Day 4 - Headcorn to Yalding

The route (all links open in a new window)
Start point: Headcorn
w3w: ///mermaids.contain.munched
Distance: 14 miles

Accompanying video

My first objective today was to get back on the Greensand Way trail. I knew the path was a good one and more importantly was taking me in the right direction, passing right next to Yalding station, my finish point for the day.

Weather-wise it was a strange day. I recorded an introduction which took just a few short minutes (see Day 4 video) and it went from bright sunshine to overcast and windy in those minutes. As long as the rain stayed away, I was fine. I hadn't taken any wet weather gear. Luckily my gamble paid off and I stayed dry!

I was setting off from my back garden, almost literally, since I had planned the route on Day 3 to finish at my home in Headcorn. This meant the start of the route was all very familiar to me since I've done many short walks across these fields. It felt a bit wrong to say I was on a 280 mile journey given I was just a few hundred feet from my home. Almost like I was cheating but I reminded myself these walks are not an endurance test, I want to make these videos and this journey in such a way that anyone with the ability to walk can take up any of these days and walk it themselves. So to that end, the box has been ticked (so far!)

Having said that I knew at least one upcoming day that I had in mind which will be pushing the boundaries of achievable. All of this was so I could get a train back home at the end of each day. That will change in the coming days as the train journey's become prohibitively time consuming. 

Taking a lunch break, watching the weather roll in

After finding my way through polytunnel filled fields I popped out onto a small back-road that took me through Sutton Valence. If you were doing this route it would be worth taking a tiny detour to see the remnants of the small Sutton Valence Castle. It's not huge but it is always nice to experience the little known historical buildings that Great Britain has to offer. 

Sutton Valance Castle. Owned from 1238 by Simon de Montfort, who was killed at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. If only the walls could talk.

Whilst we are metaphorically in a built up area, I have been made aware of another strange but brilliant idea. I had seen a red telephone box on Day 1 converted into a housing for a defibrillator and, seemingly, a book shop! It turns out there is a 'thing' whereby people will set their books free into the wilds in these telephone boxes, encouraged by "bookcrossing". Give them a look.

Cutting across the Kentish countryside I was in awe once again of the scenery. I have a feeling that will become a common trait of these walks. The trail snaked through ancient woodlands and suddenly popped out to a well kept sanctuary... for goats! Just when you think you were being treated with the countryside, an awesome sight like this pops up in front of you.

Buttercups Goat Sanctuary at Boughton Monchlesea. It's ace!

On a lovely sunny day with the goats frollicking in the meadow, this was turning out to be a very wholesome and enjoyable hike. Take a look at Buttercups goat sanctuary. Another little surprise, for me at least, was seeing a red post box with GR on it (instead of ER). Having done a little research it seems these are quite common but I can't say I have ever seen a GR postbox. Apparently there are VR and even ER VIII post boxes! Who knew? Not me that's for sure.

As stated, Yalding was my finish point for the day and I'd arrived. These days that are 13/14 miles long feel like short days for me. Tomorrow will be another short day of around 12 miles but the day after will be 20 miles, likely more since recording video footage adds roughly 1 mile per 10 miles of recording (due to setting the camera up, walking past the camera, retrieving the camera, etc.) so I will enjoy the quiet before the storm!

Thanks for reading and please do give my videos a watch, they are, I think a great accompaniment to the bloggs (and vice versa). The link for the videos is on the home screen.

Thanks a million!