The Kent High Wealds Landscape Trail.
The South East Walks Partnership is a group of Government and Local Government organisation's acting collectively to promote the return of tourism to the South East countryside in the the aftermath of Foot & Mouth! They are promoting and encouraging a wide range of activities related to the countryside across the region. For more information and details of these events please visit www.southeastwalks.com or www.nationaltrails.gov.uk
Walk 2 - Rolvenden to Tenterden.
Guide - Ms Gerry Sherwin (Editor of High Weald Anvil) AONB Officer High Weald Unit, South East Walks Partnership.
UKL represented by Sophie Martin-Castex and Brian Sharland.This time our group made their various ways to Rolvenden, home to the famous Rolvenden Farmers Market held every Thursday morning between 10am and 2pm. The range and quality of the produce at this market is very high, with everything thing from fresh fish to home made jams, home made wicker & coppiced garden furniture to smoked chicken. Well worth visiting.
The Jam Lady and her brightly lidded Jam collection.
Dragged from the temptations of the produce in the village hall and church by our determined guide, Ms Gerry Sherwin, who then equally determinedly led us straight into the garden of a private house, guarded by two very large and obviously carnivorous dogs. "Oops" Gerry told us "you must have missed the turn". At a rather faster pace than we had hoped and with the sound of furious barks fading behind us, we broke into open country. A view across the Weald spread before us and the sun shone brightly. Here Gerry swung us into a long dark tunnel of Rhododendrons and ferns. Cuckoo pints, bracken and bluebells were everywhere, a bright green and blue carpet scattered with petals from the fading Rhododendrons.
We were following a track called the High Weald Path and an ever-changing landscape surrounded us. Bushes and shrubs gave way to open fields, then trees covered us once more. We passed by ancient hedgerows and stands of woods. We were surrounded by bird calls and the plaintive sounds of lambs looking for their mothers. Ponds were frequent and full of Newts, sadly now very rare elsewhere in the country. After an hour we passed into Lower Rolvenden, a pretty village of a few houses with delightful gardens and an immense sense of tranquility.
After the village and into another upward rolling series of slopes Gerry led us across rolling green fields of wheat. Hills were in front and behind us and I for one was enjoying the scenery and seeing constant opportunities for photos.
The weather was beautiful! Bright sunshine, high clouds and no wind. The green wheat, lambs in the fields, the trees and wild flowers in bloom and everywhere the sound of birds singing. Truly a feel good moment! The High Weald is very scenic and enclosed by downs to the North and South. Walking is a good exercise and a lovely way to intimately explore countryside. There is no better way to spend a Sunday morning than by planning a trip out, having a lovely walk in the fresh air and then finishing with a nice lunch in a country pub. Heaven!
Descending a slight incline we saw in the distance the smoke from the steam train that runs out of Tenterden. A very pretty sight with the distant sound of the engine puffing it's way along the valley. And also our first glimpse of the end of our journey. We had a long flat walk to a steep rise where the small town of Tenterden started. It is now very hot and we are looking forward to our lunchtime stop at the William Caxton pub on the outskirts of the town.
After a refreshing pint of Shepherd Neame beer and a superb home cooked lunch the group split, with the more intrepid heading off to Smallhythe and another two and a half miles (approx 4K). Sophie and I, sadly, had to return to London so missing the second half of the walk.
There are many more activities planned for the summer and there is a wide range of leaflets and brochures providing details of walks and places to visit. Please visit www.nationaltrails.gov.uk For more details of the South East Walks Partnership activities visit www.southeastwalks.com
