for my health. I’ve had a wonderful time so far, albeit unpleasant at times and some really difficult days, but I’ve seen some amazing places and met many wonderful people along the way, and thats what its all about. It’s the journey, not the destination. Anyway, it’ll be something for me to look forward to 😂 😂 😂
My coddiwomple has come to an end….for now!!
coddiwomple
And so it came to pass that I ended my pilgrim’s way in Hurst Green. When I woke in the morning, not only was it pouring with rain, but my leg was in agony. I could barely walk. So taking the easy way out I ordered a cab to take me to the station.
My training was in the afternoon in Tonbridge so I enjoyed a slow journey and once there I again took a cab to the Carer’s house which was conveniently also where the training was to be held. Settling into my room I had a short nap and put my legs up.
After the training I had a meal, a lovely hot shower and settled into watch some tv. Then to bed…..perchance to dream, but certainly to dream of the day when I can complete my walk along The Pilgrim’s Way
Tuesday 28th August 2018 Day 8 – Merstham to Oxted : 20.75 kms / 45,608 steps elevation 309 meters
My early morning instagram post: Merstham: Morning all. I’m still alive LOL Had a really good sleep, feeling refreshed. Atm I’m relaxing in bed with a cup of tea. My hosts at this AirBnB are/were amazing, they’ve even left breakfast for me 😊😊 These images are from when I was at Shere where I ended my journey on Sunday. We didn’t have network or WiFi at Tanners Hatch so couldn’t share. Shere is gorgeous and definitely bears a return visit on a sunny day. I had lunch at the Dabbling Duck which was lovely, albeit very busy and they initially forgot to take my order. Shere is a Domesday Book village. As you can see it was just raining. I lost about 12 kms of the route on that day. Not a lot, but enough to irk me. I’ll have to come back another day and walk that stage again and probably break it down into 2. And I definitely must have more time to explore Shere.
It amazes me how quickly my body recovers with a good nights rest and a hot shower. My leg and coccyx were however still rather tender, but I wasn’t about to let them stop my pilgrimage. While enjoying my lie-in and cuppa, after posting some photos from the day before, I consulted the guide to see what lay ahead of me for the day. Apparently “the original route from Mertsham to the top of the North Downs has been changed by the arrival of two motorways and two railway lines“. So my slight guilt at not following the guide yesterday was dispersed hah!!
But first…Quality Street; once the main road to Brighton, is named after JM Barries’s play Quality Street in 1902.
the famous Quality Street in Merstham
The famous tin of sweets, launched in 1936 by Mackintosh’s of Halifax to coincide with the release of the Quality Street film, had a bow-fronted shop on the lid similar to houses in the street, which include 17th and 18th century buildings. Merstham, is also, to my delight, a Domesday Book village of 1086 as Merstan; Its name was recorded in 947 as Mearsætham, which seems to be Anglo-Saxon Mearþ-sǣt-hām = “Homestead near a trap set for martens or weasels”. courtesy of wikipedia
10:30 and time to go……first a quick explore of the village
War Memorial in Merstham
pretty houses in Quality Street, Merstham
I loved the creeper on this house
I passed the Old Forge, a Grade II listed building, unfortunately partially blocked by a van, but nonethless quite awesome to see, as well as some other amazing houses.
The Old Forge, Merstham
After crossing the motorway I reached St Katharine’s Church which dates from c. 1220 and replaced an earlier church built c. 1100, it is however believed that there has been a church of some form on the site since c. 675 AD. In the grounds I met 2 ladies from Germany who were walking the North Downs Way. Before progressing, I popped into the church for a visit. Quiet by accident I discovered some fabulous brasses cleverly concealed by carpets…hah! I have a nose for these things.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The route crossed a motorway, took me through a suburb and then into thick undergrowth, beneath the motorway (not decorated like the one yesterday), through some open fields anddddd….up the first of the hills I was to encounter today! A notice urged me to please keep to the North Downs Way…my pleasure 🙂
the only selfie I took on the whole 8 days LOL and I obeyed the request 🙂
my instagram post – Redhill: What was that they said about the way flattening out?? Just climbed 2 steep hills in quick succession. Urgh 🙄🙄 mind you the view is fantastic. So today I’ve packed the guide book away since the route from Merstham to Oxted follows the North Downs Way. Hoorah. Much better.
North Downs Way
After reaching the crest of the hill, I met a lovely old gentleman and stopped for a wee chat, after which I stopped in a field for a few minutes of respite and then a lovely long lane beneath a tunnel of beautiful trees…..in the distance I could see the two ladies I had seen earlier at the church.
going upppppp
and uppppp
goodbye friend 🙂 looking back downhill towards Merstham
fellow pilgrims in the ditance
I had just reached a junction in the road when I looked to my left (for oncoming traffic) and saw to my delight a signboard for…….’Chaldon 1086′, whoo hoo.
Chaldon AD 1086 – 🙂 a Domesday Book village
Another Domesday Book village. I had a quick look on mapmywalk to see how far the church/village was, and found to my dismay that it was a good long walk from The Pilgrim’s Way/NDW. But, since these villages are part of my Project 101, I decided to make the diversion (just on 1 mile away) and suck it up! LOL And boy am I glad I did. The church was FANTASTIC. I stepped through the door and found the breath-taking medieval painting; Ladder of Salvation, featuring a drunken naked pilgrim holding an empty wine bottle
The Ladder of Salvation – a medieval painting in the church of Chaldon
– painted c. 1200, 30 years after the murder of Becket, when the church was in the care of Merton Abbey where the saint had been a pupil. On a pillar near the door there is a pilgrim mark in the shape of a T for Thomas.
T – Thomas Becket – Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul, Chaldon
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
As I walked around the church I thought to myself…”Oh I wonder if someone would be able to give me a lift to the top of the hill?” As I thought this 2 people entered the church. I said hello and carried on out the door. After strolling about the graveyard, I walked through the gate at just about the same time as the couple who arrived earlier. There was a blue van just in front of me…..the couple made for the van, and totally on impulse, the words popped out my mouth “any chance you could give me lift to the top of the hill?”…and what did they say?? Yes!!!! Oh my gosh. I was delighted. I hopped into the back of the van and sat on the floor amongst the detritus of a working man, grinning from ear to ear. The Universe delivered…big time LOL We had a lovely chat all the way up the hill, they were really interested in my journey. Wished me well & goodbye 🙂
My instagram post: Chaldon: Making good progress today . After climbing that hill earlier the way has indeed flattened out. I took a small diversion to visit Chaldon, a 1086 Domesday Book village and the parish church. Walking down the road I questioned my sanity…..going down usually means going back up again. Nonetheless, what an extraordinary church. The west end of Chaldon Church, dating from 1086, is covered with the Ladder of Salvation painted about 1200, thirty years after the murder of Thomas Becket, when the church was in the care of Merton Abbey, where Becket had been a student. While walking around the church, in my mind I was thinking “I hope someone with a vehicle visits while I’m here so I can ask for a lift back up the hill.” as I was leaving a couple in a van drew up, briefly popped in at the church (turns out they’re checking the lightening conductors in the county churches), so I asked them for a lift back to my route….. 😅😅😅 Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say. A charming couple, we chatted as we drove and they saved me the long walk back. My prayers were answered and thank you to the Universe 🌌 😍 Where I rejoined the route I saw the very first Pilgrim’s Way sign 👏👏👏 which I would have missed if I hadn’t made the diversion. atm I’m sitting at the Harrow Pub and just about to tuck into a huge baked potato. I’m enjoying today 😊
They dropped off one very grateful pilgrim back at the junction and I set off once again, well pleased that I had indeed made the diversion. As I set off I looked up and noticed the sign board…..PILGRIM’S WAY Hoorah. One of the very FEW markings for the route, I would have missed this if I hadn’t decided to visit the church.
one of the very few route markers for the Pilgrim’s Way that I saw the whole 8 days
If nothing else the route is varied!!! I passed the house mentioned in the guide: After Hilltop (left with a clock and a view) the way is alongside woodland and fields where I met a lady and her dog….we commiserated with each other as we tried to navigate the mud….the ‘way’ is not always conducive to an easy walk.
Not much further along, at a junction where I had to cross the road again, I spotted The Harrow pub and on impulse decided to stop for lunch. It was already 13.20 and I was HUNGRY!!! I ordered a baked potato with a peppery filling… it was delicious, albeit very spicy hot. wheww. My mouth was on fire. Oh and I had a beer 🙂
Refreshed and replenished I set off once again and passed a rather odd looking folly (probably why it’s called a ‘folly’). The way now took me along a tarmac road and along some lovely shady woodland paths.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
So beautiful. I didn’t see a soul for ages until just before 3pm when I met a young woman out walking her dog. We chatted briefly and then she went on ahead while I strolled along, just enjoying the peace and quiet.
shady paths – a good place to rest for a while
The path once again was rustic, taking me through woodland and up hill and down dale…and then in a sheltered meadow I spotted a weathered wooden bench. Time for a rest me thinks. I offloaded Pepe and took off my socks and shoes, and lay down on the bench in the sun and just chilled. Bliss. Once again I hadn’t seen anyone for ages.
a wonderfully peaceful place to rest
After a short rest I set off and shortly encountered the first set of steps (urgh).
oh no!!!! stairs!!!
going down…seriously??? what were those pilgrims of old thinking
The route took me through some beautiful woodland, England’s counties sure are pretty
I love these benches; they offer stunning views of the countryside
and then…..I took to instagram again…Woldingham: And suddenly I’m on familiar territory. After lots of ups and downs and flats and twists and turns, I can see Oxted ☺️☺️ in the distance and to the left I can see the fields I used to walk along while training for last year’s Camino and briefly, for this years walk. Its been a hard day again, but thats mostly coz after 7 days of walking I’m now very tired, and not because it was just hell. Rest day tomorrow, albeit for End of Life training in Tonbridge. So, none too soon, I’m almost at the end of today’s stage. Show. Me. The. Bed!!! 😂😂😂
Just before heading down to the lower paths on the downs, I stopped off to rest on a bench I spotted about halfway down another flights of steps.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
I’ll be really glad to leave the steps behind. When I did reach the lower footpath I regretted my thoughts almost immediately….the path was very narrow and lined with scratchy prickly brambles.
not a pleasant section of the route
The sun was beginning to sink behind the ridge and I needed to get a move on. From the guide book: “The path now goes downhill to a hidden kissing gate.” Hidden?? Hidden?? It’s bloody grown over with a thick bush of brambles. I had to bend over double just to get under the brambles. Getting through the gate, bent over double with a backpack on my back was not fun at all. I ended up with scratches all along my arms. Urgh.
the kissing gate – I challenge anyone to try kissing at that gate!!
the results of squeezing through the brambles
Now I was on familiar territory. I had walked these oaths dozens of times before when working in Oxted. It was lovely to see these paths and fields again. I crossed the road leading into Oxted and then followed a familiar route up a short hill with the idea of sitting on the bench where I used to sit on my Camino practice walks. When I got to the top I was absolutely dismayed to discover that some vandals had destroyed it completely
I’ve climbed this hill before
the ruined bench – just why do vandals do this?
It was so lovely to walk along paths I had so often walked along before. The fields are so lovely and I had seen them at different times of the year
familiar fields….it felt so good to back walking this path
Oxted: Whoo hoo and hoorah. I’m standing on the Greenwich Meridian Line, ergo I’m just about to cross from the western hemisphere to the eastern hemisphere 😁😁😁👏👏
crossing the Greenwich Meridian Line
standing with one foot in the west and one foot in the east
I’m almost at my journey end, and now standing in the fields I could see in my earlier photo. I’m well ahead of time, so I’m going to walk part of Thursdays route just to save some time on that day, coz it’ll be a late start and nearly 20km day. – okay so this was not one of my brighter ideas. I followed the rutted road past Titsey Place
walking past Titsey Estate – I’ve walked along here a number of times
and had to navigate a swamped area, passed under the M25 motorway and reached the B269. Under the best of times this is not a good road to walk along and I had in fact forgotten that this waited at the end of the route past Titsey Place. Nonetheless, there I was. It was busy. I spent the next 15 minutes dodging cars and trucks by jumping into the hedgerows lining the road. Finally, unscathed, I arrived in Limpsfield village
Limpsfield, Surrey – a 1086 Domesday Book village
….my destination: St Peter’s Church.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
I love this little church and it holds fond memories…..it was the place where I got my very first Pilgrim’s stamp earlier in 2017 before my Camino along the Portugues Coastal Route to Santiago. I stopped off at the church to look around and stamp my passport and then walked back into Oxted. There are some stunning old houses in Detillens Lane.
Limpsfield appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as Limenesfeld
I soon reached Oxted Station and hopped on the next train to Hurst Green where I was to stay for the night at another AirBnb venue. After a short walk I reached the house, had a lovely cup of tea, some hot soup and bread, a long conversation with the host and then a shower and into bed. Hoorah.
my bed…..hoorah
As soon as I was in bed I headed over to instagram for my update: Hurst Green: After 7 days of walking, here is my pilgrim’s passport and the stamps I have managed to obtain. Its very different to the Camino where just about every establishment, restaurant, cafe and refreshments stall (even ice-cream stands) have a ‘sello’. Most of the churches I visited along The Pilgrim’s Way don’t have pilgrim passport stamps. I left a message in their visitor books saying how nice it would be to find one when visiting. Most businesses don’t have them either…I guess email has made them obsolete. However, I’m happy with what I have so far 😊😊😊 a record of my journey
My Pilgrim’s Passport – Day 1 – Day 8 🙂 Sadly not all the churches I visited had pilgrim stamps
From Merstham to Oxted along The Pilgrim’s Way. A good day. I met some lovely people along the route and enjoyed a number of interesting albeit short conversations. At the church in Limpsfield I saw in the visitors book that a lady from Greenwich passed this way on the 19th, also following the Pilgrim’s Way. 🙂 How cool is that!! That’s the 2nd person whose details I’ve seen in the visitors book in a church. And at journey’s end, a lovely host, good conversation, a cup of tea , a hot shower and a comfy bed….what more could I ask for? A leg that wasn’t absolutely aching, would be a start….urgh. I think that pushing that last few km’s along the Pilgrim’s Way past Titsey Place and onto St Peter’s Church was 4 kms too many. My leg was in agony and very swollen. I applied loads of my aloe vera heat lotion and took 2 paracetamol. With my leg raised against the wall, I lay back on the bed and contemplated just how far I had come.
I felt really good at how much ground I had covered, how many obstacles I had overcome, at the number of steps I climbed at Box Hill (for the record = 275 steps!!!) felt more like 27500!!! LOL I was looking forward to the training at head office the next day in Tonbridge, and a day off from lengthy walking and most especially from the bloody guide book. Other than that, I felt good. So glad to be walking the Pilgrim’s Way…a long held dream.
My penultimate instagram post : Tonbridge: Homeward Bound – Sometimes sooner than expected. So, after a day of excruciating pain in my lower right leg, and totally hobbling around, I’ve had to make the executive decision to head home for recovery. I can’t afford to cause more damage since I still have to work next month. If I continue along The Pilgrim’s Way after my day in Tonbridge, the following 5 days of walking are all in excess of 20kms and the last is 12kms. I know for sure that I’ll do more damage if I continue regardless. I’m good at endurance but have to be sensible too. Clearly the fall I had on Sunday did more damage than I thought and I must have been favouring my hip and my right leg where I fell on Box Hill is really swollen and very painful. So, disappointing as it is, I’ve cancelled all my accommodation for the next week and will get back to The Pilgrim’s Way over a period of time. Unfortunately my dates going forward for the rest of 2018 are not conducive to completing the way in one go, so I’ll look at dates when I get home and plan it over 2/3 stages and probably plan shorter days. The only night’s accommodation I can’t cancel is the Canterbury date, meant to be my last night, it’s really disappointing to not be arriving as a pilgrim completing the way. I’ll take it up anyway (not too difficult to spend a night in Canterbury 😉) and work the rest of the route around my work dates. Urgh. But, as the Gambler said “You gotta know when to hold out, and know when to quit”. OK so I used poetic license there… But, cest la vie. Homeward bound for now, and back to the pilgrimage in the future. I may even start in Canterbury and walk backwards (not literally 🙄🙄) to where I am now 😂 😂 😂 Other people walk from Canterbury to Winchester, so maybe I’ll mix it up a bit and do the same. One thing this trip has done is give me a whole new perspective on certain aspects of life. But that I’ll blog about that later on. Thanks to everyone for your lovely support and encouragement, and sharing my journey. I’m disappointed at having to stop, but being a pragmatic person, I’m more concerned for my health. I’ve had a wonderful time so far, albeit unpleasant at times and some really difficult days, but I’ve seen some amazing places and met many wonderful people along the way, and thats what its all about. It’s the journey, not the destination. Anyway, it’ll be something for me to look forward to 😂 😂 😂
Tuesday 28th August 2018 Day 8 – Merstham to Oxted : 20.75 kms / 45,608 steps elevation 309 meters
Not Just a Granny 
You must be logged in to post a comment.