Posted in around the UK, conqueror challenges, Fun Stuff, Health, historical houses of the uk, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2021, tagged Country Walking, exploring England, historic houses of England, long distance walking, Throwley near Faversham, villages and towns of England on February 4, 2021| 3 Comments »
With just 3 days to go till I finish this booking, I went through my photos to decide which houses I loved the most…these are the ones
Most of the days were grey and overcast or rainy, but I saw a few beautiful sunrises and a few equally beautiful sunsets….just never on the same day 😁😁
Its been a vast but interesting area to explore and I certainly got a lot of mileage behind me.
I am however really looking forward to returning to the sea.
Posted in conqueror challenges, Fun Stuff, Health, Historical, Holidays, long distance walks - solo, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2021, tagged Alps to Ocean New Zealand challenge, conqueror virtual challenges 2021, Country Walking, its my life, long distance walking, project 101, solo walking, walk1000miles on February 3, 2021| 2 Comments »
Except for a very early morning walk, I didn’t do any serious walking on New Year’s day, or the 2nd January, and rather spent those days with my lovely family and some Granny time with my beloved grandson. But I got going again on the 3rd January and once again managed to get in a really decent amount of kms. Its brilliant walking early in the morning along the coast, I hardly ever see anyone about, and as a bonus, if the weather is fine, I get to watch the sunrise. 😊😊
So here we go…stage 3 of the Alps to Ocean route…
I enjoyed some exploring in Twizel. It’s the largest town in the region which unsurprisingly triples in population during the summer period.
The town is relatively young having been founded in 1968 to house construction workers on the hydro scheme. Clever town planning placed all the services and schools in the centre with housing surrounding the central hub. Pedestrian paths straight into the centre made it more direct for residents to walk instead of driving the looped roads to get to the same destination. When the scheme wound up 15 years later the local residents successfully fought to save their town.
To the south of town is Lake Ruataniwha, an artificial lake formed in the late 1970s as part of the Hydro scheme. The lake is fed by Ohau River to the west and the overflow discharged from Lake Ohau further west. At 3mi (4.5km) long the lake is open to water enthusiasts with activities such as sailing, water skiing and rowing. I chose to stand-up paddle board but those mountainous views and blue lake were spellbinding. I should’ve just sat on a boat and soaked up the landscape.
Since I was already dressed for water activities I ducked across the State Highway to a waterhole I wanted to swim in. As blue as Lake Pukaki was, this ‘no name’ waterhole was emerald green greatly emphasised by the reflection of the willow trees on the waterhole’s edge. There was a time when the swimming hole was part of the Ohau River before the nearby dam and artificial lake disrupted the river’s flow and greatly reduced its size in the east separating the swimming hole from what is left of the river. If you have a satellite view of the waterhole it looks like a big emerald green bath.
Back in the late 1800s when Ohau River had its natural flow, crossing it was done by wire rope and a cage. In 1890 they built, what is now referred to as, the Old Iron Bridge. It served travellers for the next 80 years until the Hydro scheme came into the area, built Lake Ruataniwha, realigned the State Highway and bypassed the iron bridge. The bridge is now listed on NZ Historic Places Trust. A small monument can be found near the lake in memory of a mother and child who drowned in 1879 whilst fording, illustrating the difficulties and dangers of crossing the Ohau River at the time.
There’s another swimming hole called, Loch Cameron, northwest of Twizel, worthy of a visit but if I hoped to get to my next destination sometime today, I had to get cracking with my journey.
Making my way out of Twizel via the southern edge of Lake Ruataniwha, I followed the trail along the west side of Ohau River to Ohau weir. The weir is a low head dam that was constructed with a siphon to maintain a minimum flow into the Ohau River but conversely may overflow restricting access to travellers. Not needing to concern myself with flooding, I enjoyed my travel along the shore of Lake Ohau reaching the village for some lakeside dining and background view of Ben Ohau range.
Just for fun, and because I’m totally interested in finding out more, I did a Google maps search of Twizel and Lake Pukaki, then looked for images. OMG…its is breathtakingly beautiful!!! That water and the landscape… wowww. I’d probably end up wanting to stay 🤭🤭🤭
After this my wings were clipped, so to speak, and I started a new booking on the 4th January so my real time walking has been limited to 2 hours a day, weather permitting, which of course impacts my distances. Too sad.
Posted in conqueror challenges, Fun Stuff, Health, Historical, Inspiration, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2021, tagged alps to ocean New Zealand, conqueror virtual challenges 2021, Country Walking, its my life, long distance routes, long distance walking, solo travel, walk1000miles on January 31, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Since I was still at home, and had a few days yet before starting work, I was lucky enough to be able to put in some really good distances to get started on this challenge.
My lodging on Lake Pukaki was under the star-studded sky of the southern hemisphere. Here the Southern Cross, Milky Way and the inverted view of the Orion constellation are just part of the night sky spectacle. Lake Pukaki sits in the Mackenzie region, one of very few regions around the world classified as an International Dark Sky Reserve. Due to its limited light pollution, the night sky with millions of stars are visible as far as the eyes can see.
Lake Pukaki is the largest of three parallel alpine lakes in the Mackenzie Basin with Lake Tekapo and Lake Ohau being the other two. It’s milky blue colour is a result of finely ground rock particles from glaciers. The lake is part of the Waitaki hydroelectric scheme providing hydroelectricity, irrigation and municipal water supply. The lake originally had an outflow at the southern end but it has since been dammed. To increase storage capacity the lake has been raised twice eventually submerging Te Kohai Island which appeared on NZ’s five pound note pre-decimal currency era. Looking at some of the old images of Lake Pukaki there was a time in the mid-19th century when ferries were used to cross the river outlet south of the lake with a hotel on the bank. A bridge was added in the late 1800s. Both the bridge and hotel have now perished with the raising of the lake.
Firing up for today’s longer journey, I indulged in a sizeable breakfast, a quick swim in the lake to get the blood circulating and I was ready to tackle the next stage. I continued the trail on the eastern side of the lake on a nice quiet country road. Travelling along the shoreline of the lake I was greeted with incredible northward views of the Southern Alps and Mount Cook and kept imagining them as the mythical Aoraki and his three brothers. Directly across the length of the lake was the Ben Ohau range known for its ski touring route across the top of it.
Carrying on the trail I crossed the Pukaki Dam towards the Salmon Shop at Lake Pukaki Visitor Centre. It all went rather well until I reached the southern section of the lake and found myself exposed to the gusty winds from the north-west. It was quite the balancing act aiming to move forwards without taking a tumble down the cliffs and drop-offs near the trail.
With a stop at the Salmon Shop for some locally farmed freshwater salmon, I took this opportunity to gather my rattled nerves, have a rest and absorb the last of this vista. I left the lake behind and moved on south across the Pukaki Flats, a substantial expanse of tussock grasslands and a very flat route. These dry grassy plains are distinctive to the South Island and are largely used for grazing livestock. Without any shading available, plenty of water was necessary and a good head covering.
Having made it into the region’s largest town with time to spare, I’m off to see the highlights before I turn in for the night. I’ll tell you all about it in my next letter.
Wow, amazing. I really love the amount of information the Conqueror organisers provide along with the postcards. Plenty of hints and tips amongst the history, which is just enough to be really interesting – its certainly piqued my interest. Note to self ‘take swim costume’ 🏊♀️🏊♀️🏊♀️
Damn, I want to go now 😂😂😂😂 anyone know a millionaire with a few thousand pounds lying around that they don’t need….😁😁 I really REALLY want to see those stars 🌌🌌🌌
Posted in conqueror challenges, Fun Stuff, Health, Holidays, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2021, tagged alps to ocean New Zealand, conqueror virtual challenges 2021, Country Walking, dreams are made of this, it's my life, long distance walking, project 101, walk1000miles on January 30, 2021| 8 Comments »
Immediately after finishing the Mt. Fuji challenge, and without further ado, I started my next challenge: the Alps to Ocean route in New Zealand on 30th December 2020.
This brought me to the end of the year and helped me to reach my Conquer 2020 goal of 2,020 kms.
And off we go….from one mountain on an island to another mountain on an island…
Imagine crisp alpine air, snow-capped peaks, glaciers, milky lakes and starlit nights. The training ground for Sir Edmund Hillary’s climbing skills in preparation for Everest. The legendary story of Aoraki and his three brothers. These are just some of the highlights of Mount Cook.
At 12,217ft (3,724m) tall Mount Cook is located on the South Island and the tallest mountain in New Zealand. It sits within the Mount Cook National Park which runs 37mi (60km) in a southwest-northeast direction. Home to more than 400 flora and fauna the national park is part of the Te Wāhipounamu South Westland World Heritage Site. The park is also home to 35 species of birds, including the only alpine parrot called Kea.
When I was looking into Mount Cook, I was wondering about the 98ft (30m) height discrepancy between different written sources. Further investigations revealed that in 1991 an avalanche of 350 million cubic feet (10Mm³) of snow and rock followed by twenty years of erosion had shrunk the mountain’s elevation by 98ft (30m).
Of the twelve largest glaciers in New Zealand, eight of them are within the park with Tasman Glacier being the longest at 15mi (24km). The glacier terminates in the Tasman Lake which up until the 1990s never existed. The lake was formed due to rapid glacial melting whilst the glacier itself continues to recede annually by as much as 2,697ft (822m). It is anticipated that within a few decades the glacier will be completely gone and the lake fully formed.
The lake’s primary outflow is the alpine braided Tasman River which flows south for 16mi (25km) through the Tasman Valley and into Lake Pukaki. The glacier, lake and river were named after Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who in 1642 was the first European to sight the northwest coast of NZ’s South Island.
My journey begins at the base of Mount Cook, northwest of the river. Needing to cross the river to connect to Rotten Tommy trail, I took a short helicopter flight. The aerial view of this glacially-fed river and Mount Cook was a sight to behold. From Rotten Tommy, I took a southward bound route alongside the Tasman River. Although part of the route was quite rough and I had to cross several creeks, eventually the track changed to gravel road and made it easier to navigate towards my first overnight stop. Being a clear and sunny day, I had the treat of seeing Mount Cook in the distance rising above the lower snow-capped peaks in the National Park.
Before I go let me tell you about the Ngāi Tahu legend. The story goes that once the “Gods existed in the midst of a great sea of nothingness” and Raki, the Sky Father and Pokoharua-te-po, his wife had four sons, all living in the heavens. Raki left his wife to be with Papatuanuku, the Earth Mother, and together they created the world. Aoraki, the eldest son of Raki, along with his three brothers came from the heavens with a canoe in an attempt to persuade their father to return to their mother. Upon seeing him together with his new wife, the brothers knew Raki would never return. The brothers decided to go home but unfortunately their canoe wouldn’t rise and following strong winds and rising seas, the canoe overturned tipping the brothers into the water. Climbing atop the upturned canoe they waited for help. As time passed with no help coming, they eventually turned to stone. The canoe became the Southern Island and the brothers became the Southern Alps with Aoraki (Mount Cook) being the highest peak.
It all sounds absolutely amazing. I’m really going to have to seriously consider planning to walk these routes for real as part of my Project 101, especially if I want to see that glacier before it disappears completely – I’ve got just over 4 years to save…
Posted in conqueror challenges, Fun Stuff, Health, Historical, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2020, walk 1000 miles 2021, tagged Conqueror virtual challenges 2020, Country Walking, long distance walking, Mt Fuji Japan, walk1000miles on January 28, 2021| Leave a Comment »
One of the most positive aspects for me, doing these challenges keeps me moving towards my goals…as soon as lockdown is lifted I’m finalising my plan to walk The Thames Path. They give me something to dream about, and think about when I’m working, and help to relieve the many boring hours where I’m just cooped up and not walking. Once again I thank my daughter for introducing me to the challenges….
Just over halfway and I made it to Lake Yamanaka, the largest and the last of the Five Lakes. The lake is the only one of the five with a natural outflow, draining into Sagami River. Yamanaka is a popular recreational site for all types of watersports, boating, fishing and around the lake there are restaurants, parks, a small teddy bear museum and even a waterpark.
Back in 1985 aquatic adventurer Lynne Cox, was the first woman to swim across all Five Lakes. A long-distance open water swimmer, as part of her Swim Around the World in 80 Days quest, Lynne undertook a series of swimming challenges of which the Five Lakes was one of them. She is most famous for achieving the first diplomatic swim across Bering Strait (1987) and being the catalyst at opening the US-Soviet Border for the first time in 48 years, accomplishing the swim in 2:06hrs in 38°F (3°C) water.
There are several parks around the lake but Hana no Miyako Park is a wonderful 74 acres floral park. Every season is a kaleidoscopic display. Imagine tulips in spring; cosmos, zinnia, blue salvias or a field of sunflowers in summer; orange-red-russet colours of autumn; and whilst the soil is resting in the winter preparations are made for spring in the greenhouse.
Grapes are also harvested here to create Koshu wine, a white wine variety. Koshu wine is described as soft, fruity and aromatic with citrus overtones and considered a good match for Japanese cuisine. Yamanashi the prefecture that this Park sits within had the first proper winery established in the late 19th century. Locally grown grapes grew dramatically by the mid-late 20th century, so much so that more than 80 wineries can now be found in Yamanashi, producing 40% of Japan’s domestic wine.
On a clear day Mount Fuji majestically reflects off Lake Yamanaka but right now I am more excited about finally starting the climb up the mountain.
However, before I go here’s a final story. It’s of Kakozaka Shrine that is on the way to the trail. The shrine is dedicated to Lord Fujiwara (Hamuro) Mitsuchika. In the early 13th century the retired Emperor Go-toba had his political manoeuvres blocked by the Kamakura shogunate. Wanting the power he believed was rightfully his, he conspired to overthrow the shogunate by gathering his allies. Lord Hamuro it seems, presented himself to the Emperor ahead of expected time, seeking an audience that was denied. He then decided to write a proposal on how to pursue the regent of the shogunate. The conspiracy was leaked to the shogunate who then launched an offensive and crushed the opposition with the force of his army. Unfortunately Lord Hamuro was captured and executed for his role in the conspiracy. His grave near the shrine has been protected by the people of Subashiri and a memorial service is held every May.
Seems like a good time to go then…in May. Could combine the cherry blossom time with the walk. Apparently the best time to visit is between March-May. I could go for my birthday in April, do the walk and attend the memorial service
Why not join me on one of the challenges https://www.theconqueror.events/r/CE1474 they are excellent motivation to get out and and walk, especially now that our wings are clipped by Covid-19 and lockdown.
Posted in conqueror challenges, Fun Stuff, Health, Historical, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2021, tagged conqueror virtual challenges, Conqueror virtual challenges 2020, Country Walking, long distance walking, Mt Fuji Japan, walk1000miles on January 27, 2021| 2 Comments »
Hot on the heels of Stage 1, I received the next postcard. Stage 2 completed and may I say wowww, the history is just amazing. I wish they’d taught us this in school. I would have gone walking rather than marrying….
Lake Kawaguchi is the second largest of the Five Lakes and has the longest shoreline of 12mi (19km). It is a popular holiday destination with well-developed resort facilities.
My hike along the southside of the lake began at Koumi Park, a sprawling green space with a narrow promenade, not particularly obvious but nicely maintained, near the shore that led to Shikkogo Park a mile away. Along the way I came across the literary monument of Junichiro Tanizaki, a popular novelist of the mid-20th century. The monument is in the form of an open book with a passage from one of his works carved in his handwriting.
I reached a cape-like place called “Sakuya Aino Kane” which translates as Sakuya Bell of Love. Near the tip of the cape is an arched structure about 13ft (4m) high with a bell hanging in the centre of it. Installed by the city of Katsuya in 2002, the arch was named after “Konohana Sakuyahime” the Shinto goddess of Mount Fuji. In Japanese mythology Sakuyahime is depicted as a blossom-princess in the image of the sakura (cherry blossom) and a symbol of delicate earthly life. It is said that if you ring the bell once love will come true and if you ring it twice your wish will come true. Of course I couldn’t pass it by without ringing it at least once or maybe twice.
Veering off the promenade, I visited Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine. The original shrine was built around the 9th century on Mount Fuji. Due to the mountain’s frequent eruptions, it burnt down and was rebuilt many times. The current shrine was built on Mount Fuji in 1612 by Torri Naritsugu but in 1974 was moved to its current location for future preservation.
Naritsugu was a member of the Torri Clan, a samurai family and loyal retainers of the Tokugawa Shogunate (dynasty) from the 15th – 19th century. In 1600AD, his father Mototada changed the course of Japanese history when he refused to surrender Fushimi Castle to an oncoming enemy. With a garrison of 2,000 men, he fought valiantly against an army of 40,000, until he was the last man standing. As was custom rather than being taken alive, Mototada performed seppuku (suicide). This final stand gave his Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (commander-in-chief) sufficient time to escape. Ieyasu went on to raise an army of 90,000 and successfully won the Battle of Sekigahara, resulting in the unification of Japan and a ruling dynasty for the next 268 years.
Set within a dense old forest at the base of Fuji is “Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen” shrine complex. Covering 24 acres, the complex is one the largest forest shrines in Japan. The first shrine was built more than 1900 years ago when Yamato Takeru on an expedition to the east came across Mount Fuji and began worshipping Konohanasakuya-hime, Goddess of Mount Fuji. When the Edo Period (17thC) began Fuji-ko (Mount Fuji religion) spread and worshippers would begin their pilgrimage up the mountain from here using the Yoshida Route, one of four trails to the summit. Around the main shrine, trees were selected in each corner to designate the border of the area. About 1000 years old, only three trees remain today. With girths measuring 75ft (23m) the trees are believed to protect the shrine and are classified natural monuments.
Yamato has an interesting story or perhaps more like a legend himself. Born around 72AD he was the second son of Emperor Keiko, the first being his twin brother. He began his military career by first murdering his brother, simply because the Emperor was dissatisfied with his brother for failing to have his meals with the imperial household. At 16 Yamato was sent to quell a rebellious tribe. He succeeded by infiltrating the tribe dressed as a housemaid with a hidden holy sword, one of three Imperial Regalia. Upon his return home, the Emperor sent him on another mission. With his wife in tow, Yamato needed to cross the sea but a storm was hindering the voyage. His wife sacrificed herself to the sea in the hope the storm would die down and according to legend it did. Seven days later her comb washed ashore and a tomb was built around it. Yamato proceeded with his campaign and when the rivals saw his approach they surrendered immediately. Yamato never arrived home. He died of exposure at the age of 30. His aggrieved father built a mausoleum where his son died and it is believed that his soul transformed into a white bird and soared to Heaven.
Truly, reading this makes me want to just go….to Japan and walk the route. And talking of cherry blossoms, that’s something I’ve so wanted to see….so, maybe!! ☺☺🌸🌸🇯🇵
Why not join me on one of the challenges https://www.theconqueror.events/r/CE1474 they are excellent motivation to get out and and walk, especially now that our wings are clipped by Covid-19 and lockdown.
Posted in conqueror challenges, Fun Stuff, Inspiration, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2021, tagged Conqueror virtual challenges 2020, conqueror virtual challenges 2021, Country Walking, long distance walking, Mt Fuji on January 26, 2021| 10 Comments »
The problem I have with the Conqueror Challenges is that the routes are so amazing, it makes me want to do the walks in real time, and not just virtually. So to that end, I’ve added them to my list of ‘walks I want to do before I die’ and 🙏🙏🙏 the Universe is listening and provides a sponsor so I can go walking instead of working 🤣🤣🤣
I actually completed the Mt. Fuji virtual challenge in 2020, but as usual I got distracted by other walks and places and forgot to share them….so here’s the 1st stage. I’ll post the next few stages over the coming days. I love the information that comes with the postcards and find them absolutely fascinating.
I started the Mt. Fuji challenge on 26 December, immediately after finishing the Great Ocean Road Australia challenge, and because I was not working, managed to complete the challenge in a few days…chop chop as they say.
When I decided to hike Japan’s tallest mountain, Mount Fuji, I pondered the best route that would capture its culture and spirit whilst travelling through its lush green landscape. The result was a 46mi (74km) journey starting at the base of the mountain, leading past lakes, caves, temples, shrines, dense forestry and ending with the final climb to the summit.
Mount Fuji is one of three holy mountains in Japan. At 12,388ft (3,776m) tall, Fuji sits atop a triple junction trench where three tectonic plates meet. Although geologists classify it as active, Fuji is a dormant volcano that last erupted in 1707. At the base it is surrounded by the Fuji Five Lakes which were formed by previous eruptions damming up the rivers with the lava flows.
Mount Fuji is a composite of four successive volcanoes meaning it’s made up of layers. The first two layers were the result of an eruption more than 700,000 years ago known as Sen-Komitake and Komitake Fuji. The next eruption, about 100,000 years ago, engulfed Komitake Fuji and added the second layer creating Old Fuji. The third eruption about 10,000 years ago formed New Fuji and the summit zone producing the near perfect conical shape we know today.
Recognised as a sacred place and considered a symbol of Japan, Mount Fuji is a pilgrimage destination for practisers of Shinto. Each year between July and August, up to 400,000 tourists and pilgrims make the long trek to the summit. In 2013, Mount Fuji was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Dotted throughout Japan are Shinto shrines and Torii gates. Shinto is the indigenous faith of the Japanese people and the shrines are places of worship and homes of the Kami (Gods). Practitioners come to pay their respects to the Kami or pray for good fortune. The entrance to a shrine is marked by a gate known as Torii and they symbolise the “transition from mundane to sacred”. To enter through a Torii, one enters the world of the Kami (Shinto Gods).
I began my hike at the Yama Shrine near Lake Motosu, one of the Five Lakes. The third largest and deepest of the five lakes, it is subteranneously connected to Lake Shoji and Lake Saiko. Originally one lake, these three lakes were divided by one of Mount Fuji’s enormous lava flows. The water temperature on Lake Motosu never drops below 39 °F (4°C) and as such it is the only lake of the five that never freezes over winter.
Northward bound, I passed by Lake Shoji, the second and smallest of the Five Lakes. On the left side of the lake you can still see large remnants of the lava flow jutting out of the water. With a greenish hue due to algae and rich in nutrients including plankton, locals can be seen standing on the lava rocks fishing.
My final stop for today was Lake Saiko, the third of the Five Lakes. With no natural outflow an artificial channel was made to connect it to Lake Kawaguchi. Lake Saiko’s banks borders the Aokigahara Forest which I will write about in my next letter.
Don’t you think that’s fascinating? There’s so much to learn about this fabulous world of ours.
Why not join me on one of the challenges https://www.theconqueror.events/r/CE1474 they are excellent motivation to get out and and walk, especially now that our wings are clipped by Covid-19 and lockdown.
Stage 2…to follow shortly.
Posted in around the UK, cities and towns of the UK, conqueror challenges, Domesday Villages of England, england coast path, Fun Stuff, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2021, walks around the UK, tagged Country Walking, Faversham, isle of thanet, long distance walking, saxon shore way, seaside towns of England, the history of Faversham on January 21, 2021| Leave a Comment »
When we first moved to the coast in 2016, travelling from London to Broadstairs on the train, past all the stations enroute, I remember being intrigued by the places behind the names, and excited about the possibility of exploring them all….and that was only those north of my destination. I subsequently discovered many more, south of Broadstairs.
I have since then been to all of the seaside towns, either by train or when out walking the coastline, as well as to many of the more inland places. They are all awash with centuries of history, and many of these villages, towns and the City of Canterbury, are mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book. It is just phenomenal and I am constantly in thrall to the many layers uncovered during my research.
Faversham, along with Broadstairs, Canterbury, Sandwich and Dover are my favourite places to go….castles, Saints, Normans, Vikings, abbeys, a cathedral, ancient churches, historic houses, medieval houses, famous people and royal visits and tales of smugglers – who could resist!!
I first met Faversham on my Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales walk in 2017 (as mentioned in a previous blog), and although the memories are of blistered feet and muddy shoes, I still have fond feelings for the place 🤣🤣
So since I mentioned it briefly yesterday, I thought I should expand on that and tell you more about this ever so fabulous and famous town, a town that missed out on being a city thanks to a small detail….it doesn’t have a cathedral (or a castle for that matter). Oh the semantics…
Faversham; Old English origin, meaning “the metal-worker’s village” lies next to the Swale, a strip of sea separating mainland Kent from the Isle of Sheppey in the Thames Estuary. There has been a settlement at Faversham since pre-Roman times, next to the ancient sea port on Faversham Creek, and was inhabited by the Saxons.
Fefresham was held in royal demesne in 811, and is further cited in a charter granted by Coenwulf, the King of Mercia. Coenwulf described the town as ‘the King’s little town of Fefresham’, while it was recorded in the Domesday Book as Favreshant.
Mentioned as Favreshant in the 1086 Domesday Book, Faversham was noted as : King’s land, with 2 salthouses, a mill and a market; a market town and small port.
Faversham was used as a summer residence by the Kings and Queens of Kent, and has many other royal connections; Stephen (1092 or 1096 – 25 October 1154), often referred to as Stephen of Blois, was King of England from 22 December 1135 to his death in 1154 and was buried in Faversham Abbey. However, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538, most of the abbey was demolished, and the remains of Stephen were rumoured to have been thrown into Faversham Creek along with his consort and son who were buried with him. Subsequent excavations revealed empty tombs when they were opened.
Abbey Street was constructed around 1201 in order to provide an appropriate approach to the abbey from the town, and still houses timber framed buildings; described as “the finest medieval street in southeast England”.
A royal visit by Queen Elizabeth I in 1573
Faversham was established as a link arm to the Confederation of Cinque Ports as the (Limb of Dover).
Other famous people linked to Faversham (besides me, that is 🤣🤣🤣😉)
Richard Arden, a 16th century mayor, was murdered by his wife and her lover. Nice 🤪🤪🤪
There are some fantastic buildings surrounding the market place
Faversham also lies on the old Saxon Shore Way route between Gravesend on the river Thames near City of London and Hastings on England’s south east coast and known for the ‘Battle of Hastings’ which is when William the Conqueror defeated King Harald in 1066. William the Conqueror is responsible for the ‘Great Survey’ of England; the Domesday Book completed in 1086.
The Saxon Shore Way, a long-distance footpath of 163 miles in England, starts at Gravesend and traces the coast of SE-England as it was in Roman times, as far as Hastings in East Sussex. There are a couple of places where the route runs inland; around what was the Isle of Thanet – once separate from mainland England by the River Wantsum, and again on the south coast past Folkestone.
Some 5,000 years ago Thanet was separated from mainland Britain by 600 metres of sea – The Wantsum Channel, it is now connected again since the river/channel silted up some time ago.
When the English Channel was formed by the sea breaking through, an island of chalk was left on the east side of the county – now known as the Isle of Thanet.
The SSW follows the creek inland from The Swale and into Faversham and then back out again from the opposite bank and once again follows The Swale and into the Thames river at Gravesend. Since I’ve already walked so many sections of the SSW on my various walks, it makes sense for me to actually do the whole route…one day LOL I mean it’s not like I don’t have about 100 other walks to do and I have LOADS of time on my hands ….as if 🤣🤣🤣
Faversham is located on the main road between the City of London and Dover and therefore became an important stop over for travellers between the Port of London and the Port of Dover. As a result of this inns were of paramount importance and today you can see and stay at one at least one such…The Sun Inn. Seriously one of my favourite ‘places I stayed’ on my many walks. It had everything I needed after arriving drenched and in pain. A massive double bed, a huge bath and fluffy white towels. Perfect.
Faversham truly is awash with history and I could write up so much more, but this is already quite a long post, so for now I’ll just add one more photo
Okay, make it two photos LOL – the architecture is so varied that if you’re a fan of architecture you could spend the whole day walking around and still find more to see
I’m sure to visit Faversham again when I start the next section of my insane intention of walking the entire English Coast and of course the Saxon Shore Way….now that my interest has been well and truly piqued. I’ll tell you more about it then…meanwhile…
Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to read about my adventures, I really do appreciate your time and support. Have a fab day/afternoon/evening wherever you may be in the world. 🌍🌎🌏
In case you’re interested: more about my Canterbury Tales Walk from Southwark Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral (p.s. please don’t feel obliged to read any of them, it’s just in case you’re interested).
https://notjustagranny.co.uk/2017/07/06/the-prelude-southwark-to-canterbury/
https://notjustagranny.co.uk/2017/07/07/prelude-day-1-southwark/
https://notjustagranny.co.uk/2017/07/09/prelude-day-2-southwark-and-the-city-of-london/
https://notjustagranny.co.uk/2011/03/10/my-canterbury-tales-12th-february-day-1/
https://notjustagranny.co.uk/2011/03/26/my-canterbury-tales-february-13th-day-two/
https://notjustagranny.co.uk/2017/08/03/arriving-in-rochester/
https://notjustagranny.co.uk/2017/08/08/day-3-rochester-to-faversham-part-1/
https://notjustagranny.co.uk/2017/08/09/day-3-rochester-to-faversham-part-2/
https://notjustagranny.co.uk/2017/08/14/faverham-to-canterbury-the-finale/
Posted in around the UK, conqueror challenges, Fun Stuff, Health, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, photography, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2021, tagged conqueror virtual challenges 2021, Country Walking, domesday book village, Faversham, long distance walking, Throwley on January 17, 2021| 3 Comments »
Its been a funny old week with grey overcast days, a rainy day not fit for ducks, and of course snow!! 😁😁❄ and today’s gorgeous sunshine.
Despite the weird weather I have managed to get out on a few walks and extended my horizons by going off in different directions….the problem of course is that the roads are so long, I have to walk for ages to reach an intersection, and there’s no such thing as “gosh I’m tired, let me head back” because the distances are so great there is no quick way to get back – you just have to keep traipsing along.
As for the scenery, beyond the few scattered hamlets, it’s mostly wet, muddy, grey/brown farm fields with a few copses of trees dotting the landscape. But I have enjoyed stretching my legs and hearing nothing but birdsong and the baaing of sheep, encountering minimal traffic as I go…..on Friday I walked for 70 minutes before encountering a car, and that was well timed (not really) – I was 2 thirds of the way around a huge puddle of the water that covered the road from one side to the other, making my way gingerly along the verges, hanging onto barbed wire fencing and precariously positioned wooden posts, when I heard the sound of an approaching car. 😱😱😱 wtf, you’re kidding me!!!
With utter dismay I turned towards the sound and prayed that is wasn’t some young buck who thought it would be fun to drive through at speed and drench the old lady 👵🏻 hanging on to the fence for dear life. Thankfully it was another little old lady 👵🏻 and she drove sedately through the puddle leaving small waves in her wake, and me dry!! I thanked her as she drove by! 😁😁😁
Another place that looked enticing was Belmont House and it played host to my visit on Tuesday. A good 2.2 miles from my current location, it took me 35 minutes to get there, which shaved 7 minutes off google’s eta. If I don’t dilly dally too much, its amazing the places I can go.
Belmont House and Gardens located in the Throwley area of Faversham on the rolling North Downs of Kent. The 18th century house was designed by Samuel Wyatt in the neo-classical style, built in 1769 by Edward Wilks – storekeeper at the nearby Faversham Powder Mill, and enjoys a stunning view over the estate and the downs. The estate is made up of house, gardens, cricket pitch, orchards, farm and woodlands…over 3,000 acres. Belmont has an extensive history and the Lords Harris served as soldiers and colonial governors. The house is distinguished for the collection of clocks created by the 5th Lord Harris. Needless to say I didn’t get to see any of these, except for the clock tower, and the house is covid-19 closed. blergh. Maybe I will return at some stage to this booking and perhaps the house will be open then.
Meanwhile, my walks have taken me as far as I can go and some days I’ve gotten back just within my allotted break time of 2 hours. Of course if I had more time…..who knows where I could go!!
It wouldn’t however be across the fields along the footpaths…since not only do the farmers rudely put up electrified fencing as close to the path as possible, making it difficult to access, but atm the paths are just gloopy sticky muddy horrors. I know, because I foolishly walked along not one, but 3 paths last week – on the sameday😝😝. My shoes were sluggish with sticky mud.
We experienced some icy cold weather that caused the ponds and puddles to freeze over…
But oh the views!!!!
And this always makes me smile
Today I woke to a fabulous sunrise and blue skies, that developed into a beautiful morning.
So beautiful in fact that I asked my client if I could beg an extra hour and go for a walk before the weather turned.
And a good thing I did too, by 2pm the clouds had blown in and once again it was grey….but we had a lovely sunset
And blow me down if once again I didn’t get caught out, no, make that twice!! No cars at all for well over an hour in all directions, yet just before I reached the flooded corner a car came whizzing down the road from behind me and sent waves of water flying through the air. Well, that’s done I thought, I should be safe now….hah! Once again, as I was about halfway round along comes another car, from the opposite direction. I scurried into the field through a gap in the fence and waved them on…waited for the water to settle and hurried the rest of the way round before car number 3 came by. None did 🤪🤪
And so endeth week 2 in Throwley. I think I have pretty much exhausted the area and shared plenty images of just about everything you could hope to see, so for the next week I shall concentrate on bringing my Pilgrim’s Way posts up to date, as well as the walks along the English coast. I will of course still do as many walks as I can.
I’ve accumulated 38kms this week and had 2 non walking days. Not too bad.
Posted in around the UK, idiot category, news from around the world, plastic pollution, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2021, tagged #plasticpollution, CLEAN SEAS campaign, fly-tipping, polluting the planet on January 17, 2021| Leave a Comment »
I wish I could share this story a million times, so that a million people could see it, perhaps share it to a million other people, so that a million people could stop polluting and dumping their trash.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKJaIAMg2Qj/?igshid=q2ovcp9ov3hb
With my frequent lengthy walks, and long distance walking, I see trash along the sides of the roads, in the hedges, the fields, and bizarrely even in trees. Its disgusting.
As he says, ultimately those people who dump their trash along the roads and elsewhere, are hurting themselves.
Edit: if you want to see what Curtis is up to, he’s on Instagram under creekrunner242 What a hero, and he turns the trash into art 👏👏👏
No Instagram images were found.
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Self propelled adventures through life; blogging on cycling, touring, micro-adventures, general shenanigans, and environmental news
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